La La Land

Underscored by the ease of Californian minimalism, this home’s unique alchemy of architectural styles works in harmony with its past and future.

- Dominic Bradbury

Jewellery designer Nancy Newberg wanted a fresh start when it came to the design of her new Los Angeles home. Nancy and her husband had lived in the same neighborhood for many years but it was time for a change and a challenge, so when a site just down the street from their family home went up for sale, she decided to pursue her dream of building a house with a distinctive, contemporary take on Spanish Revival style. “I was eager to do the project because I love architecture and design,” says Nancy, who studied fashion before founding her eponymous brand. “We built our first home where we raised our children, and since all the boys were grown up and out of school the time seemed right to create a new setting for the next chapter of our lives.”

Nancy has long admired early 20th century Californian Spanish colonial houses by architects such as George Washington Smith, Roland Coate, and Wallace Neff, and equally appreciates the pared-down textural aesthetic pioneered by Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt and his contemporaries. So, she opted to create her own version with a dream team that included Marmol Radziner architects, California-based interior designer Kathryn Ireland and landscape designer Stephen Block. “We wanted to create a home that was beautiful and timeless,” Nancy says. “We wanted the interiors to be full of light, uncluttered, clean and minimal, but it was also important that the rooms felt relaxed, warm and comfortable, so we went for a neutral palette using lots of linens with a few antiques mixed in.”