Outside interests

A priority for Noel Pittman when she bought this home in LA was the garden, but she brought the beauty of the great outdoors inside too

- WORDS JANE CRITTENDEN

Noel Pittman has always loved the look of Mediterranean houses, especially those built in the 1920s. So when she came across this beautiful Spanish Revival property in California, she was smitten from the start.

‘I love a home with history, and this house fit the bill perfectly with its preserved traditional architectural elements like Saltillo tile floors, white stucco walls and a terracotta tile roof,’ explains Noel. ‘As I stepped through the front door of the property into the entry hall, a stained-glass window cast a beautiful, coloured light and I could hear the peaceful sound of water from a fountain from the courtyard – I fell in love.’

Noel, an interior designer, decided to move to Los Angeles to be closer to her mum, sister and nephews and was on the hunt for somewhere she could decorate and make her own. As well as the wonderful architecture, the house had a good layout so she began by focusing on landscaping outside to create a lush Mediterranean oasis.