Los Feliz is one of the many beautiful old Spanish colonial neighbourhoods in Los Angeles. Set in the hills above Hollywood, its leafy green streets wind up to the famous 1930s art deco Griffith Park Observatory which is an iconic film and TV location. Attracted by the charm and style of its picturesque location, Australian designer and photographer James Houston bought this not-quitefixer house over three years ago with his Scottish husband Brian McGrory, who has a hospitality consultancy. Brian is also creative director of historic Villa Carlotta, a nearby landmark hotel.
The couple had spent 17 years living and working in New York, where they built a widely published lake house in upstate New York (seen in Belle April/May 2012). It was business as usual until one day out of the blue Brian asked, “Why don’t we move to California?” to which James surprised himself by instantly responding, “Yes, done!” When pressed for a reason James says, “Being in New York for all these years felt like being at the party too long.” Of course, deciding to have a child helped – having grown up in Australia James wanted more space for Dylan, the couple’s daughter born in December 2019, than their New York apartment could provide. “In five to 10 years I’d like us to go back to Australia,” he says. “It was such a beautiful time growing up there.”
While James was born in Sydney, he grew up on the Central Coast near Gosford. After school he travelled the world and was drawn to both photography and design. One of his main beliefs is that a house should have “anchors which represent the future reality you want to experience. I call this MindSpaceDesign.”
The couple searched for a house that would inspire a renovation and as a result there is not a corner or surface unrenovated or unworked. As intended it has kept its original character and they have added to the Spanish romance of the property by bringing in ideas inspired by a stay at a friend’s riad in Morocco, as well as replicating details they found inside the house.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
DAYS OF HEAVEN
A new build in the Adelaide Hills presents the opportunity to create an interior befitting the home’s glorious surrounds.
CHERRY ON TOP
Set against neutral tones, the final flourish on this newly renovated heritage home in Melbourne is a bright pop of powerfully accented red.
Double vision
Two in one has a special significance for this home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. One of a pair by the same practice, it also has both public and private personas.
Breaking out
An elevated platform in the warehouse office of Studio Prineas creates a dedicated zone for staff to congregate and collaborate.
nature spirit
Embraced by its bushy hinterland habitat, a newly built family home radiates an aura of peace and harmony.
LIFE ENHANCING
An elegant layering of lush patterns, rich colours and bespoke pieces has enveloped this home in warmth and created a welcoming ambience for a large extended family.
PENTHOUSE pleasures
This lofty retreat presented fertile potential but also posed some tricky challenges for its enterprising designer.
SECOND CHANCES
Contemporary artwork and new openings have lightened the mood at this renovated 1930s family home in Melbourne.
Silver lining
With a look of maturity that belies its youth, an additional wing to a humble cottage, plus inspired makeovers inside and out, have transported this property to another realm.
WHITER SHADE of PALE
A neutral palette promotes a calm and elegant mood in this expansive Sydney home that is furnished with a judicious selection of antiques juxtaposed against contemporary art.
