Light, Bright, and Laid-Back

I'm obsessed with this light-filled, laid-back home in Laurel Canyon, California. This bright beauty belongs to trend forecaster Anne Ziegler, who lends her eye for fashion to such companies as Express and Tory Burch. She and her husband, Scott Manson, wanted to find an oasis from their hectic jobs. When they found this 1930s house, they fell in love with its sunny, relaxed rooms, and knew it would make the perfect home for them.

I love the crisp white walls and whitewashed pine floors throughout this home. They make such an amazing backdrop for the couple's beautifully eclectic collection of furnishings and art. Every piece in the house looks curated and placed in the perfect spot, without looking overly designed. It all just clicks together. 

I totally want to live in this house! It's so incredibly inspiring.

{all images via domino}

Spanish Revival

This week, I've been falling in love with the Spanish Revival style popular in California homes. The roots of this look go back to the Spanish missions in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many homes were built in the Spanish style during the 1920's-1930's, following the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego from 1915-1917. The Spanish and Moorish architectural influence has remained popular in California ever since then.

There is something so glamorous and welcoming about these grand yet cozy homes. I love the white stucco exterior finish, arched windows, terra cotta tile roofs, carved wooden doors, and beautiful courtyard gardens (especially ones full of bright pink bougainvillea!) that are often seen in these homes. 

When I visited California, many moons ago, I thought this housing style seemed so exotic, compared to the Victorian-influenced designs of my native Ohio. Since I've been living in Australia for several years, I'm becoming more attuned to the warm climate and the relaxed lifestyle prevalent here. I think the Spanish Revival style really suits the mood here in South Australia. I'm daydreaming about having a Spanish-influenced home of my own. Dreams are free, as they say!

Hope you enjoy the sunny vibe of these homes as much as I do.

{image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14}

Breezy California Chic

Palest greys, blues, lavenders, and whites, warmed by soft wood tones, create a breezy mood in this California home. Designed by Windsor Smith for the family of film director/producer Shawn Levy, his wife, Serena, and their four young daughters, the mid-century home is imbued with a chic tranquillity, through carefully-crafted design. The high ceilings, ample windows, and sandblasted wooden beams lend an airy feel, while the cozy furniture and elegant accents ground the rather grand proportions of the spaces. 

"It's a bohemian, artistic, vibrant, theatrical household," Smith says. The formal dining room has been turned into a music room, because each member of the family plays an instrument. The sunlight-filled open-plan living-kitchen-dining room is at one end of the house, while a more formal living room is at the front. A perfect place to unwind at the end of the day, the master bedroom's spare furnishings allow nothing to distract the eye. The house is wrapped around lush gardens, giving all of the rooms lovely views of nature. I'm imagining many wonderfully relaxed family moments going on in this beautiful home.

{all images via Veranda}

L.A. Lounge Lovefest

A flair for colour and a passion for style are enthusiastically shown off in the L.A. home of graphic designer/ blogger Bri Emery. Since moving into this rental, Bri was feeling that the furniture in the lounge and dining rooms just weren't working, so she hired interior designer and vintage furniture queen Emily Henderson to make-over these rooms. Clearly, the two designers worked together beautifully to create a fabulous new look in this home. 

I love the bright colours, lush greenery, fun artwork, and touches of gold used the liven up the rooms. Vintage pieces add such personality to these spaces. The old sofa was given a new lease on life by being reupholstered in new aqua fabric. You know how I love a good bar cart, and Bri's is styled to perfection. My favourite feature in the lounge is the sleek white console table with colourful artwork and a pair of vintage turquoise lamps. Of course, one more thing I adore in this home is the huge fluffy grey cat.

To see more fabulous style by Bri Emery, go see her blog, Designlovefest. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

{Design by Emily Henderson; Photos by Laure Joliet; featured in the L.A. Times; all images found, here, on Designlovefest}

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia De Rossi's Beverly Hills Estate

Since comedian/ talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia De Rossi are due to visit Australia any day now, I thought it would be a good time to show their absolutely gorgeous estate in Beverly Hills, which was featured in Architectural Digest a couple of years ago.

I'm not sure if the pair still live in this home, or if they have moved onto another property. You see, DeGeneres is obsessed with houses. She has lost count of how many she's had. So, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that yet another stunning home has become her latest passion.

DeGeneres and De Rossi love to collect art and furniture from around the world, as you can see by the beautiful rooms full of their collected treasures. I'm guessing they will return to the States with at least a few goodies, from the land of Oz, which is De Rossi's home country.

The white stucco house with steel pitched roof sits upon three acres, a sizeable property, even by Beverly Hills standards. DeGeneres acquired a couple of surrounding properties, to enlarge the estate, creating a lush garden, complete with pool, pond, and guest housing.

It is quite difficult for me to choose favourite rooms in this home. I would have to say my first choice is the enclosed porch off the kitchen (top image, above). I really like the cozy rustic table and chairs set in such a clean-lined modern room. My other favourites would have to be the very elegant grey and gold master bedroom, along with the beautiful master bath, which has a view of a private garden (swoon!), and a huge sky-lit shower.

These women have great taste, that's all I can say.

{all images via AD}