Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Eclectic Los Angeles Bungalow
Vibrant colors and contrasting patterns jazz up thrift-store and market finds in a West Coast 'jungalow'
Echo Park in Los Angeles attracts many artists looking for refuge from the glittery veneer of Hollywood. So it's no surprise that design consultant Justina Blakeney found herself (with her fiancée and her baby-to-be, as she's 18 weeks pregnant) in a post-1940 stand-alone house that she calls in her blog her "jungalow," a playful mix of "jungle" and "bungalow."
Blakeney is inspired by the jungle's harmony of colors. "I love the way bright colors come together in the jungle in a striking cacophony," she says, "but somehow manage to be completely harmonious."
Blakeney is inspired by the jungle's harmony of colors. "I love the way bright colors come together in the jungle in a striking cacophony," she says, "but somehow manage to be completely harmonious."
Blakeney painted the chopping board in rainbow hues to add a punch of brights to the kitchen. She also uses it as a serving tray, to the delight of her guests.
Blakeney loves this bright green hue on the trims in the kitchen: "It's weird and deep. I just love it."
Trim paint: Mint Sprig, by Behr; chairs: Verner Panton
Trim paint: Mint Sprig, by Behr; chairs: Verner Panton
The design aesthetic throughout the home is a commentary on today's urban environment. "We are animals, but we spend an unhealthy amount of time indoors," Blakeney says. "We should be in the sun. For this reason, I love to bring the outdoors indoors as much as possible and to surround myself with nature-inspired, crazy-looking, wild patterns."
She also surrounds herself with pieces from her travels. "I got the pillows while traveling and others right here in a few L.A. thrift shops and markets," she says. "The kilim pillows I brought back from a trip to Ephesus, Turkey, and the couch was a hand-me-down from my grandmother that I re-covered myself."
She also surrounds herself with pieces from her travels. "I got the pillows while traveling and others right here in a few L.A. thrift shops and markets," she says. "The kilim pillows I brought back from a trip to Ephesus, Turkey, and the couch was a hand-me-down from my grandmother that I re-covered myself."
Blakeney doesn't worry so much about things going together as she does picking things she likes. "I love bright colors," she says, "but I especially love when they have faded a bit due to age. I like to contrast florals with geometrics, so I may put a floral pillow next to a zigzag one for effect."
Blakeney describes her entryway as "a little weird." In lieu of a closet and bench, there's a white shelf for her brightly hued footwear. The shoes themselves — peep-toe pumps, suede boots, platforms — are part of the décor, like colorful book spines peeking out from an étagère.
Shoe shelves: Ikea; print: vintage, unsigned; plants: Succulent Love
Shoe shelves: Ikea; print: vintage, unsigned; plants: Succulent Love
Every part of the home is touched by some sort of greenery. The living room shelving unit showcases houseplants along with books, some of which she's penned herself. (She coauthored the 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie series for Random House.) In addition to being an author, Blakeney works with those in need of creative consultations, new ideas, and influencers. She shares design ideas, finds, and general design-related musings on her blog, Justina Blakeney.
Shelving units: custom made by Pepe's Thrift Shop
Shelving units: custom made by Pepe's Thrift Shop
This pine apothecary chest came from a thrift shop in Los Angeles. It's a creative solution to showcase her indoor plants from top to bottom.
Blakeney painted this vanity twice before settling on a bright blue. "It was a natural color and pretty beat up when I bought it for $80 at a thrift shop," she recalls.
Vanity paint: Aqua Waters by Behr
Vanity paint: Aqua Waters by Behr
Masks and hats bought while traveling or thrifting enliven the walls. "The angel and the two monkey dolls are from Mexico," Blakeney says. "The African masks are from thrift shops in Los Angeles, and the two hats are Peruvian."
This bed canopy was easy to assemble. "I just used two Turkish towels and held it together with an ornate Turkish lantern," Blakeney says. The bedspread, a suzani from Turkey, has an interesting backstory:
"I had zero intention of coming home with a suzani from the grand bazaar in Instanbul," she recounts. "The vintage suzanis are usually very expensive, but I haggled with the shop owner for 40 minutes and eventually bought it. The experience of sharing tea with the owner, pointing out every hole and stain, was all part of the fun and ultimately makes me love the bedspread even more."
More:
Bungalows: Domestic Design at the Dawn of the Auto Age
Houzz Tour: Sunny Update for a California Bungalow
Get Outrageous with Wall Color
"I had zero intention of coming home with a suzani from the grand bazaar in Instanbul," she recounts. "The vintage suzanis are usually very expensive, but I haggled with the shop owner for 40 minutes and eventually bought it. The experience of sharing tea with the owner, pointing out every hole and stain, was all part of the fun and ultimately makes me love the bedspread even more."
More:
Bungalows: Domestic Design at the Dawn of the Auto Age
Houzz Tour: Sunny Update for a California Bungalow
Get Outrageous with Wall Color