Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Contemporary Farm-Style Hilltop Charmer
Contemporary art and scores of books bed down with farm-style furnishings in a couple's valley-view Southern California home
Los Angeles couple Barbara and Tony Hirsch set their eyes upon idyllic Ojai, California, 13 years ago and never looked back. The couple, who attend the Ojai Music Festival annually, had been contemplating a major life change away from the city. They decided to remain in town for a few days after the music festival one year and ended up finding their dream home: a charming farm-style house on top of a hill overlooking beautiful Ojai Valley.
At the time, the Hirsches had just remodeled their contemporary home in Brentwood, California, and Barbara recalls her children thinking they had gone crazy for wanting to make such a drastic change so soon. Barbara says, "I love everything about this town. I love the attachment to the land, the quality of the people, the intellectual stimulation and the arts, and I require seeing orchards every day."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Barbara and Tony Hirsch
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 3,000 square feet plus 750-square-foot guest house
That's interesting: Four chickens live in the couple's "chicken condominium."
At the time, the Hirsches had just remodeled their contemporary home in Brentwood, California, and Barbara recalls her children thinking they had gone crazy for wanting to make such a drastic change so soon. Barbara says, "I love everything about this town. I love the attachment to the land, the quality of the people, the intellectual stimulation and the arts, and I require seeing orchards every day."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Barbara and Tony Hirsch
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 3,000 square feet plus 750-square-foot guest house
That's interesting: Four chickens live in the couple's "chicken condominium."
Most of the major changes made to the home involved landscaping. Despite Tony's initial hesitation, Barbara immediately envisioned a waterfall and wanted an outside area for her friends and family to gather. "I want a place to toast marshmallows with my grandchildren," she says. This desire led to the design of a beautifully landscaped hill with a waterfall, a fire pit and a tree swing. "The hill is a wonderful, peaceful spot for our family to gather and spend time together."
Barbara claims it was love at first sight when she and Tony set eyes on their home. It was the first and only house the couple viewed in the area.
For Barbara, color became a joyous part of the home's appeal. She kept all the original colors. The warm peach walls, along with subtle neutrals, give the home a peaceful, welcoming feel.
Chairs: Mimi London
Chairs: Mimi London
The home balances country charm and contemporary art, and the Hirsches' vast art collection is evident in almost every room. The art in this room beautifully complements the upholstered furniture, such as this chair from the Mimi London showroom at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California.
Lamp: Charles Jacobson
Lamp: Charles Jacobson
Barbara's design philosophy is contemporary and minimal, yet her home is almost the opposite. She admits she knew very little about farm-style design and focused on simplifying, rather than changing, everything. The Hirsches left their black contemporary furniture in Los Angeles and purchased all new farm-style furnishings.
Upholstered furniture: Mimi London; coffee table: Hideaway House Antiques
Upholstered furniture: Mimi London; coffee table: Hideaway House Antiques
When asked about her favorite spot in her home, Barbara quickly answers, "My personal space, especially my library and office. I am somewhat of a magazine-aholic, and I love to read and spread out there."
When designing the library, Barbara and Tony added an entire wall of shelving for their collection of books and magazines, which continues to grow. Barbara's background in fashion and the arts, along with an avid interest in interior design, helped her create a warm, inviting space that mixes traditional with contemporary style.
When designing the library, Barbara and Tony added an entire wall of shelving for their collection of books and magazines, which continues to grow. Barbara's background in fashion and the arts, along with an avid interest in interior design, helped her create a warm, inviting space that mixes traditional with contemporary style.
Barbara wanted to create a welcoming space in the library. She painted the walls with green chalkboard paint, and guests decorate them with art and loving words. She has yet to erase anything. In addition to chalk, the walls are adorned with artwork given to the couple by friends and family over the years.
This farm-style door and its clean lines, combined with art and inviting colors, beautifully represent the Hirsch home.
Barbara combines her love of art and family in this photograph of her husband. The photograph is composed of hundreds of miniature photos of her husband's life and family. The piece hangs over a charming antique chess table from Hideaway House Antiques.
Family photographs appear throughout the home, and this display with simple mattes lining a hallway wall is Barbara's favorite gallery.
One of Barbara's biggest design dilemmas was working with a smaller scale. In her large Brentwood home, it wasn't an issue, but in this transition she had to adjust, especially in the kitchen. She struggled to find a kitchen table narrow enough to fit properly in the room, and since it's used for everything from meetings to entertaining, it was imperative to find the perfect one. The solution: a custom-made one by Burke's Country Pine.
Chairs: Palecek
Chairs: Palecek
During the kitchen remodel, Barbara changed most of the appliances but kept the original Viking stove. She says, "That stove is what I was looking for; it says home to me."
The upstairs guest bedroom is warm and welcoming, with peach walls, antique furniture and a simple design. The bowl on the bed is a recent purchase from the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa.
Another one of Barbara's favorite spots is the upstairs bathroom, connected to the bedroom. The simplicity of the bathroom gives it a serene feeling and offers a beautiful view of Ojai Valley.
The guest house is furnished entirely with items from Barbara's mother's home. Barbara says that her mother has been her biggest design inspiration: "My mother should have been an interior designer. She was always ahead of her time."
The bedroom in the guest house portrays Barbara's former contemporary, minimalist design aesthetic.
After hearing stories from her mother about a farm in Europe, Barbara had always dreamed of living on a farm, owning chickens and growing vegetables. So when the Hirsches moved into their new home, they immediately planted a garden and brought in chickens, who now live in this adorable "chicken condominium," as Barbara calls it.
More Houzz Tours:
Contemporary Country Charm in Iowa
French Farmhouse Style in Pennsylvania
Vintage Treasure Trove in Chicago
More Houzz Tours:
Contemporary Country Charm in Iowa
French Farmhouse Style in Pennsylvania
Vintage Treasure Trove in Chicago