Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Firmly Planted Southern California Home
Clear garden views, turf-covered accessories and one very green outdoor room make this sunny home just right for a garden designer
Outdoor accessories covered in artificial turf and brightly painted walls transformed this 1930s house into a colorful and energetic home for Alicia Blas and her family. Blas, a garden and product designer who has styled shoots for magazines, has a great eye for detail and a flair for an eclectic style that embraces the outdoors. Every room in her house is exposed to natural light, and large windows open up to views of her beautiful garden. Playful turf-covered accents designed by Blas' company, Firmly Planted, lend a quirky touch to indoor and outdoor spaces.
Blas started designing products covered in faux turf when a feng shui teacher gave her some advice. "My teacher told me that if my house numbers aren't loud and proud and seen, the universe won't know where to find me," she says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Alicia Blas and her two sons
Location: Valley Village, California
Size: 2,500 square feet
Blas started designing products covered in faux turf when a feng shui teacher gave her some advice. "My teacher told me that if my house numbers aren't loud and proud and seen, the universe won't know where to find me," she says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Alicia Blas and her two sons
Location: Valley Village, California
Size: 2,500 square feet
Blas' expansive backyard is her favorite part of the home. She often enjoys the lush garden in her outdoor room — outfitted with her own designs, of course. The turf-covered frame helps define the line between the patio and the yard but still lets in the full beauty of the garden. "It looks like the great outdoors has just been framed," says Blas.
Blas is consistently inspired by nature, as her turf accents and colorful decor suggest, and is always drawn to color and texture. She uses turf because it's durable, has loads of texture and is her favorite color — green.
Almost all of Blas' outdoor furniture was found at garage sales, except for the Pottery Barn sofa. The mix of styles gives the space character and warmth.
"I'm all about this inside and outside lifestyle," says Blas. Each room in her house is full of natural light and open to the outdoors whenever possible. The lack of window coverings also maintains an airy feeling. The house is on a private lot and surrounded by landscaping, so there's no need to worry about privacy.
Wall paint: Catalina paints; coffee table: HD Buttercup; rug: bought in Morocco; clock: Ballard Designs
Wall paint: Catalina paints; coffee table: HD Buttercup; rug: bought in Morocco; clock: Ballard Designs
Much of Blas' furniture is from her childhood home and was owned by her mother. All of it has kind of a funky style, which she loves, but many of the big pieces are very formal. "I'm so not formal," she says. "I wanted my home to be really eclectic. That's why I used a different wall color in each room."
The rest of the furniture is a bit of a mishmash. Blas is not really into furniture shopping, but she knows what she likes and doesn't want her furniture to completely match. "When something looks like me, chances are it'll just work with my whole vibe," she says.
Coffee table: Z Gallerie; rug: TJ Maxx; couches: Bloomingdale's; armoire: antique
Coffee table: Z Gallerie; rug: TJ Maxx; couches: Bloomingdale's; armoire: antique
The updated kitchen is simple but stylish, with granite counters that run all the way up the backsplash. Upper cabinets provide plenty of storage, and the glass cupboard doors show off knickknacks. Blas painted and designed the red "Delicious" sign herself as a colorful accent.
The house was built in the 1930s, so it has all the quirks and mishaps of an older house. "But the funky old vibe is well worth the old plumbing, roof and creaky floors," adds Blas. The black and white checkered tile in the guest bath is one of those fun touches that Blas loves.
The master bathroom has a very different vibe but still reflects Blas' appreciation for nature. Soapstone tile grounds the room, while walls in her favorite color contrast beautifully with teak accents.
For the joint dining room and office, Blas covered the dining chairs from her childhood home in outdoor fabric to make cleanup quick and easy. "Messy boys need to sit on chairs with outdoor material when eating," she says. "And I have two of those."
Wall paint: Catalina paints; desk chair: Ikea
Wall paint: Catalina paints; desk chair: Ikea
A green turf doormat invites guests to wipe off their feet before heading back inside from the garden. Blas' love for turf-covered products started with the home's address numbers. After those, pillows and other accessories quickly followed suit.
Photography: Shawn Cordon
Photography: Shawn Cordon