Room of the Day: Living Room Nods to Old Hollywood Glam
Sentimental pieces, vintage treasures and smart design solutions elevate this hardworking space in a Los Angeles rental
Becky Harris
November 30, 2015
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
“People who rent should never feel like their hands are tied when it comes to design,” says interior designer Katie Hodges. When sprucing up her own apartment in Hollywood, California, she knew she would be staying awhile and wanted to make it feel like home. She set up her living room to be a space for lounging, entertaining and TV watching, complete with a workspace, and designed a charming built-in banquette between it and the kitchen.
Photos by Amy Bartlam
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Interior designer Katie Hodges
Location: Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California
Size: 221 square feet (21 square meters); the new dining nook is an additional 9 by 7 feet
The style of the building is 1950s resort, and designer Katie Hodges fell in love with the original Old Hollywood architectural details of the space. In this photo you can see the trim work around the doorway and the original sconces.
Hodges brought only the large Moroccan mirror and the baby blue chair to the apartment with her, both of which she inherited from her grandmother and are favorite sentimental pieces. The chair adds soft curves, while the modern chandelier brings contrast with its straight lines and angles. “The coffee table is one of the most important pieces — it’s a little crown jewel in the room,” she says.
Chandelier: West Elm; vintage rug: Old New House
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Interior designer Katie Hodges
Location: Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California
Size: 221 square feet (21 square meters); the new dining nook is an additional 9 by 7 feet
The style of the building is 1950s resort, and designer Katie Hodges fell in love with the original Old Hollywood architectural details of the space. In this photo you can see the trim work around the doorway and the original sconces.
Hodges brought only the large Moroccan mirror and the baby blue chair to the apartment with her, both of which she inherited from her grandmother and are favorite sentimental pieces. The chair adds soft curves, while the modern chandelier brings contrast with its straight lines and angles. “The coffee table is one of the most important pieces — it’s a little crown jewel in the room,” she says.
Chandelier: West Elm; vintage rug: Old New House
The painting was a vintage score that helped determine Hodges’ color palette. “I knew I wanted to go with indigo, olive green, tans and leather colors,” she says. “When I found the painting at the flea market, I immediately fell in love. There was no dating — I immediately married it!”
Hodges loves the treasure hunt of vintage shopping, especially for pieces like artwork, coffee tables, case goods and textiles. “I get the most inspiration in my design work from vintage textiles,” she says. She loves flea-market shopping in Pasadena and sifting through Craigslist.
Sofa: Lawson-Fenning; pillows: all vintage, similar available in Hodges’ Etsy shop
Hodges loves the treasure hunt of vintage shopping, especially for pieces like artwork, coffee tables, case goods and textiles. “I get the most inspiration in my design work from vintage textiles,” she says. She loves flea-market shopping in Pasadena and sifting through Craigslist.
Sofa: Lawson-Fenning; pillows: all vintage, similar available in Hodges’ Etsy shop
When it came to lighting, the designer wanted a mix of old and new. She loved the sconces that were original to the apartment but wanted something more modern for the chandelier. “I kept all of the finishes similar to keep the light fixtures consistent and complementary but also look somewhat unintentional,” she says. The original fixtures are a dark bronze that’s almost black, so she chose something similar for the chandelier. In the banquette area, she went for a white Noguchi lantern that floats above a tulip table. (She got the OK from her landlord to install these; she just had to hang on to the original fixtures.)
The TV console was a vintage score. “I go vintage for these pieces for a lot of my clients because they tend to be more narrow than today’s case goods and take up less room,” enhancing the flow. Hodges also recommends going light with color on larger pieces like this so they don’t feel heavy and weigh down the room. This one came in royal blue, which she painted a light sage green-gray. The piece is hardworking, providing space for objects on top and room for media, china and textiles inside.
Console: Sunbeam Vintage
The TV console was a vintage score. “I go vintage for these pieces for a lot of my clients because they tend to be more narrow than today’s case goods and take up less room,” enhancing the flow. Hodges also recommends going light with color on larger pieces like this so they don’t feel heavy and weigh down the room. This one came in royal blue, which she painted a light sage green-gray. The piece is hardworking, providing space for objects on top and room for media, china and textiles inside.
Console: Sunbeam Vintage
Hodges likes to pick up one special thing on each of her travels. The feline figurine came from Panama, the small one to the left her grandfather picked up when he lived in Africa, and the Buddha is from Thailand.
A white bookshelf unit floats against the wall, creating a workstation and a place for Hodges’ books and favorite things without crowding the room. “I like to mix high- and low-end pieces,” she says. “And the white lets my books and objects pop.”
Shelf-desk unit: CB2; agate boxes: West Elm
Shelf-desk unit: CB2; agate boxes: West Elm
Hodges created this area, which is open to the living room and leads to the kitchen, to be a special, comfortable space where she’d spend a lot of time. She designed the melamine banquette to suit the space. “A lot of people thought I was crazy to put a built-in for a rental, but by using melamine instead of wood, the banquette cost around $350 instead of $1,400,” she says.
She also designed the leather covers for her Bertoia chairs, going through several prototypes to get them just right. “These chairs are great-looking, but even with the pads available for them they just aren’t comfy,” she says. “Now they are as comfortable as an armchair, and I can pull them into the living room when I need seating for extra guests.”
She chose the cowhide rug for its organic shape. The matchstick blinds add a natural texture to the windows.
Model 55F Ceiling Lamp: Isamu Noguchi; blinds: Orchard Supply Hardware
She also designed the leather covers for her Bertoia chairs, going through several prototypes to get them just right. “These chairs are great-looking, but even with the pads available for them they just aren’t comfy,” she says. “Now they are as comfortable as an armchair, and I can pull them into the living room when I need seating for extra guests.”
She chose the cowhide rug for its organic shape. The matchstick blinds add a natural texture to the windows.
Model 55F Ceiling Lamp: Isamu Noguchi; blinds: Orchard Supply Hardware
The banquette doubles as another workspace and triples as a second bed for Hodges. “I love to curl up with my dogs, Max and Toby, and look out the window and read here,” she says.
She upholstered the cushion in a kantha, an Indian textile that’s typically used for baby blankets and is quite durable. The botanical pillows are by Peter Dunham, and the large photograph is by Michelle Steele.
Though she designed the banquette to be removable if necessary, her landlord appreciated the upgrade.
Photo: Molly Steele; leather pulls: Etsy seller Thirteen Eleven Olive; botanical pillow fabric: Hollywood at Home; indigo pillow: vintage
She upholstered the cushion in a kantha, an Indian textile that’s typically used for baby blankets and is quite durable. The botanical pillows are by Peter Dunham, and the large photograph is by Michelle Steele.
Though she designed the banquette to be removable if necessary, her landlord appreciated the upgrade.
Photo: Molly Steele; leather pulls: Etsy seller Thirteen Eleven Olive; botanical pillow fabric: Hollywood at Home; indigo pillow: vintage
Hodges carefully balanced her budget between high- and low-end purchases, but she feels strongly that everyone should make rentals feel like home. “Be smart with your money but don’t skimp because it’s a rental,” she says. “Enjoy where you live.”
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Browse more Rooms of the Day
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Of all the items / pieces identified here .. I'm surprised the Franco Albini ratan ottoman is left out! It was the piece that caught my eye as click bait. :) (Perhaps I'm partial because I have one myself) Love the baby blue chair! Nice space.
Good catch A! I have always wanted one but fear the Bubbs (my cat) would eat it!
Often on Houzz one sees very good paintings that are bought at flea markets. I am glad there are people with enough good taste to "salvage" art that hasn't found it's way in the world of art merchants.