Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: East Coast Meets West Coast in West Hollywood
A move from New York City to Los Angeles inspires an interior designer to explore new styles
Moving west across the country had interior designer Genna Margolis excited about the inspiration her new city had to offer. She had reached the point where she could practically design the traditional rooms her New York clients wanted with her eyes closed. She knew that living in the Los Angeles area would stretch her skills. Bright natural light, major changes in scale and a more casual lifestyle, among other things, have breathed new life into her work. She began by experimenting in her own home.
Moving from a small apartment to a generous-sized condo meant the couple needed a lot of new furniture. “There were crazy changes in scale — in New York City we always had to buy smaller furniture. I’ve never had a sofa this deep,” Margolis says. “And I always dreamed of having a coffee table this big!”
The furnishings are a mix of traditional and more relaxed West Coast styles. The rug is a distressed Persian style that’s more West Coast, while a bobbin chair and a French Provincial chair bring in relaxed traditional style. The white sofa is Hamptons-inspired, whereas gridded black-and-white pillows are a more graphic L.A. alternative to plaid. The coffee table is a mix of steel and wood and adds a rustic touch.
Coffee table: Kathy Kuo; sofa: Pottery Barn; bobbin chair: Wisteria; French Provincial chair: Restoration Hardware
The furnishings are a mix of traditional and more relaxed West Coast styles. The rug is a distressed Persian style that’s more West Coast, while a bobbin chair and a French Provincial chair bring in relaxed traditional style. The white sofa is Hamptons-inspired, whereas gridded black-and-white pillows are a more graphic L.A. alternative to plaid. The coffee table is a mix of steel and wood and adds a rustic touch.
Coffee table: Kathy Kuo; sofa: Pottery Barn; bobbin chair: Wisteria; French Provincial chair: Restoration Hardware
The condo came with vertical blinds, which Margolis took down and replaced with gray drapery panels from West Elm. Since the condo is a rental, she carefully stored the blinds and other items such as light fixtures so she can put them back up when she and her husband move.
Rug, coffee table: Lulu Georgia
Rug, coffee table: Lulu Georgia
In addition to the expansive square footage, the condo has 20-foot ceilings. Margolis addressed that with a large piece of art above the sofa. Working on a budget, she and husband, who loves nature, perused stock photos, settled on this cheeky picture of a ram and had it blown up to 40 by 60 inches. “The artwork only cost $250.… The framing wound up costing more than the art,” Margolis says.
She also addressed the room’s height with the cactus and light fixture that flank the sofa. “I like to play with subtle mimicry,” Margolis says. “The light fixture mimics the branches on the cactus.”
She also addressed the room’s height with the cactus and light fixture that flank the sofa. “I like to play with subtle mimicry,” Margolis says. “The light fixture mimics the branches on the cactus.”
A tall mirror over the fireplace also stands up to the ceiling height. Glass and ceramics lend a beachy L.A. vibe. She scored the vases at a Lulu Georgia sample sale.
Mirror: Pier 1 Imports
Mirror: Pier 1 Imports
The sofa faces the TV. “We wanted a nice new media console but weren’t about to spend that kind of money,” the designer says. Instead she put her Etsy-scouring skills to work and found this one for $395. Its bamboo Greek key detailing, antique brass hardware and white color add some Hollywood Regency style to the room. The console also provides scads of storage. Tools, documents, and wallpaper and fabric samples are just a few of the things the couple keep in it.
A spiky sculpture and a small trio of succulents face the dining table area.
Sculpture: CB2; pots: Target
Sculpture: CB2; pots: Target
The dining room, which is open to the living room, does double duty as the designer’s favorite spot to spread out and work. The table was a Craigslist find, and the couple already had the chairs.
The funky bar cart was another score from the Lulu Georgia sample sale. “As I was leaving the store, I saw it, and even though a bar cart had never been part of the plan, I said ‘I need this,’ ” Margolis says. The piece adds an interesting shape and a brass finish to the space.
Globe light: Nouveau Lighting; sconces: Wisteria; mirror: Home Depot
The funky bar cart was another score from the Lulu Georgia sample sale. “As I was leaving the store, I saw it, and even though a bar cart had never been part of the plan, I said ‘I need this,’ ” Margolis says. The piece adds an interesting shape and a brass finish to the space.
Globe light: Nouveau Lighting; sconces: Wisteria; mirror: Home Depot
The Slim Aarons Palm Beach photograph was a gift from the designer’s former boss and it inspired the dining chair color choice. Though Margolis already had the chairs, she gave them an update by covering them in stretch covers from Bed Bath and Beyond. A string light globe pendant plays off the shape of the bar cart, while candle sconces add another black graphic touch.
Having all this additional space has dramatically changed the way the couple entertain. “The biggest change is being able to have friends over. We have an actual real sitting area now and can seat six comfortably,” Margolis says.
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Having all this additional space has dramatically changed the way the couple entertain. “The biggest change is being able to have friends over. We have an actual real sitting area now and can seat six comfortably,” Margolis says.
Browse more homes by style: Small Homes | Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes | Homes Around the World
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Genna Margolis and her husband, Jon
Location: West Hollywood, California
Size: 1,350 square feet (125 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Budget: $8,000
Designer Genna Margolis began making plans for the rental she shares with her husband, Jon, long before they packed up and moved across the country. With measurements for the new space in hand, she ordered furniture to be delivered from a range of catalogs and online sites. “After working for a traditional New York design firm, I really wanted to incorporate West Coast style — kind of a Hamptons vibe accented with California,” she says.
This console table adds an organic touch, and the artwork over it is the ketubah, or marriage contract, from the couple’s wedding. She found the cut paper piece in the Etsy shop Jerise’s Letters & Art. The ceramics are by Los Angeles-based Robert Siegel Studio.
Console table: Wayfair