In her new hardcover book, Los Angeles Interiors, author, artist and local resident Corynne W. Pless takes us inside some of the neighborhood’s most inspiring homes, where design and self-expression take center stage.
Capturing the place’s sunny climate and patchwork of design styles, she tells the stories behind each space – including the kaleidoscopic home of art-obsessed Kevin Parker of Tame Impala – alongside images from renowned interiors photographers Tim Hirschmann and Ye Rin Mok.
In this excerpt, she takes us into the effortlessly relaxed home of fashion entrepreneur Aimee Song in West Los Angeles, the modern Coastal Interior Designinspired by the famous coasts on the border between Italy and California.
Los Angeles Interiors by Lannoo Publishers
Price: 70$
This hardcover book is currently available for pre-order and will be released on July 24, 2024. Secure your copy now.
“It’s always been my dream to live in this neighborhood,” says Aimee Song, a fashion entrepreneur whose family would drive from their downtown Los Angeles apartment to the idyllic tree-lined street every holiday to play trick-or-treat and admire the holiday decorations.
A few years ago, Song’s childhood dreams came true when she moved into her first house, a small house in need of renovation in her beloved neighborhood. That was it, she thought, until a few years later, she passed by another house in need of renovation, on a slightly better street, with a slightly bigger yard (and pool). — something she couldn’t miss.
So Song and her partner Jacopo Moschin, a creative director, made the switch. Their new Spanish-style home, built in the early 1900s, was beautiful and charming, but a little dated. “When we looked past the ‘age’ of the house, we fell in love with all the original arches and beautiful doors,” Song says.
The framed print “Kristen 1996” by Inez & Vinoodh was purchased from Matthew Marks Gallery. The chair is by De La Espada.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
Before the couple moved in, they asked Moschin’s childhood friend, interior decorator and designer Antonio Forteleoni, to help with the redesign. Moschin and Forteleoni are both Italians and had previously worked together on Moschin’s Milan apartment.
For this project, they carefully considered how each person’s personal aesthetic and furnishings (such as George Nakashima’s chairs and 19th-century Chinese bench) would coexist in a space that would feel uniformly raw, gentle and beautiful.
In the dining room, the elegant “En Forme Libre” table by Charlotte Perriand from Cassina is surrounded by original 19th century George Nakashima chairs. The mauve carpet is by Armadillo. The black cabinet is from Korea and dates from the 19th century. The ceramic vase was designed by Moschin and fired by Chie Fuji.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
The rugged coast of Italy was the reference point and inspiration for the redesign. “We wanted to preserve the Mediterranean soul, but modernize it,” says Forteleoni.
Song and Moschin also referred to their trips to Antwerp and to contemporary buildings by Axel Vervoordt and Vincent Van Duysen, which also served as references during the design phase.
This eclectic web of styles, influences, designer pieces and desired aesthetics was then brought to life (all while respecting the original style of the house) and completed room by room.
The table in the breakfast room is by RH and the chairs are by De La Espada. The bench is by Olive Ateliers and the glazed Chinese vases are by Berbere Imports.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
In the living room, Forteleoni designed a fireplace cut from a large, partially unfinished block of travertine that perfectly captures the aesthetic of the home. The exposed, rugged edges of the stone flow gracefully into a polished square frame that surrounds the firebox.
“The result is unique, raw, yet very refined,” Song adds. The soft, delicate textures of the room’s vintage pieces and artwork also provide that coveted coastal calm.
And the colorful marble, walnut wood cabinets, and travertine floors of the kitchen and master bathroom continue to reflect the timeless beauty that echoes the stunning coastlines of Italy and California.
A 20th-century Indonesian dish from the island of Timor hangs above the Senufo coffee table. The mid-century vintage Chandigarh chair was designed by Pierre Jeanneret. The artwork is by Japanese artist Kiyoshi Nakagami.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
Song’s vintage Mario Bellini Camaleonda sofa sits opposite Forteleoni’s custom-designed travertine fireplace. The marble table behind the sofa was designed by Song. A ceramic vase by Philip M. Soucy is displayed above the table. An olive tree catches the light coming through the room’s corner windows.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
As the project progressed, Forteleoni noticed and took into account the social (and in turn architectural) differences of these two coasts, then incorporated their subtle contrasts into the design schemes whenever possible.
In the kitchen, for example, he opened up the space under the countertop so that guests could easily pull up a chair and join in the conversation in every nook and cranny. This small but remarkable design concept follows the European way of gathering in the kitchen, where everyone comes together and has a free space at the most important moment of the day: eating.
“It’s the most used room and the heart of the house,” Song adds.
Calacatta Viola marble was used for the kitchen island, backsplash and countertops. The custom wooden cabinets were designed by Forteleoni and made of walnut. The faucets are by Briz.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
And as for the West Coast lifestyle, “of course we made it very Californian, in the sense that we built in very large walk-in closets,” says Forteleoni, who converted a sixth bedroom into a walk-in closet for Song and Moschin and opened up the social spaces on the lower floor so they can walk in and out of the backyard – a West Coast necessity.
Forteleoni is now incorporating this expanded use of space and the associated comfort into his European projects.
The wonderful collaboration of Forteleoni, Moschin and Song, with their backgrounds, expertise and practical must-haves, has been carefully and creatively housed in a century-old house that reflects the personal ambitions of each creative and to which all can toast – Hello!
The classic Barcelona leather daybed, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and manufactured by Knoll, and the Charlotte Perriand chair by Cassina are both by Design Within Reach. The custom-built walnut library holds the couple’s literary memorabilia. On the shelf sits an unframed, unfinished portrait of French novelist George Sand from 1800.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
The master bathroom continues the soothing marble and walnut palette. The sink is Cipollino marble and the shower is travertine. An original 19th century George Nakashima chair sits in the corner. The faucets are by Brizo.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
The wooden nightstands are from the Rose Bowl Flea Market. The rug is by Armadillo and the artwork is a gift from Japanese artist Kiyoshi Nakagami.
(Image credit: Ye Rin Mok. Design: Antonio Forteleon)
Los Angeles Interiors by Corynne W. Pless can now be pre-ordered.
