We Don’t Know What’s Better in This Spanish Revival: the Interiors or the Views
It’s been said that a friend in need is a friend indeed. If that reliable friend happens to be in-demand interior designer Joe Lucas, even better.
So, when a flair for help shot up over Los Feliz, it’s no surprise the Los Angeles–based designer answered the call without hesitation. “They’re two of our best friends,” Lucas says about homeowners JP Richards and Michael Elder, who landed an incredible 6,100-square-foot Spanish Revival property hidden at the end of a cul-de-sac. “JP grew up in Los Angeles and had always dreamed about having a big Spanish house in the hills.”
Built in 1928, the five-bedroom, four full- and two half-bathroom property, dubbed Casa Vista, offers sweeping views from Pasadena all the way to Santa Monica but, on the inside, required Lucas’s design savvy to make the homeowners’ dream a reality. “When they moved in, it needed a lot of love,” recalls Lucas, who founded his eponymous firm in 2005 and, three years later, opened the first of two Harbinger design showrooms. “The kitchen was out of date and the bathrooms were a wreck, but the bones were really good—and the views!”
“It had been left somewhat dilapidated and poorly renovated in ’60s and ’70s, and almost completely stripped of what made it so special,” adds Richards, an entertainment industry executive currently helming Lionsgate’s worldwide marketing division. “We really wanted to bring it back to its former glory.”
The first order of business was to refinish the floors and slap a fresh coat of white paint on the walls throughout the three-level manse. “After that, they just lived there trying to figure out whether they’d want to spend more time on one side of the house or the other,” Lucas says.
Once the home’s optimal flow was figured out, the designer enlisted award-winning architect Tim Barber to redesign several spaces, including the kitchen and dining room, and immediately got to work himself outfitting the hillside residence.
The couple also joined Lucas on a few European buying trips for his showroom where, occasionally, the designer had to lay some ground rules. “I’d say, ‘Remember I have first right of refusal for Harbinger, otherwise, if you like something, we can buy it for your place,’” Lucas says with a laugh. “Actually, they’re constantly shopping for the house on their own—which is usually a designer’s worst nightmare—but thankfully they have really good taste!”
In the midst of outfitting the home, Lucas’s friends announced plans for another expansion—one that would entail the addition of a nursery. Through the help of a surrogate, and after many heart-pounding months of planning, the couple became first-time parents to twins Jack and Vivian.
“From the beginning, they definitely saw the house as a place to raise kids,” shares Lucas. Now, a year and a half into parenthood—with three dogs to round out the household—the young family is embracing life at Casa Vista thanks to a little help from their friend.
“This house wouldn’t be this house without Joe,” says Elder.
Entry
“They wanted to keep as many of the Spanish Revival elements as possible without going too modern,” says Lucas. But retaining several of those trademark details would actually mean recreating them. “The front door was beat up and painted over, so they had a new door carved out of oak that matched the original design, and the entry tile was chipped and worn, so they replaced it almost exactly as well.”
Entry
In the entry, the table is from Obsolete, the ceramic vessels were found at Lawson-Fenning, and the lighting above the staircase is from Apparatus. The sculptural piece underneath the railing was found on one of the group’s excursions to France.
Living Room
“This was actually the room we did last because it was such a beast—it could have taken up the budget for an entire house,” Lucas says.
Flanking the fireplace is a pair of distressed vintage cabinets from Harbinger, and over the mantel is a sculpture acquired through JF Chen. A custom rounded sofa from Harbinger, a pair of chairs from Soho Home upholstered in a Jeffrey Bilhuber for Le Gracieux textile, and two live-edge wood cocktail tabletops found in France—each resting on a custom designed faux bois metal base—create a layered conversation area.
Living Room
“We actually bought that light fixture on a trip together to Lisbon,” says Lucas. “In fact, it was the first thing we found for the house, and it’s the only thing that hung in the room for ages—otherwise it was empty for almost a year.”
Living Room
Across the room is another gathering spot composed of various vintage pieces. The cocktail table, bamboo side chair, and one of the side tables are from Harbinger. Another vintage chair has been upholstered in Kufri’s ocher and chocolate-colored Taza Stripe fabric. The vintage sofa has been reupholstered in a floral print from Jasper. Behind the sofa is an enormous mixed media work purchased at JF Chen. And the pair of lamps is by Danny Kaplan for Lawson-Fenning.
Living Room
This third seating area includes a table from Lawson-Fenning and a set of vintage chairs that belonged to the homeowners. The carpet is from Stark.
Snug
“I’ve always liked the English term [to describe a cozy seating area] and basically try to find a ‘snug’ in every one of my projects,” says Lucas.
The custom-designed sofa has been upholstered in an outdoor velvet from Perennials. The cocktail table is by Kara Mann for McGuire, the ottoman is by Nickey Kehoe, and the side chairs have been recovered in a printed fabric from Zak+Fox. The geometric area rug is by Marc Phillips.
“This is where we spend nearly all of our time, and it’s probably one of the smaller rooms in the house,” adds Richards. “I don’t know if it’s just in the home’s DNA, but the previous owner of 40 years spent a lot of his time in here too. We just love it.”
Snug
“The fireplace in the corner of the room was raised way up high and looked more like a pizza oven that anything else, so we gave it the rounded shape to help it make sense,” says Lucas. On the sofa are custom pillows in Zak+Fox fabrics.
Kitchen
The couple enjoys entertaining, and Elder loves to cook “massive meals” for holidays, so the kitchen was designed to be open and functional. Around the custom island are stools by Thomas Hayes, and overhead are pendant lights by Hector Finch for Harbinger.
Dining Room
“This was one of the bigger structural changes,” says the designer. “Part of the space was like an enclosed sunroom that may have, at one time, been a screened-in porch. And the smaller dining room wasn’t set up to take advantage of the views to downtown Los Angeles, so we took down a wall and opened it up.”
The homeowners fell in love with the rustic dining table they found on their own at Obsolete. The Hoffmann armchairs are from Design Within Reach, and the antique chairs at either end of the table were reupholstered in a Zak+Fox fabric.
At the back of the room is a large-scale work by Marco Lorenzetto. The pair of lamps on the back table are from Soho Home, and the light fixture is from the Urban Electric Co. On the dining table is a collection of vessels from Lawson-Fenning.
Powder Room
Located on the home’s main level, this guest powder room has been wrapped in wallpaper from Zak+Fox and is illuminated by sconces from the Urban Electric Co. The sleek sink top is from Compas Stone. The mirror was the client’s own.
Study
When he’s not running Lionsgate’s marketing division from the film studio’s headquarters, Roberts can be found taking calls in his home office. The desk is from Lawson-Fenning, the cocktail table is from Harbinger, and the room has been painted an olive green from Farrow & Ball called Bancha. The carpet is by Stark.
Primary Bedroom
With a view from Pasadena to downtown L.A., simplicity was the key to outfitting the couple’s bedroom. The bed is from Lawson-Fenning, and the linens are by Parachute. Artwork hanging above the headboard is from Harbinger. Flanking the bed are nightstands from Chelsea Editions, and at the foot is a settee from CB2 “where the dogs sleep.”
Primary Bathroom
“The bathroom was so disgusting and needed a gut renovation,” says the designer. And that’s just what it received. The concrete freestanding tub is from Native Trails with hardware is by Waterworks. Over the tub is a pendant light from Allied Maker, and the fabric for the window treatments and the side chair are from Zak+Fox. The artwork is by Bradley Duncan.
Nursery
“They found the Schumacher wallpaper and just fell in love,” shares Lucas. “With wallpaper like that, everything else just fades away.” The matching Jenny Lind maple wood spindle baby cribs are from Crate + Kids.
Bunk Room
Designed for the couple’s visiting nieces and nephews, this guest room is completely set for their own children’s future sleepovers. The bunk beds, painted Farrow & Ball Scotch Blue, were custom designed and are dressed with textiles from Nickey Kehoe. The rug is by Marc Phillips, and the client’s own midcentury cabinet has been painted to match the beds.
Guest Bedroom
“This room connects to the nursery and, down the line, will probably end up being either Jack or Vivian’s room when it’s time to separate them,” Lucas explains. The bed from Lawson-Fenning was from the couple’s former home. The linens are from Parachute. Above the headboard is a pair of abstract paintings from Nickey Kehoe. The pair of vintage chairs also belonged to the homeowners. The rug is from Marc Phillips.
Exterior
Built in 1928, the five-bedroom, four full- and two half-bathroom property, dubbed Casa Vista, offers sweeping views from Pasadena all the way to Santa Monica.
Outdoor Dining Room
It’s all about indoor-outdoor living in L.A., and this casual dining spot is the total embodiment of that laid-back California ethos thanks, in part, to landscape architect Steve Gierke. The RH dining table is surrounded by vintage black Sculptura chairs by Russell Woodard.
The Family
JP Richards and Michael Elder with their twins, Jack and Vivian, and three dogs. “This house wouldn’t be this house without Joe,” says Elder.
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