A STAR IS BORN
Actress Samira Wiley's LA home has stepped out of the shadows and into the limelight with chic schemes that have understated drama.
Written By Vivienne Ayers
Photography by Sam Frost
Styling by Lisa Rowe
No white walls’ was the key request when Stefani Stein was brought on board to transform the Los Angeles home of Orange is the New Black and The Handmaid’s Tale actress Samira Wiley and producer and director Lauren Morelli.
The house, which Stefani describes as a bit of a hodgepodge architecturally, combines elements of Spanish Revival with 1970s Californian ranch style. The couple fell in love with it for its lovely sense of flow. 'There is an openness from room to room, but it isn't fully an open concept - the rooms and spaces are still defined, says Stefani. However, a prior renovation had stripped away much of its charm
Having designed Samira and Lauren's previous home, Stefani worked closely with the couple again and soon established their 'strong desire for colour and comfort, for a dichotomy of classic and contemporary mingling together and for lots of added depth and detail’.
Colour was key to the aesthetic, with the palette transitioning from room to room. 'Infusion of colour is Lauren's happy place, while Samira leans towards calmer earthy and classic shades, says Stefani. She chose base colours inspired by nature that lend a comforting feel, reminiscent of an older, lived-in home. 'Creating spaces that had dusty hues and earthy elements, paired with dramatic moments and cheerful accents, struck a chord for both Samira and Lauren,' Stefani adds.
HOMES & GARDENS UK
NOVEMBER 2022
Written by: Vivienne Ayers
'As a result of the layout, you could see two or three rooms deep from any vantage point within the home. A cardinal step in my process was thoughtfully working through the colour specifications to ensure each view felt both complementary and contrasted. I often start my designs with textiles, but for this project I considered the foundational colours of each room first.’
Stefani was also mindful of keeping key features whenever possible. ‘I realised that the shiplap, which had originally seemed rather uninteresting to me, could actually work with the new design direction by being painted in the same colour and finish as the walls. I wanted to centre the designs around adding to the spaces rather than subtracting from them.’
The house felt as though it was lacking carpentry and joinery, so Stefani cased the bare openings between the rooms, which provided a sense of continuity and enabled her to make distinct colour transitions. She also designed custom bookshelves and storage to house the couple's impressive collection of tomes
'The home was missing the thoughtful touches that make it special too, says Stefani. Some blonde wooden elements were replaced with solid walnut in a hand-aged finish, while other surfaces feature more dramatic options such as marble and handmade tiles. Vintage lighting was introduced for extra character, as well as custom lighting. Furnishings meander from modernist to antique, with a sprinkling of both vintage and statement items to keep things fresh and unexpected. 'I love learning the little nuances of what makes each client individual, says Stefani,'exploring what home and sanctuary mean to them and what will make the space the story of its inhabitants.’…