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Houzz Tour: Balancing His and Hers Style
Traditional and modern tastes blend in Beverly Hills home
It's a classic design dilemma — a couple is ready to make a house a home, only to discover that their styles couldn't be more different. When this Beverly Hills family of three was ready to build their dream home, they recruited architect and interior designer Tim Barber to create a cozy but spacious home that would balance her love for modern and his love of traditional. "She is a very devout modernist, and he is a very devout traditionalist," Barber says. "So the interior design was all about blending the two."
The couple already had a house on this lot in Benedict Canyon, close to downtown Beverly Hills. Although they initially wanted to remodel, they soon realized that what they wanted required them to start over. Barber demolished the original structure and worked from the ground up, designing a bright and open home that embraces the outdoors — and the couple's opposite styles.
The couple already had a house on this lot in Benedict Canyon, close to downtown Beverly Hills. Although they initially wanted to remodel, they soon realized that what they wanted required them to start over. Barber demolished the original structure and worked from the ground up, designing a bright and open home that embraces the outdoors — and the couple's opposite styles.
| Despite their differences in style, the couple agreed that they wanted a home that felt open, clean, bright and comfortable. Barber often played with more traditional textiles with simple and modern furniture lines to incorporate both the husband and wife's design sensibilities. However there were rooms that played more toward one aesthetic — such as the wife's study here. While the color palette and texture ties this room to the rest of the home, it's decidedly more modern than the main living spaces. Wall color: Benjamin Moore Chelsea Grey Rug: Flokati from Aga John Sofa: Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams |
"In the marriage of architecture and interiors in this home, the architecture is restrained while the interiors let loose a bit," Barber says. The family wanted an East Coast vibe outside, so Barber designed a shingled exterior and installed a slate roof. The slate roof is made of slightly smaller pieces than usual, reducing its weight. This stone roofing is fairly common in Los Angeles because it does well with temperature extremes.
"You have to take advantage of the outdoors when you live in Southern California," Barber says. "I really like to encourage people to go outside." To create a substantial backyard space, Barber pulled the house closer to the street. This allows for a closed front for privacy and room in the back for a pool, patio and spacious yard.
Like most Southern California hillsides, this particular neighborhood is part of a fire zone, so wood houses are not allowed. Barber used manmade shingles for fire protection on the exterior, but worked with the layering and spacing of each piece to make it look as natural as possible. The chimneys are made of a lightweight manmade stone product to take additional weight off of the roof.
Like most Southern California hillsides, this particular neighborhood is part of a fire zone, so wood houses are not allowed. Barber used manmade shingles for fire protection on the exterior, but worked with the layering and spacing of each piece to make it look as natural as possible. The chimneys are made of a lightweight manmade stone product to take additional weight off of the roof.
| Emphasizing the natural light in this home was one of Barber's biggest priorities. At the end of each hallway, a wood window in the ceiling lets sunlight into the entrance hall and foyer. Barber also put windows in any place that made sense, and designed each window to be taller and higher. "I was looking for any way that I could sneak light in," he says. Pendant: Custom designed by Tim Barber Ltd |
| The living room is a perfect representation of the homeowners' drastically different styles. Each piece is a delicate balance of form and colors that reflect multiple looks. The clients wanted something that would make a statement, so he came up with this elegant bench design as a way to divide two sections of the long room. "Ultimately when a house has a certain personality, you get inspired to make things," he says. Couch: A.Rudin in Laura Ashley Hemp Arm chairs and coffee table: custom Tim Barber Ltd Rug: design by Tim Barber Ltd, made by Stark Carpet Drapes: custom, fabric from Kravet; trim by Samuel & Sons Greek Key; hardware from Orion in Brushed Nickel |
A sitting area in the foyer invites the family and guests to sit and enjoy the backyard view. The dark blue Tufenkian rug complements the teal-toned doors, and a plush custom loveseat was accented with pillows that highlight the colors in the rug and the wall art.
Rug: Tufenkian Implied Damask Midnight; loveseat: Custom Tim Barber Ltd; table: Antique from Novecento in Los Angeles
Rug: Tufenkian Implied Damask Midnight; loveseat: Custom Tim Barber Ltd; table: Antique from Novecento in Los Angeles
| The husband loves to cook, so he wanted Barber to pull out all of the stops in the kitchen's design. "They let me play almost every trick I've learned when it comes to kitchens," Barber says. He installed a deep fryer next to the induction stovetop, pull-out shelving, spice and can racks, divided drawers and an extra-large refrigerator. Countertops: Absolute black granite on island, Carrara Marble on countertops Cabinetry: Lotus Woodworking, Canoga Park, Calif. Backsplash: American Slate, Cloud Green & China Grey Pendants: Antique, Blend Interiors Barstool: Design Within Reach, Kyoto Counter Stools |
A breakfast nook off the kitchen is the perfect casual eat-in space for the family. A custom-designed table and pillows lend a personal touch to this cheery, sun-drenched spot.
Chairs: Hickory Chair
Pillows: custom, made out of Raoul Fabrics and Peter Dunham Textiles
Light fixture: client’s existing fixture
Chairs: Hickory Chair
Pillows: custom, made out of Raoul Fabrics and Peter Dunham Textiles
Light fixture: client’s existing fixture
The simple furniture in this space speaks to both a traditional and modern aesthetic, but the bright colors definitely make the dining room feel more modern. Custom leather chairs lend a touch of luxury, but the pendants were purchased at Restoration Hardware. "There aren't a lot of precious pieces. We customized a lot of furniture, but it's mixed right in with store-bought pieces too," Barber says.
Chairs: custom Tim Barber Ltd in Duralee Leather; pendants: Restoration Hardware; table: client’s existing, antique; wall color: Benjamin Moore Quincy Tan
Chairs: custom Tim Barber Ltd in Duralee Leather; pendants: Restoration Hardware; table: client’s existing, antique; wall color: Benjamin Moore Quincy Tan
The son's playful but sophisticated suite is Barber's favorite part of the home. Blue-toned map wallpaper has a fun but timeless quality, and dark blue and brown textiles complete the color scheme. Instead of a standard desk setup, Barber took the son's multitasking personality into account and created three separate workspaces for him. This way, he can work on multiple projects at once and divide desk space up according to activity.
Wallpaper: Hinson Blue/White Map; desk chairs: CB2; window treatments: custom by Valley Drapery, LA
Wallpaper: Hinson Blue/White Map; desk chairs: CB2; window treatments: custom by Valley Drapery, LA
| The high ceilings and beautiful windows in the boy's bathroom make it another of Barber's favorite rooms. Natural light reflects off of honed Carrara marble countertops, while simple steel sconces keep the space lit up at night. Floor: Hex Carrara Mosaic by Walker Zanger, Mini Brick Marble tile by Walker Zanger in Flat Iron Grey Countertops: Satin Honed Carrara Marble Sconces: Restoration Hardware |
| Soft grays and browns tie the soothing guest bedroom to the rest of the home's decor, while clean furniture lines and more traditional textiles reflect Barber's approach to the couple's different styles. Hotel-style bedding keeps the space looking fresh and clean, while a combination of textures in the accents warms it up and gives it a more contemporary flair. Bed frame: custom Tim Barber Ltd Mirrors: Carvers Guild Nightstand: Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams Wall color: Benjamin Moore Grey Owl |
| The master bathroom is a place of pure serenity. Soft white marble countertops and flooring contrasts with the dark vanity. Custom mirrors were installed with additional storage behind, and stainless steel pendants and sconces add a touch of glamour. Shower: Custom Mosaic using Walker Zanger Carrara, Flat Iron and Thassos Countertops: Honed Carrara Marble |
| A bar, lounge and media room were combined into one multidimensional entertaining space. The bar is the perfect place to serve after-dinner drinks, and the pool table and media room provide entertainment for adults and children. The basement of the house holds a pantry and a garage, with an elevator leading up to the additional floors — a great way to make carrying packages in and out of the car a bit easier. Barstools: Hancock & Moore, fabric Pindler & Pindler Pendant: Urban Electric, Carlyn Fixture Photography by Karyn Millet More Houzz Tours: Cozy Elegance by the Lake Historical Modern Chicago Makeover Color and Character in North Carolina |
Ideabook updated on Feb. 8, 2012.
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We just purchased our first house and needless to say, there is a lot of "negotiation" going on and I, of course, let her win in most cases. We recently came across what is going to be our inspiration moving forward: I "get" the white walls and uncluttered spaces while she will add texture, warmth and a few accent/antique pieces.
But I agree with the sentiment that narrators of these sorts of galleries need to be a little more honest. In Washington, DC's design magazine, awards (and galleries) are often divided by project cost - best room remodel under $50,000; best whole-house remodel under $100,000, or over $500,000, etc. Then you can more fairly compare apples to apples. This Old House does something similar - when homeowner remodels are shown, the budget is also discussed. In this gallery, by contrast, the designer is quoted as pointing out that not every stick of furniture is custom art. But just because a piece is manufactured rather than custom-designed doesn't mean it's affordable to a person of average means, and I think that it's fair to say so. Just as there is a difference between a $100,000 one-of-a-kind sofa and a $10,000 designer sofa doesn't mean there's no a difference between a $2000 department-store sofa and a $500 discount-store sofa and the $150 sofa I bought on craigslist (which would blow all those other sofas out of the water). So quoting designers politely saying that items aren't "too precious" to a site that's probably aimed at DIY decorators of middle-class means seems, well, tone-deaf.
In sum: might be good to be a little more up-front about a remodel's budget.
There are definitely a lot of Houzz projects that are very DIY/budget friendly where owners are more than happy to talk about the cost, while some (like this) are geared more towards design inspiration for users — projects that we can all admire for their design (or maybe pick apart, if it's not quite your style), and maybe even be a bit jealous of! :)