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Houzz Tour: Fuss-Free Venice Beach Bungalow
Global vintage finds and an idyllic landscape set a scene for style and life
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Nestled in Venice Beach, Calif. — a bustling seaside tourist destination for its art and culture — is a cozy bungalow built in 1895 that belongs to interior designer Katerina Tana. Los Angeles-born and London-raised, Tana purchased the property in 2000. The home was originally listed as a tear-down, but she took on the project to add her own stamp of style. "The decision to embark on a complete rebuild was in part to appreciate what I put my clients through," she says.
Growing up, Tana spent her summers in Croatia on the Adriatic Coast, and the “magical Mediterranean setting” and her roots in theater and film are seen throughout the home. Tana removed walls and added skylights. She added vintage pieces and maximized every corner of the two-bedroom, two-bath home. A garage and studio space preserves the authenticity of the home's 19th-century origins.
In addition to her interior and landscape design work, Tana also has her own line, Katerina Tana Collection featuring original fabric, wallpaper, rugs, lighting, and table designs. She approaches her projects with the objective to “create a style for the client’s house and for their life,” much as this space reflects her own life with its thoughtful, artistic details.
Growing up, Tana spent her summers in Croatia on the Adriatic Coast, and the “magical Mediterranean setting” and her roots in theater and film are seen throughout the home. Tana removed walls and added skylights. She added vintage pieces and maximized every corner of the two-bedroom, two-bath home. A garage and studio space preserves the authenticity of the home's 19th-century origins.
In addition to her interior and landscape design work, Tana also has her own line, Katerina Tana Collection featuring original fabric, wallpaper, rugs, lighting, and table designs. She approaches her projects with the objective to “create a style for the client’s house and for their life,” much as this space reflects her own life with its thoughtful, artistic details.
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| A friend described her place as "the house in eight shades of white.” That aesthetic is captured here in the living room. Built-in bookshelves separate the main seating space from the kitchen; they were deliberately built just shy of the ceiling to allow natural light to flow in from a kitchen skylight. The main inspiration for the home was “distilling the house so that there was nothing that would lead to clutter or fuss.” A custom armchair provides comfortable seating by a coffee table. The glass art piece, inspired by fireflies and titled "Bell Jar," is by Los Angeles-based Alison Berger. Tana is also a fan of Berger's lighting designs, carried at Holly Hunt. Yellow cashmere throw: Denis Colomb Glass Bell Jar: Alison Berger |
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“I loathe fuss," Tana says. "I love elegance and comfort combined.” With that framework, she designed a space that is inviting inside and out, beginning with the porch. A seating area greets you with furniture made of banana leaves from Indonesia and plush turquoise cushions. A porch came with the original home, but Tana had it rebuilt, adding more structural support, Pennsylvania Bluestone tiles and pendant lights. Two birch branches lean casually against the sides of the door. Gathered from an aunt’s farm in Three Rivers, near the Sequoia National Park, they create a natural frame as you step inside the clapboard-sided bungalow.
Industrial Pendant Lighting: Urban Archaeology
Tile: Pennsyvania Bluestone
Industrial Pendant Lighting: Urban Archaeology
Tile: Pennsyvania Bluestone
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A tall white wood fence and vivid purple wisteria make for a striking pairing in front. "Wisteria was an easy choice as it would get as much light as it needed and it looks wonderful and gnarled when bare." Tana likes plants that denote the subtle Southern California seasonal changes, and when it is in bloom she says, “You can hear people oohing and aahing outside as they stop and sniff it!"
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For Tana, every detail counts. In the living room, a collection of bowls tops a 19th-century Japanese rosewood shelf next to an antique African stool. The pair of framed portraits from Burma are by 19th- and 20th-century photographer Felice Beato. Tana started collecting his work about 12 years ago.
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| Tana’s no-fuss design philosophy is manifested in the kitchen's calm color palette. Blue ceramic tiles make up the backsplash, and polished nickel hardware, along with a Shaw handmade fireclay farmhouse-style sink, adds to the effortlessly casual look. Countertop: Pennsylvania Bluestone Faucets: Rohl, Perrin and Rowe Sink: Rohl, Shaws Original |
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| A handmade braided tray from New York artist Jonathan Kline serves as headboard in the master bedroom. The woven pieces are made with ash trees Kline grows himself. Tana says she is also collaborating with the artist on interior shutters, as she's drawn to "the way the light comes through them." Flanking the bed are a pair of oversized Turkish tiles in a bright blue complementary to the soft pink bedding from a London linen shop. Woven Tray: Jonathan Kline Bedside tables: Waterworks Bedding: Cologne & Cotton Lighting: Urban Archaeology |
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| In a nod to the nearby canals and beach a five-minute bike ride away, the bathroom features a clean white and blue color palette. The brilliant blue oversized tiles are creations of ceramic artist Adnan Hoca of Turkey, who works with the Iznik Foundation. Tana has collaborated before with the Iznik Foundation for her collection on a project called Centuries Ahead. Tana designed tables around unique tile centerpieces; each table was handcrafted by woodworkers and bronze casters in California. Countertop: Honed Volakas marble Mirrors: Waterworks Tiles: Iznik Foundation Lighting: Urban Archaeology |
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| The second bedroom features more vintage furniture and collected pieces. Tana gets her furniture from dealers in the LA area (such as Eccola) as well as Santa Barbara, London and Paris. Above the bed is another original woven wood tray by Kline. This room provides the perfect cozy refuge to unwind from the welcomed stresses of living so close to the Pacific shore. Woven Tray: Jonathan Kline |
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Fragrant and edible plants greet you as you head outside to the inviting backyard. Artichokes left to blossom add beautiful sculptural and textured form. Other plantings include lavender, pelargonium, and scented rose geraniums. Four Michelia Figo trees grow slowly, but "are especially happy in the space and have an insane banana fragrance when they blossom," Tana says. Water continuously flows in a carved white marble fountain from India, providing a pleasant place for birds to splash around and wash their wings.
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The garden is one of Tana’s favorite spaces, and it’s easy to see why. A Sombreuil (climbing rose) and tall cypress trees add to the bucolic setting. The size of the garden is also enviable, as Venice is a densely built area where it's becoming increasingly rare to find open outdoor spaces.
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Fruit trees — orange, lemon, mandarin and Santa Rosa plum — provide delicious harvests. The spacious yard lends itself to dining al fresco; Tana enjoys entertaining as many as 100 people here. "It never seems to feel crowded. In Venice, space is the ultimate luxury," she says.
"I do not think that luxury should be for a special occasion," she continues. "Good design is something we should encounter at every turn." It's certainly encountered throughout this cheerfully elegant California home.
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"I do not think that luxury should be for a special occasion," she continues. "Good design is something we should encounter at every turn." It's certainly encountered throughout this cheerfully elegant California home.
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Comments
lynnrww lovely cottage.
20 months ago · Like
gsteddy this will be a dream of every man
20 months ago · Like
sjmulvey Very nice, but why not before and after pictures?
20 months ago · Like
ttyaya I love that Katrina respected the traditional value of this cottage. She brings a easy elegance to this no fuzz no clutter easthetic. Using the white's benefits the light airy feeling, showing off he freshness at every corner. All of the textural elements brings in the worldly style that place a personal touch in each room. The color spots are just simple and brilliant. The petite size of this home is overlook by it's fully utilized design. I would love to live in this space, it make me feel calm, and peaceful. Great job. I have now looked at her products and see the beauty of her talents and style. She has reflect this in her home. Nice job.
20 months ago · Like
sroberson Although the owner 'loathes fuss' it sure looks fussy to me.......
20 months ago · Like
gwen mckay Cant help agreeing sroberson, although i do think the home is quite beautiful
20 months ago · Like
Katerina Tana Design Define your idea of fuss!
20 months ago · Like
Karen Warm and beautiful!
18 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Sept. 24, 2011.
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