“The clients wanted a quintessential family home,” says Shannon Wollack of the Brentwood Park project she recently completed with her Studio Life/Style design partner Brittany Zwickl. The homeowners, who work in the charitable and entertainment fields, had been renting in the area, and when this early-2000s home came on the market, its private street and traditional styling proved an irresistible lure. The interiors, however, needed a refresh. To bring everything up to date, the couple hired renowned architect Steve Giannetti, who had designed their rental, and then brought on Studio Life/Style to add all the charm that would make this house their forever home.
“From the very beginning, the clients were thoughtful about how they would use each space. They’re very practical people,” continues Wollack, herself a Brentwood resident. The couple is community-driven and enjoys hosting events, so they needed rooms that could accommodate large gatherings, but they also wanted an unfussy feel befitting a busy family house. “We talked about making the rooms beautiful yet livable so that their kids could bring friends over. It’s kind of an open-door policy here,” she adds. But it’s not just pancake breakfasts and sports parties, in the days following the Palisades Fire, the home served as a headquarters for the family’s friends.
Key to making the house feel open and energized was letting natural light to filter into the rooms throughout the day. “That was one of their early requests,” explains Wollack. The sunny living room is especially welcoming with its custom curved sofa, vintage lounge chairs by Hartmut Lohmeyer and paintings by Alex Israel. “It’s a good reflection of the clients,” adds Zwickl. “They’re refined, fashion-forward and fun.” Adjoining the living room is a cozy, wood-clad bar and a library, which doubles as a game room. “We wanted to give that space a darker palette, so it’s cozy for reading but it was also a chance to have a little fun with color,” says Wollack. After settling on the right shade of blue (in this case, Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue), they “punched it up” with rich, rusty hues for the sofa and for a table commissioned from local furniture maker Anna Warmoth of Bananas & Hammocks.
The dining room, like the living room, was paneled by Giannetti to bring even greater warmth to the interiors. “Steve has such a beautiful way about his designs that just makes rooms more enjoyable to be in,” says Wollack. Countering the architecture’s straight lines, the designers chose sculptural furnishings, like the reeded table and a set of 1950s Viscount chairs by Dan Johnson. “It feels really luxurious,” adds Zwickl, noting how indoor trees placed throughout the main rooms add a grounding element. Working with Carey Hern of Autumn Child, they chose such specimens as a glossy-leaved ficus to play off the dining room’s polished finishes.
But it’s the family room and kitchen that truly serve as the core of the household. “Both of those spaces were designed to be very indoor-outdoor,” continues Zwickl, who now lives in Ojai. “It’s like a vacation home, where the family spaces are right next to the pool, so we used resistant fabrics. Kids are going to be kids, and things are going to get wet.” (Wollack and Zwickl, who both have young children, founded their firm in 2009 and recently moved their offices into the Town & Country shopping center in Brentwood, right next door to Gray Malin and Sugar Paper). Comfort was a huge consideration, too. “The clients didn’t want anything dainty or precious,” she adds. For an easy entertaining flow, the kitchen and breakfast nook connect to the backyard. “It’s a pretty kitchen with the sparkle of the brass hood and it's kept clean because of a separate workstation,” says Wollack. “Islands get cluttered with stuff like homework, so a desk space makes a practical spot to drop stuff, to put chargers—it really helps keep the kitchen looking clean.”
Upstairs, the designers created a sanctuary-like primary suite for the couple using a limited palette of soft grays and creams. “The clients didn’t want a lot of color there, so we added visual interest by layering textures,” Zwickl explains, noting the nubby bed fabrics and smooth ceramic nightstand lamps made by Highland Park artist Meredith Metcalf. The designers also gave equal emphasis to creating retreats for the couple’s children. “So much of this home is built around their kids and we really wanted to give them each a special place,” adds Wollack. And for sleepovers, there’s a bunkroom tucked under the eaves and lined with a striped fabric for a tent-like feel. “It’s playful and a little funky—it’s fun to let the kids have a say,” she says.
“This house reflects the cadence of how this family lives,” adds Zwickl. “It’s approachable and realistic but they’re also dreamers. It’s LA in every way."
THE DETAILS
Renovation Architect: Steve Giannetti, Patina Home and Garden, patinahomeandgarden.com
Interior Design: Shannon Wollack and Brittany Zwickl, Studio Life/Style, studio-lifestyle.com
General Contractor: Lattanzi Construction, lattanziconstruction.com
"This house reflects the cadence of how this family lives. It’s approachable and realistic but they’re also dreamers. It’s LA in every way."