Modern Rooms
Room-by-room tours of a 1961 mid-century home in the Los Angeles canyons — walnut, terracotta, and the warm globe lighting that makes each space glow.

Our Mid-Century Living Room in Laurel Canyon
A mid-century living room lives or dies on warmth and light. Here's how we built ours, from the walnut up to the globe pendant.

The Walnut Kitchen That Started It All
The walnut kitchen was the first room we touched, and it set the tone for the whole house. Here's how it came together.

A Sunlit Mid-Century Bedroom
A mid-century bedroom should feel as warm and unhurried as a California afternoon. Here's how we got ours there.

The Conversation Pit We Almost Didn't Build
Everyone told us a conversation pit was a mistake. It's become the most-used corner of the house. Here's how we did it.

Designing a Warm Mid-Century Dining Room
The dining room is where mid-century warmth gets to show off. Here's ours, from the walnut table to the pendant overhead.

Our Breezeway Entry: A Mid-Century Welcome
The entry is the first breath of a mid-century home. Here's how we made our breezeway feel like a warm canyon welcome.

The Den, Paneled in Warm Walnut
Wood-paneled walls are the most mid-century thing we did. Here's how we kept the den warm and moody instead of dark and dated.

A Mid-Century Bathroom in Terracotta and Teak
A mid-century bathroom is all about warm materials and flattering light. Two teak-framed sconces did more than a full reno would have.

The Reading Corner by the Clerestory Windows
Every house deserves one chair with perfect light. Ours sits under the clerestory windows where the canyon sun lands.

Our Canyon-Facing Home Office
A workspace can be warm and mid-century too. Here's the canyon-facing office where I get my best thinking done.

The Backyard Lounge Under the Eaves
Mid-century homes were built for indoor-outdoor living. Here's how we turned the space under our eaves into the best room in the house.