So Nice to Come Home To

Neutrals, Pale Tiffany Blue, and Touches of Orange Create a Serenely Sophisticated Living Space

Since the owner of this West Hollywood condo is on the road so much, she wanted something fun and cheerful to come home to. The challenge? Including the necessities of living and entertaining in a small space without making it appear cramped or cluttered. So she enlisted Christopher Grubb, the owner of Arch-Interiors Design Group, in Beverly Hills, California, who used color and floating accessories to create an open yet inviting living space.

The dramatic palette in the living room and dining room came from the owner’s art collection, says Grubb. “The watercolor paintings in the dining room held the cool blues and warm oranges and pinks that helped set the color tones of the entire living area,” he says. “Enhanced by the bright white mats and frames, the grouping of these art pieces against the pale blue walls and coordinating silk draperies creates visual interest in the dining area.” The style of the vintage table and chairs and the fact that the buffet is cantilevered off the wall make the room appear much larger than it really is, says Grubb. The table expands to seat eight and the two club chairs in the living room can be brought in as additional seating when needed.

The walls in the step-down living room are covered in a neutral-toned, subtly textured grass cloth that complements the existing tan sofa. “We added the pale Tiffany blue–colored club chairs and the silk accent pillows in a grayed-out orange,” Grubb says. “We used floating shelves, instead of a closed shelving unit, to maintain the openness. The contemporary gloss-white entertainment console offers practical storage, yet is low scale, contributing to the spacious feel of the area.” The decor items and the artwork, which manifests the owner’s love of France, pick up the blues and punches of orange.

Stools are one of Grubb’s favorite accessories. “They are so versatile and can be used as tables, chairs, or footstools depending on the need,” explains Grubb. “In this case, they added a dramatic pattern of blue and orange to otherwise neutral furnishings.”

The owner loves color and is not afraid to use it, Grubb says. The upstairs office is intense with

an orange-and-raspberry palette. “We suggested a multicolored, velvet-flecked wallpaper for the vaulted ceiling,” Grubb says. “The pattern is exciting and dramatic, and all the other colors in the room were taken from that paper.” The paint on the walls pulls from the touches of mellow orange in the floral motif, and the silk draperies also pick up the orange tone, adding a softness and sheen to the room. Grubb notes that although the office is a stimulating space, the raspberry chair and ottoman and the white linen chandelier give it the feeling of an upscale hotel. A desk, along with some storage, is set into what used to be a double closet.

Grubb used many decorator tricks to fill this space with necessities, while keeping an open, expansive impression. He then added exciting punches of sophisticated color, making this small condo a great and welcoming place to come home to.

Written by Carolyn M. Runyon