A Fashionable Abode

It is no secret that I love houses and frequently fantasize about them. That is part of the fun of being a designer– I get to work on and design many different styles of houses! When it comes to my own personal dream home, I go back and forth from wanting a charming, old Georgian to a low-slung mid-century house. Either would be the ideal for my modern-meets-traditional aesthetic, but the mix would have to be slightly different in each space in order to be appropriate for the architecture. I randomly came across a photo of the former 1940s Sunset Plaza house belonging to fashion designer James Galanos and immediately fell in love. I did a little digging online and it appears to have just sold last summer for right under $5 million (listed by Bryce Pennel). Originally designed by Philippe B. Oates, very few changes were made by Galanos while he lived there which is the same iteration of the house that was featured in Architectural Digest in 2011. The house was most recently reimagined by Hollywood power pair, Waldo Fernandez and Clements Design who made it feel completely different. It is a bit more modern and earthy than the version Galanos lived in. I like the former for its French affectation and glamour and the latter for its beautiful use of materials. Which do you prefer?

{The House as Designed by Philippe B. Oates and John Galanos | Photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna for Architectural Digest}