A Beloved Homewood Landmark
“What’s going on with the Bonita house?” That question was one designers Marianne Strong and Teresa Cole were asked almost every day while they worked on the renovation of the home at the junction of Bonita Drive and Ventura Avenue. “Homewood residents were so curious and had a vested interest,” Strong says. “Everyone was grateful it wasn’t torn down.” Built in 1935, the Hollywood home “is very much a beloved part of the neighborhood.”
When the pair’s long-time clients bought the home, “the only construction planned was a bump out of the kitchen, just a small renovation,” Cole explains. “That quickly escalated.” Every wall McGuire Construction’s crew opened revealed a new set of challenges and soon the team realized that the entire home needed to be taken down to the studs.
That change of scope allowed the designers to really lean into the charm of the home’s original architecture—replacing square doors with custom arched French doors on the front façade, adding a laundry room, and reorganizing bedroom suites upstairs. “The house looks architecturally very similar to the way it did originally. That was important to all of us,” Strong says. “We improved it with subtle changes.”
Interior Drama and Modern Charm
While the changes to the architecture may have been subtle, the interior design updates are anything but! At both the front door and the garage entry, color and pattern come to the fore, and nod at what’s to come deeper inside. While some rooms are steeped in vibrancy and others are a calming balm, every space has at least a touch of color and pattern. “There are lots of fun spaces mixed with calmer, more restful rooms throughout the house,” Cole says. “At one time the couple lived in California so you can feel that eclectic West Coast vibe woven into the design.”
One way the designers brought that collected, personal feel to rooms was with lighting choices. Sculptural pendants and linear chandeliers span the style spectrum from traditional to modern, all with the goal of feeling unique. A custom six-armed fixture from Italy hugs the ceiling of the formal living room while twin Arteriors fixtures that recall the shape of an abacus light the kitchen island. In the dining room, a stack of graduated gold discs give off soft light, and in the library, marble bases add interest to sconces. “Our client is adventurous and we wanted each selection to feel unique to her,” Strong says.
The project, really a meaningful preservation effort, Strong says, “is a special one.” Not just because of the home’s 90-year history as a beloved part of Homewood’s architectural narrative, but also because of the long-standing relationship between the clients and the design team. “They are so much fun, they love color and pattern, and they gave us complete creative license throughout this project,” the designer says. “It’s that level of trust that allows the magic to happen.”
“In this house, color, texture, wallpaper, and lighting make it special.”
– Designer Marianne Strong
Resources
INTERIORS: Marianne Strong Interiors BUILDER: McGuire Construction LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Dave Eyrich STYLING: Lindsey Ellis Beatty ENTRYWAY: Kelly Werstler for Lee Jofa wallpaper LAUNDRY ROOM: Floors and countertops: Triton Stone MUDROOM: Custom settee upholsteree: GP&J Baker floral KITCHEN: Custom cabinets and island: Dan Brogan at Birmingham Woodworks, Pulls: Brandino Brass BAR: Wallpaper: Romo’s Black Edition collection, Cabinetry paint: Sherwin Williams LIBRARY: Wallpaper: Floral wallpaper by Maxwell Fabrics, Paint: Lacquered walls in Benjamin Moore – Everard Blue (CW-575)
