Cover The living room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
The living room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
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Balancing a neutral palette with playful pops of art, The Scale Collective transformed this Los Angeles apartment into a creative sanctuary
Above the frenetic pace of Los Angeles stands the apartment of a young beauty entrepreneur and art collector, whose recent coastal move has set the stage for a refined yet approachable space. Designed by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective, this 2,600-square-foot canvas has become a creative sanctuary paired with breathtaking views of the vibrant city.
For this particular project, Alexander created a space that felt “both airy and modern, feminine and romantic,” musing that it was essential to strike a balance between a neutral palette and carefree, bold artworks that reflected this new season in the homeowner’s life. At the same time, she wanted a space where she could easily entertain family and friends, before unwinding in blissful solitude.
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An essential element of the design journey was exploring the city of Los Angeles with the homeowner, immersing her in current design trends that aligned with her aesthetic vision. Early on, Alexander and the client found some key pieces that would go on to define the home, like a Little Petra chair upholstered in shearling at Garde Shop and the Marenco Sofa at The Future Perfect. For Alexander, “these two overlapping styles from the 1940s and the 1970s influenced the soft curves and sculptural forms that would evolve in the project.”
Working in a sky-rise apartment, Alexander wanted to maintain an ethereal, soft palette to create a cosy environment. Prioritising fabrics like linens, boucles and shearlings helped maintain that atmosphere, particularly when paired with wood backdrops like oak and walnut. This muted material vocabulary would set the stage for the furniture’s sculptural forms and the homeowners’ growing art collection.
Above The entryway of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
The entryway of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
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The entryway establishes the home’s refined yet approachable character through a custom white oak and travertine console by Stahl & Band, paired with simple Dots hooks by Muuto. Stepping into the kitchen, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Dimity, one’s eye is captured by the Gubi Beetle chairs from Design Within Reach, which provide comfortable perching for casual meals.
Nestled within the space are vases by Katayone Adeli in matte black and brown, which introduce earthy yet sculptural moments in the space. Meanwhile, an artwork by Nelio Riga from Galleria Varsi adds the edgy pop of colour the homeowner desired to juxtapose with the peacefulness of the space.
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Above The living room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
The living room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
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Above The dining room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
Above The living room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
The dining room of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
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The open living and dining area demonstrates Alexander's sophisticated understanding of spatial balance and visual hierarchy. Painted in Benjamin Moore's Alabaster, Drop It Modern's Rock Steady Mural wallpaper adds textural depth, drawing the eye to the Marenco Sofa by Arflex. The piece’s proximity to the floor keeps the room from feeling overwhelming, which ensures visual harmony throughout the space. “Nothing is competing for attention from another piece,” shared Alexander. “Everything is a beautiful symphony of parts together and works as a whole.”
The living room also features the Little Petra Chair alongside another favourite furniture piece, the extremely limited edition 20.01 armchair by HAOS from Studio Twentyseven. This rare piece introduces unexpected dramatic flair to the space, while still honouring the room's overall softness through its organic form.
Above The dining room and outdoor terrace of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
The dining room and outdoor terrace of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
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Other notable pieces in the space include the Jia coffee table from Atelier De Troupe, the Murici side table from Stahl & Band, and the Fin side table from Ethnicraft. Situated at different heights and varying materials, these pieces add playful dynamism to the space, in contrast with the clean horizontal lines of the Brooks credenza from Crofthouse. Hanging overhead are Lariat pendants from Apparatus, which were custom-designed by Alexander and the lighting studio to reflect a suspension mid-air. Underfoot, a tribal rug by Meharaban pulls vignettes of Los Angeles’s free-spirited energy into the space, complemented nicely by plants in vintage urns and terracotta vases for a rustic infusion.
The space is also home to such art pieces as Robert Kingston’s What We Thought We Knew, Miranda Forrester’s collage I’ve Been Waiting For You and a Roger Coll sculpture, which create conversation-starters throughout the space while maintaining the Los Angeles home’s relaxing atmosphere.
The adjacent dining area continues the Los Angeles home’s material vocabulary with the Paddle Table and C Back Chairs by Cuff Studio, which feature whimsical geometric patterns that add a youthful edge to the space. Alongside it stand an antique bar cart and vases from Spartan Shop, making the space perfect for entertaining small groups of family and friends.
The bedroom of a young beauty entrepreneur’s apartment in Los Angeles, designed by The Scale Collective
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Above all else, Alexander’s favourite room to decorate was the bedroom. Golden hour is a particularly memorable moment in the day, as the natural light emphasises the warm sandy tones, light woods and grounded palette of the space. The wallpaper, Drop It Modern’s Famke Mural, adds feminine flair to the room, creating a seamless flow with the Martens canopy bed by RH in a sand tone. The bedroom of this Los Angeles penthouse also features a variety of lighting options to create pockets of serenity for the homeowner throughout the night. The nearby primary bathroom features an artwork by Yoshitomo Nara, paired with a wood stool by Dan John Anderson to create unexpected playfulness amid the functionality of the space.
Altogether, the home balances the slow-paced living of California with romantic design stories often found in European cities like Paris and London, creating a flexible atmosphere that will continuously reflect the homeowner’s evolution through the years. Through a careful curation of elegant furniture, layered neutral textures and bold contemporary art, The Scale Collective created a home that effortlessly accommodates both quiet solitude and memorable gatherings. All the while, the young homeowner can draw inspiration from sweeping views of Los Angeles and her carefully-chosen pieces that spark joy and creativity.
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Credits
Photography: Michael Clifford
Photography: Roman Sharafutdinov
Production: Karine Monié
About
Celine first read Charlotte’s Web at the age of five–and she hasn’t stopped turning pages since. Her favourite authors are Mona Awad and Nat Cassidy. Besides writing for Tatler, she listens to BTS and spends time with her family.
Work
Celine took up secondary education with a major in English, graduating from De La Salle University in 2023. She advocates for female empowerment through creative expression by writing for Tatler Homes.
For story leads or inquiries, you may reach out to her via celine.dabao@tatlerasia.com.
