Home Tour: Amy Tangerine’s cheerful Los Angeles house designed by Dan Brunn Architecture

May 04, 2023

Cover Dan Brunn Architecture transforms a one-storey Los Angeles home built in the 1960s for Amy Tangerine and her family

Dan Brunn Architecture transforms a one-storey Los Angeles home built in the 1960s for Amy Tangerine and her family

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Dan Brunn Architecture elevated the single-storey hilltop home with pops of colour and bespoke touches for the crafts-loving author Amy Tangerine and her family

Taking a page from Amy Tangerine’s colourful illustrations and joyful character, her charming mid-century modern-style home personifies her unique aesthetic. Located in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Baldwin Hills, the 4,064 sq ft house is designed by Dan Brunn Architecture for the American family of four and is filled with bespoke design touches that honour the needs of the homeowners while celebrating the architectural integrity of the single-storey hillside property.

Keeping to Dan Brunn Architecture’s signature of creating unique spaces that synergise light and volume, the landed residence has undergone a major refresh while retaining existing details that add to its storied character. Some of these original features include the original post and beam structure of the home’s physical architecture, the elongated-style hall entrance corridor, the wet bar in the living room, and terrazzo flooring. The selected use of materials was incorporated to draw a focus towards the home’s spatial choreography and interior design.

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Above The original wet bar is given a fresh revamp with a bespoke pastel pink terrazzo backsplash and a white terrazzo rounded countertop from Concrete Collaborative

Above The courtyard features native plants that add a contrasting natural touch to bespoke furniture pieces like this custom rug by American artist Shelby Drabman

The original wet bar is given a fresh revamp with a bespoke pastel pink terrazzo backsplash and a white terrazzo rounded countertop from Concrete Collaborative

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“We wanted to honour the existing design and make it functional and liveable for the client’s family,” shares Dan Brunn. “Importantly, we studied the existing plans, materials, and site to respond responsively [and] it is clear that the original architect designed the home to have a transformative experience from the street to the interior. For example, we add wood in rooms that need to become quieter spaces and [have] a more cosy feel. Yet in other spaces, we might work with seamless materials such as terrazzo which are also easy to clean.”

“Inherent in the design is the open rear facade with views [which] we heightened by adding frameless corner windows and wider sliding glass doors and [the addition of] a pool which reflects the sky and horizon, to take advantage of the indoor-outdoor relationship,” elaborates Brunn. The suburban home is also said to overlook incredible scenic vistas of the Pacific and Palos Verdes.

Photo 1 of 3 Guests are welcomed to a living hall with post-modern furniture pieces and pops of colour such from pieces such as the Vitra Charles Eames elephant

Photo 2 of 3 The dining room is given a refreshing touch with sprightly blue accents

Photo 3 of 3 Made for lounging, the family room is a light-filled space with glass sliding doors that draws in natural light and overlooks the swimming pool and fireplace furnished in white plaster. The space also features design lover favourites such as the modular Hay Mags Sofa in a vibrant yellow and a Samsung Serif TV

Guests are welcomed to a living hall with post-modern furniture pieces and pops of colour such from pieces such as the Vitra Charles Eames elephant

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Making the efforts to foster a relaxing and inviting environment, Brunn and his team of designers gave the family residence a truly authentic makeover with its something borrowed-something new approach. Effortless mix-and-match was the goal when selecting and styling brightly-coloured contemporary furniture alongside the family’s existing home collection in each room. Customised to the homeowners’ design preferences, each space from the welcoming entrance hall to the family room hideaway was a charming balance of Tangerine’s “natural and effortless style” and “the magic of the [house’s] mid-century roots.”

“Amy was amazing because she truly allowed us to create, and was a source of inspiration,” recalls Brunn. “I knew that her sense of style would fill the house with texture, so we wanted to make sure that our design was a timeless backdrop to her collection.”

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Above The dining room features the &Tradition Cobalt Blue Flowerpot VP1 pendant lights

Above The open-plan dining room leads to the kitchen

The dining room features the &Tradition Cobalt Blue Flowerpot VP1 pendant lights

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Above The kitchen is designed with light walnut, terrazzo, and gold-plated stainless steel furnishings

Above A painting of an ice cream cone adds a touch of fun and whimsy to the culinary zone

The kitchen is designed with light walnut, terrazzo, and gold-plated stainless steel furnishings

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Undeniably, the heart of the home is the open kitchen that leads to the living area and dining space; the latter is filled abundantly with cobalt blue-hued furniture and art. Designed for the family who loves their food, the fully-functional kitchen has a built-in “breakfast nook and [an] extensive pantry for all the family goods”.

“We removed one of the built-in cabinets that straddle between the kitchen and the living room [to afford] a more open plan feel,” explains Brunn. “The kitchen now includes a new skylight over the island, and we wrapped the cabinetry around the permitter. The upper cabinets incorporate a new window that overlooks the horizon and tree tops, again bringing nature within the spaces.”

Photo 1 of 2 Nature is seamlessly integrated in the master bathroom, which features a sunken bathtub

Photo 2 of 2 The master bedroom has a clean design with a predominantly white architectural shell and minimalist details

Nature is seamlessly integrated in the master bathroom, which features a sunken bathtub

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Apart from the communal environments, minimalism is celebrated in the master bedroom with its white architectural shell and calming spatial design that lets in natural sunlight. The master bathroom takes in nature and the sky with an indoor bathtub that overlooks the scenery. A new outdoor shower elevates the daily ritual and is accessible through the bathroom's sliding glass doors that lead to the sheltered private courtyard.

All in all, the home is a sprightly representation of the family’s vibrant personalities and passion for art and design. “The best we could do was to create a solid canvas and backdrop and allow our design to be almost transparent,” shares Brunn. “We knew from the onset that the house would be [full of] an extensive and varied collection of period pieces; we [avoided] having any spaces or materials that overshadowed the family’s personality.”