My Houzz: Perfectly Imperfect Boho Style in Laurel Canyon
Fine art, architecture and flea market finds mix in a creative family’s treehouse-like Los Angeles home
Marni Epstein-Mervis
13 May 2018
Marni is a Houzz contributor, design and lifestyle photographer, and Founder and Principal of STRUKTR Studios, a content + communications studio. STRUKTR provides photography, video, content marketing, and more, to lifestyle and design brands, like hotels, interior designers, apparel companies. STRUKTR elevates your brand with original content that will increase your visibility, tell your unique story, and engage your clients.
Marni is a Houzz contributor, design and lifestyle photographer, and Founder and... More
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Tori Horowitz and Jonas von Studnitz; their sons, Jasper, 14, and Fred, 11; and their terrier mix dogs, Marvin and Rosie
Location: Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); four bedrooms, 2½ baths
Year built: 1923 (remodeled in 1994 by previous owners)
The vibe of Tori Horowitz and Jonas von Studnitz’s home in Los Angeles is both laid-back and sophisticated, where everything is placed in a kind of accidentally-on-purpose way.
The house, resembling a treehouse tucked up in the winding roads of Laurel Canyon, became theirs in an accidentally-on-purpose kind of way as well. Years ago, Horowitz attended a party there. “I came with friends and did not know the owners. I have a specific memory of standing at the kitchen island, eating cheese and crackers, thinking how much I loved the wide-open great room,” she says.
Who lives here: Tori Horowitz and Jonas von Studnitz; their sons, Jasper, 14, and Fred, 11; and their terrier mix dogs, Marvin and Rosie
Location: Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); four bedrooms, 2½ baths
Year built: 1923 (remodeled in 1994 by previous owners)
The vibe of Tori Horowitz and Jonas von Studnitz’s home in Los Angeles is both laid-back and sophisticated, where everything is placed in a kind of accidentally-on-purpose way.
The house, resembling a treehouse tucked up in the winding roads of Laurel Canyon, became theirs in an accidentally-on-purpose kind of way as well. Years ago, Horowitz attended a party there. “I came with friends and did not know the owners. I have a specific memory of standing at the kitchen island, eating cheese and crackers, thinking how much I loved the wide-open great room,” she says.
Three years after that party, the home was still kicking around in the back of Horowitz’s mind, even though she and then-fiancé von Studnitz were set to purchase a fixer-upper next to a house they were renting. Von Studnitz had just finished architecture school, and the couple had plans for a grand remodel. That all changed when one day while driving, Horowitz saw a sign for an open house and followed it. She couldn’t believe it when the signs led her straight to the home she had been daydreaming about. “I tell my clients that their house will find them. This was definitely the case here,” she says.
Though it meant the couple had to change their plans right before their wedding, Horowitz and von Studnitz, seen here with sons Jasper, left, and Fred, took a leap and purchased the home. “Our first night in the house we sat on the living room floor eating pizza out of the box on our one nice possession — a rug we had purchased the summer before in Morocco,” Horowitz says. “We have now been in the house for 17 years. Glad we took the leap.”
Horowitz, a real estate agent and founder of Canyonhaus, and von Studnitz, an architect, have created a house that is a gathering place for neighborhood kids, a venue for impromptu backyard music sessions and a backdrop for the work of artists such as Jonathan Borofsky and Ray Pettibon.
Though it meant the couple had to change their plans right before their wedding, Horowitz and von Studnitz, seen here with sons Jasper, left, and Fred, took a leap and purchased the home. “Our first night in the house we sat on the living room floor eating pizza out of the box on our one nice possession — a rug we had purchased the summer before in Morocco,” Horowitz says. “We have now been in the house for 17 years. Glad we took the leap.”
Horowitz, a real estate agent and founder of Canyonhaus, and von Studnitz, an architect, have created a house that is a gathering place for neighborhood kids, a venue for impromptu backyard music sessions and a backdrop for the work of artists such as Jonathan Borofsky and Ray Pettibon.
The large open living space connects to nature through its numerous skylights and windows and the two sets of large French doors, which open onto a sprawling deck. The rug is a family keepsake. It belonged to Horowitz’s mother and was unearthed from the family’s garage after a number of years. “We discovered it by accident. It just happened to tie the colors of the couch and chairs together,” she says.
Curved-back sofa: Lawson-Fenning; throw pillows: Indian Pink; slate discs wall hanging: Michele Quan Studio; coffee table: vintage
Curved-back sofa: Lawson-Fenning; throw pillows: Indian Pink; slate discs wall hanging: Michele Quan Studio; coffee table: vintage
The living room blends easily with the kitchen in the open floor plan. “I covet my ceramic kitchen pendants from Heather Levine Studio and my 1970s ceramic den pendant from a junk store in the valley,” Horowitz says. “I fantasize they are distant cousins.”
Kitchen table: Environment Furniture (now closed); bar chairs: Lost & Found; kitchen pendant lights: Heather Levine Ceramics; tattooed lady painting: Rose Bowl Flea Market; fruit bowl: Heath Ceramics; den pendant light: vintage
Kitchen table: Environment Furniture (now closed); bar chairs: Lost & Found; kitchen pendant lights: Heather Levine Ceramics; tattooed lady painting: Rose Bowl Flea Market; fruit bowl: Heath Ceramics; den pendant light: vintage
The couple made a trip to Heath Ceramics in Sausalito, California, to buy secondhand scrap tile for the kitchen’s green backsplash.
The family spends most of its time in the nearby nook-turned-den. “The couch is insanely comfortable and the whole vibe of that nook is very cozy,” Horowitz says. “That’s where you can usually find our dogs. We joke that it’s their room, with the most expensive dog bed ever.”
Apothecary’s Garden wallpaper: Trustworth Studios; Hektar floor lamp: Ikea; Cloud modular sofa: RH; throw pillows: Indian Pink; browse accent pillows
Apothecary’s Garden wallpaper: Trustworth Studios; Hektar floor lamp: Ikea; Cloud modular sofa: RH; throw pillows: Indian Pink; browse accent pillows
The floors are made of wood that was recycled from a barn in Pennsylvania. The couple love their great texture. “We stained them gray to offset the woodsy vibe of everything else in the house. They ground the space,” Horowitz says.
Griffin chairs: Lawson-Fenning; arc lamp: vintage; painting: Josh Gosfield
Griffin chairs: Lawson-Fenning; arc lamp: vintage; painting: Josh Gosfield
A unique feature of the house is the 150-year-old redwood tree that’s visible from the master bedroom. “The house was built around it — it’s quite magnificent,” Horowitz says.
The stairwell is accented with family keepsakes. The polar bear painting was given to the family by von Studnitz’s mother and was done by a Norwegian artist. The wooden console was purchased by Horowitz’s parents in England 52 years ago while they were on their honeymoon.
Fez tile: Granada Tile; wall paint: Raccoon Fur, Benjamin Moore
The stairwell is accented with family keepsakes. The polar bear painting was given to the family by von Studnitz’s mother and was done by a Norwegian artist. The wooden console was purchased by Horowitz’s parents in England 52 years ago while they were on their honeymoon.
Fez tile: Granada Tile; wall paint: Raccoon Fur, Benjamin Moore
The couple flip-flopped the master suite’s original layout and turned what was the closet into the bedroom. They then reconfigured the “bedroom area” as the closet.
Bjornloka duvet cover: Ikea; geometric throw pillows: Target; indigo throw pillow: Indian Pink; wall hanging: Heather Levine Ceramics; Tolomeo reading lamps: Artemide; browse swing-arm lamps
Bjornloka duvet cover: Ikea; geometric throw pillows: Target; indigo throw pillow: Indian Pink; wall hanging: Heather Levine Ceramics; Tolomeo reading lamps: Artemide; browse swing-arm lamps
The layout swap allowed them to take advantage of the view into the backyard. The family’s dogs, Marvin, left, and Rosie, also enjoy the view.
Horowitz notes that what is now their bedroom nook had a great “nest-like” quality they couldn’t pass up. Von Studnitz built the blue console and added handles from Anthropologie.
Custom drapes: Lookout & Wonderland
Custom drapes: Lookout & Wonderland
The great redwood coming up through the center of the home can also be viewed from the deck and outdoor living area.
Marbella sofa: RH; Topanga fire table: RH; pouf; Moroccan Decor (now closed)
Marbella sofa: RH; Topanga fire table: RH; pouf; Moroccan Decor (now closed)
Downstairs is a media room where family movie nights take place. The oversize sleeper sofa unfolds to become a large bed. Von Studnitz says it’s the perfect piece of furniture for everything from kids’ sleepovers to hosting his relatives when they visit from Europe.
Vallentuna sofa: Ikea; Charm wool rug: West Elm; deck chairs: Lost & Found; throw pillows: Indian Pink
Vallentuna sofa: Ikea; Charm wool rug: West Elm; deck chairs: Lost & Found; throw pillows: Indian Pink
The paint color used in the stairwell, Benjamin Moore’s Raccoon Fur, was also used in the media room to create a dark space conducive to movie watching. The gallery wall features works by Nathaniel Russell, Anthony Burrill, Deedee Cheriel and Kris Chau.
The wall color continues into Jasper’s downstairs bedroom, which opens out onto the home’s meandering backyard. The chest next to the bed is an antique that belonged to Horowitz’s mom.
Malm bed: Ikea; linen duvet cover: Parachute Home;
throw pillows: Indian Pink; nylon cord set in yellow: West Elm
Malm bed: Ikea; linen duvet cover: Parachute Home;
throw pillows: Indian Pink; nylon cord set in yellow: West Elm
The home’s exterior is clad in cedar, giving it a rustic feel that reflects the Laurel Canyon locale. The front door is painted a striking blue from Sydney Harbour Paint Co.
After growing into the space and having two kids, the couple needed an additional bathroom on the main level and a mudroom near the home’s main entrance. Von Studnitz designed an addition that includes a mudroom and powder room. “We used kids’ school lockers instead of building in a closet or cabinets. It’s a super useful space and I’m not sure how we ever got along without it,” Horowitz says. Of the vibrant orange color, she notes: “We like color. We aren’t afraid to make risky choices. Why not?”
Lockers: Bedfellows; Fez tile: Granada Tile
Lockers: Bedfellows; Fez tile: Granada Tile
Von Studnitz notes that the siding in the powder room is actually the home’s original exterior. Once they enclosed the space, they reapplied the siding, deciding it would be a fun feature.
Dog painting: Long Beach Antique Market
Dog painting: Long Beach Antique Market
The pool is often home to swim parties and Nerf gun wars. The colorful custom mural above the pool was painted by illustrator and author Dallas Clayton after Horowitz won an Instagram contest. “He asked his followers to send him an email about why he should come and paint their house. I wrote in and forgot about it. Our doorbell rang on a Sunday afternoon and it was him! Fun surprise!” she says.
Red planter: Asian Ceramics
Red planter: Asian Ceramics
The couple have slowly updated the backyard over the years. “Our original garden design was by Judy Kameon of Elysian Landscapes. Judy’s a dear old friend from high school,” Horowitz says. The space includes a treehouse, seen on the left, that von Studnitz built for the boys. Its style is in keeping with that of the family home and is connected to the main deck by a bridge.
“It’s a very special place with a special energy that I don’t think we will ever be able to duplicate anywhere else,” Horowitz says.
Chaise lounges: Ikea
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
“It’s a very special place with a special energy that I don’t think we will ever be able to duplicate anywhere else,” Horowitz says.
Chaise lounges: Ikea
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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I never thought "Boho style" would be this beautiful.
This looks so comfy with all of those big sofas. Lots of blues and orange accents that make me feel good. It's true that now especially after downsizing and moving to a smaller house and fixing it up so beautifully I'm hesitate to make a hole in the wall to hang things. The paint looks so nice, it's so clean and just looks great the way it is. A piece of advice for people downsizing would be to be careful and not give away or throw away too much before moving in to the smaller place because there are some things that I wish I had again.
Just Awesomely Cool!