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\u201cThey sold their big, modern house and bought a camper van that they traveled around in until they decided where they wanted to end up.\u201d LA designer Gabrielle Aker of Aker Interiors is explaining how her clients\u2014an engineer and a business consultant with a young daughter\u2014took an unexpected journey in the early days of the pandemic. The adventure led them to Topanga Canyon, the artsy enclave in the Santa Monica Mountains, which, courtesy of twisty roads and lack of cell service, manages to hold onto some of its celebrated hippie vibe.<\/p>\n

Nestled amid giant California oaks, the family\u2019s new place, a 1992 stone house, was literally rock solid, if decidedly lacking in soul.\u201dThe finishes throughout were cheap and lacked intentionality and depth,\u201d says Gabrielle whose mandate, in her words, was \u201cto create an elevated, contemporary version of the classic Topanga Canyon hideaway using quality, sustainable materials.\u201d Along the way, a new kitchen was hand built; windows and sliding doors were upgraded; the vast, single-bedroom upstairs got divided into parents\u2019 and kid quarters; and lots of local artisans contributed. Join us for a look at the arts and crafts movement, LA 2023-style.<\/p>\n

Photography by Michael Clifford, courtesy of Aker Interiors.<\/p>\n


Above: The house\u2019s new look starts at the enlarged front door: Gabrielle added a design from Urban Doors of LA\u2014\u201dit was the last from a discontinued line and had a crack, but we loved the door and felt the crack gave it even more character.\u201d The handle is the Sickle Grip from Rocky Mountain Hardware. The full side transom window replaced a small overhead transom.
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Above: The smart casual foyer has a bench made from a live-edge panel supplied by Angel City Lumber, which sources its raw materials exclusively from felled trees. According to the firm\u2019s site, \u201cwhen a tree comes down in LA County, our work is to retain the worth both of the wood and the living spirit of a part of our city.\u201d Throughout the house, the Aker team used Roman Clay, a luminous plaster wall finish applied with a putty knife. Selected as a eco-friendly alternative to latex, it\u2019s a speciality from LA\u2019s Portola Paints; the shade shown here is Patagonia. The Cobble Wall Hooks are by Stahl + Band: see Luxury Crafts in Venice, CA.,<\/p>\n

The travertine tiles that now line the downstairs replaced laminate wood flooring. The curved wardrobe is by Aker Studio, a custom furniture workshop run by Gabrielle\u2019s husband, Zack.<\/p>\n


Above: \u201cOur biggest and most important window challenge was deciding on the size, location, and design of the radius window in the living room,\u201d says Gabrielle, noting that the ceiling is 26 feet tall. \u201cThe grove of oaks outside the living room is a focal point of the house; we wanted to highlight the trees as part of the overall space.\u201d Here and elsewhere, she went with Low-E Weather Shield glazing sourced from Taylor Brothers. The windows are aluminum clad on the outside and painted wood on the interior. <\/p>\n

The sofa is the Strato 80-Inch Boucle design from CB2. The fringed wool rug is the Malawi from Armadillo.<\/p>\n


Above: A pair of 1970s leather Falcon chairs by Sigurd Ressell stand by Aker Studio custom book shelves. The Claude throw blanket is by Morrow. The floor lamp is an Entler design of cast stoneware: see more of the studio\u2019s tendril-like lighting in Block Shop\u2019s Mod LA Headquarters.,

Above: Gabrielle worked with Topanga carpenter-designer John De La Rionda on the custom kitchen cabinets., which are made of salvaged coastal live oak from Angel City Lumber. The countertop of Taj Mahal Quartzite extends into a breakfast counter. The range and induction cooktop are by Thermador. The Portola Roman Clay wall finish is in a shade called Coda.
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Above: Gabrielle reupholstered her clients\u2019 existing DWR bar stools in a Kelly Wearstler\u2019s District Fabric that picks up the kitchen\u2019s warm tones. The ceramic Cadmus Surface Mount Ceiling Lights are by Remodelista favorite In Common With.
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Above: The sink has a deck-mounted Vola faucet and spray attachment in a surprise shade: see Vola\u2019s 15 available colors here. The brass light switches throughout are from Forbes & Lomax.,

Above: Gabrielle\u2019s clients found the metal doors in a salvage yard and she put them to use for the pantry: \u201csolid doors would have created a heavy imbalance on that side of the room, so the airiness of the gate was perfect.\u201d
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Above: The kitchen opens to a dining area with a J\u00f8tul gas fireplace and a terrace. The stitched armchairs are made of bamboo and date from the seventies.
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Above: The carpeted stair was reconstructed as a winding, sculptural design of sugar gum eucalyptus from Angel City Lumber.
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Above: An unlaquered brass railing lines the catwalk between the two upstairs bedrooms.,

Above: The parents\u2019 room is designed to double as a sitting room: \u201cmy client wanted it to be a sanctuary where she could lounge, work, and sleep,\u201d says Gabrielle. The Portola Roman Clay on the walls is in a shade called Rock Store. The sofa is a vintage design reupholstered in House of Hackney\u2019s dragon-patterned Phantasia Velvet. <\/p>\n

The vintage marble-topped table from Hollywood At Home has become the morning coffee spot. It gets used during the day as a desk. The floor-to-ceiling curtains are Kelly Wearstler\u2019s cotton-linen Graffito Fabric and the rugs are from Armadillo.<\/p>\n


Above: The romantic en suite bath has mine and yours onyx sinks found on Etsy from Gem Look Design. The brass faucets are by California Faucets. The rococo Amelie Floor Mirror is an Arhaus design.
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Above: The salvage yard claw-footed tub came with an interior that eventually scrubbed clean. It stands on Cotto terracotta tiles from Zia. The antique drop-front desk serves as a medicine cabinet. <\/p>\n

A wax sealer was applied to the Portola Roman Clay wall finish\u2014\u201dit\u2019s not fully waterproof but protects enough for the room.\u201d The sconces are Allied Maker\u2019s Mini Orbs in alabaster. What do you think: would Topanga\u2019s original hippie settlers approve?<\/p>\n

More LA living:<\/p>\n