madison modern home

adison Modern Home just staged a cute cottage at 3205 W. Alameda Ave., next door to the “W” Hotel in Burbank. What, there is no W Hotel in Burbank? Ohhhhhh, that “W” is for Weinerschnitzel.

Beach cottage? 1950s artist’s studio? Hey, for $359,000, you get to decide.

Living room BEFORE

Living room AFTER: The spiral staircase leads up to a small loft area, which we staged as a guest room/office

Flip side of the living room BEFORE

Flip side of the living room AFTER: The cottage has so many “storybook style” details, including scalloped moldings which are actually small shelves. The home was designed by someone who worked for Disney.

Looking into the kitchen area BEFORE

Looking into the kitchen area AFTER: We staged this home in a storybook/beach modern kind of way. What’s that, you ask? We have no idea. But isn’t it cute? We featured small-scale furnishings and a color scheme including light woods interplaying with pops of light green, pink and yellow.

Master bedroom BEFORE

Master bedroom AFTER: Fresh white bedding. A pop of color in a curvy yellow lamp. A little art. Need we say more?

Yes, the famed “W” Hotel (did you know that hotel sells hot dogs?)

uiding our design of a hip Highland Park bungalow was the idea of indoor-outdoor living. The original house was a mere 480 square feet until flipster Matt Manner of Extraordinary Real Estate got ahold of it and worked his signature magic. It’s now 1,300 square feet of beautiful, with tall vaulted ceilings, a fully sliding patio door opening to a deck that’s really more of an outdoor room, and acacia hardwood floors throughout. We staged the place in two days, putting our hearts and souls into it — along with our best Mid Century modern pieces. Now it feels ready for a lucky person or couple to put their own stamp on.

A set of three windows reveal three original B&W photographs by Madison Modern Home’s own Rachel Moore.

The main hallway with a view to the huge sliding glass patio doors and outdoor deck.

On view as you enter the main living area is a small hallway, where we placed an MCM dresser (found on craigslist!). Atop it, a multi-colored vintage hand-blown glass vase display and a starburst mirror.

We found a dollar tree (ficus triangularis) at Mickey Hargitay’s nursery in Hollywood. Yes, he’s Mariska’s dad. Getting the 10-foot high tree into our van was interesting, to say the least. We had to wedge the pot into the space between the front seats and it took two of us to release the emergency brake! While we were staging, a bird flew into the room and took up temporary residence in the tree until he found the open door again.

A dark brown sofa with clean modern lines, a flokati rug and an MCM coffee table. The Plycraft (Eames-style) lounge chair and ottoman cozy up to a glassed-in corner atop a kilim rug and share space with IKEA’s KULLA floor lamp and a log side table.

We brought in IKEA’s MELLTORP table and paired it with red Tolix chairs and an Eames molded plastic dowel-leg chair. Along the wall, we created a banquette with a vintage church pew. Above, a wall of vintage African plateau baskets. We love the industrial lights with Edison bulbs waaaaay up high, from Home Decorator’s Collection.

We love the way the Eames molded chair breaks up the line of Tolix chairs.

We found the baskets at different times and at all types of vintage sources, but they work so well together. We like how their rusticity plays against the slick white and red surfaces of the table and chairs.

The eucalyptus log table was a last-minute find at The Snivling Sibbling, an Eagle Rock vintage shop (and one of our fave sources). As we were leaving the store, we spotted the log in the back. The owner sold it to us for $35! A little conditioning treatment oil was all it took to bring out the luster of the wood. We absolutely love that it’s on casters because it’s that much cuter.

We framed enlargements of some of Rachel’s original B&W San Francisco photos in simple IKEA RIBBA birch frames and put them in the living room. Good ol’ Kinkos (OK, so they want us call them FedEx Office now) will enlarge B&W prints for 75 cents a foot.

A lounge chair’s-eye view of the living room. The chair and ottoman need no more than a RENS sheepskin throw from IKEA for snuggling and a kilim rug underfoot.

A coffee-cup’s eye view toward the glass-wall corner and Plycraft (Eames-style) lounge chair.

A view into the living room from the hallway.

The MCM dresser fit perfectly into this alcove in the main hallway.

The kitchen’s flat front Italian style cabinetry plays off the warm acacia wood floor and butcher block counter tops. A manzanita branch, black accents and simple bar accessories on display.

A vintage lighted Michelob beer sign in the kitchen. Orange plates on a chalkboard tray below. The apron front farm sink features an articulated handle faucet.

The owner of The Snivling Sibbling gave us these vintage matchbooks for free because we shop there so much! A 1950s ashtray holds them neatly atop a stack of books, including The Art of the Bar.

The back deck is plenty large enough for IKEA’s FALSTER outdoor table and a set of four vintage chrome cantilever chairs found at — you guessed it — The Snivling Sibbling. We call the blue accent color on door of the finished garage “Hipster Blue” because of its prevalence in Extraordinary’s Eastside LA flip house remodels. Both the house and garage are painted a dark charcoal-brown that reminds us of 70% cacao chocolate bars from Trader Joe’s.

A view to the deck from the living room, illustrating the outdoors-in and indoors-out design philosophy of the home.

A bedroom is turned into an office/guest room, complete with MCM desk found at Pepe’s vintage furniture in Echo Park, an old desk lamp, a bentwood chair that we covered with flokati and a vintage Heathkit radio. USGS topographic maps are rolled up in an orange wire basket.

We put a frame cluster above a daybed with chenille cover. In the foreground, a graphic book opens to a colorful page.

A rope bundle atop a stack of books in the office.

Another bedroom is treated to a fresh white bed with a bold graphic pillow and black lamp. We painted the Swiss Army cross symbol on a large canvas.

Red, yellow, black and white repeat throughout the room. The tripod table is Mid Century vintage.

We styled a vintage modern table with graphic book covers, a Scandinavian print on canvas and a glove mold.

The powder room gets some needed storage in the form of an IKEA LACK unit filled with folded white towels and African artifacts. The cat photo is from the 1970s.

Even the laundry room got some attention with a wire laundry basket and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products.

A 1988 David Hockney museum show print at the entrance to the master suite.

The master bedroom is a soft mix of muted and bright reds, black, white and warm yellow. We found the Cayenne Pedestal Side Table at Crate and Barrel, and the kilim rug is a vintage find on craigslist.

The master bedroom is reflected in the mirror.

We put four neat stacks of National Geographics together to form a table in the corner.

The master bath’s chevron rug and woven basket with rolled white towels and one Turkish towel.

Blue glass tiles in a random pattern that resembles a pixelated world map. We accented the room with rolled-up white hotel-style towels in an antique Chinese water bucket and a Picasso print on the wall.

rts and Crafts style homes have always appealed to us because they are so “homey.” But beyond just feeling like a place you’d want to curl up and read a book, these Turn of the Century homes are strong, clean-lined, simple and built to last. We had the pleasure of staging a home like this over the last two days, and it was a real treat. The structure of this 1909 beauty is muscular and pleasingly direct. We always say that a home will “tell” us what it wants and needs us to fill it with. This home was no exception. She “spat out” items that we thought “just might work.” But no, she wouldn’t have it. After the first hour, we were so in tune with her early 20th Century vibe that we’d know instantly what would work — and what wouldn’t. This beauty is for sale and can be found at 4433 Clayton Ave., LA 90027. The listing is here.

The home is known locally as “The Big Green Craftsman” because of its stature and presence in the neighborhood.

The barn red door color is the perfect shade to complement the sage green exterior. A Craftsman style light and a patterned doormat say “Welcome.”

The front porch is a fine napping zone, complete with rustic wood furniture which needed nothing more than a few red striped pillows… and that log-thingy.

Peek inside to the eclectic living room with its persimmon and caramel tones. Hits of dark red key back to the door color and carry to other rooms in the home. We filled simple white frames with vintage B&W photos so as to not compete with the white wood paneling.

This wood and leather chair dates back to the original era of this house. We love its throne-like qualities.

We placed a vintage Ikat throw over the sofa to rev up the color story, and paired the sofa with a transitional coffee table. A soft Persian rug design pillow and a fresh stripe one share sofa space with persimmon twins. A vintage brass bowl beckons from the table.

The white-painted stone fireplace provides a massive foundation and focal point for the room. We found an antique leather footstool for the hearth and an Arts and Crafts style log holder to tuck into the firebox.

An estate sale abstract painting from an Otis art student in the 1960s graces the mantel. Its abstract forms call to mind a deconstructed stained glass window design, and its fresh colors are echoed throughout the room. A built-in window seat on the left and bookcase to the right are typical of early Craftsman homes — abundant in built-in storage.

A view over the sofa and into the dining room reveals a pair of slim columns neatly dividing the two spaces without much visual interruption. The dining area features a long banquette window seat bearing teal Mid Century cushions and more of the rich orange tones in a selection of throw pillows. A plate rack above holds Fiestaware and other vintage plates.

A simple wood table and chairs with a slight Mid Century modern feel pair easily with the dining area’s banquette seating.

The master bedroom gets a strong dose of color from a pair of paprika-toned lamps flanking the aqua bed.The throw is vintage, and the oil painting above the bed is a Mid Century plein air painting by Mildred Waters.

We created a softly toned sitting area in the master bedroom. Illustrations from a 1932 sewing pattern catalog are framed and used throughout the room.

A small additional sitting room is part of the master suite. We outfitted it with a comfy chair ready for napping or reading. A vintage footstool holds books and a vintage pair of shoe forms create some lighthearted fun below.

The master bath is treated to a simple B&W color scheme.

We put humorous vintage magazine ads in the main bath.

A youth room features an Eames molded rocker and vintage framed prints, all featuring doses of red to tie in with the chair.

We painted a vintage rattan table a bright red and accessorized with a vintage camera and a whimsical pony from the 1950s.

Off the youth room is a small office with an industrial unfinished floor. We brought in a desk, Tolix chair and everything one might need to work from home - well, almost everything — if one is a glove designer/cartographer/graphic designer/photographer.

The kitchen called out for more vintage magazine ads to be framed and hung, so that’s just what we did.

e’re super excited about being quoted in this on-line article — Give Your Room a Leg Up — on houzz.com about furniture legs. We’re working on some upcoming Houzz Tours we’ll be contributing to the site as well. Stay tuned!

Check out Houzz.com for a wrap-up of cozy rooms in which to curl up for a nap. We’re thrilled that Charmean of Charmean Neithart Interiors in Pasadena gave us this great exposure by including one of ours!

ope. It’s not the white slipcovered sofa they popularized in the ‘80s. It’s something you’ve seen countless times. Something you can’t even buy from their catalogue.

What is it? Lifestyle. It’s the Pottery Barn lifestyle that entices, seduces and eventually convinces you to buy their products. Think about the last time you perused one of their catalogues. What did you see? A sumptuous leather wing back chair. Next to it, a stack of vintage suitcases. Balanced atop it a brandy snifter containing a swirl of amber liquid. A tasseled throw blanket is casually tossed over the arm of the chair. Beyond this cozy scene, a bookcase overflowing with leather-bound antique books and curious looking vintage vases. On the floor, a Persian rug with honeyed, rich tones. OK, I’ll stop. I think you’re starting to get it.

Only some of the items I described above are actually for sale by Pottery Barn. The rest? Mere props for the photo shoot. I’ve practically made a living out of studying the brilliant photo styling techniques employed by this mega retailer. Why? Because it works. It works on us psychologically. It even works on me – and I know how they’re doing it! Subliminally, Pottery Barn is selling you their furniture and accessories by hawking nothing less than a full-blown lifestyle.

Look closely at the photos. In the kitchen organizing system photo, you’ll see hand-written notes on the wall calendar or rough-hewn schoolhouse-style chalkboard: “Allegra to Dance Class – Thursday noon”, “Jamie’s Soccer Game, Sat. 2 pm - Don’t Forget to Bring Oatmeal Cookies!”, “Grandpa’s Visit – 2/11-2/18”.  You get the picture. Allegra? Please. Nobody is named Allegra. I believe that is an allergy medicine. And don’t get me started on the grocery lists. “Crème Fraiche, Herbs, Arugula, Coffee Beans, Fresh Sourdough”. Do these people spend $1,000 a week on groceries?  And shop only at Farmer’s Markets? Apparently so.

Make no mistake. This is a lifestyle merchandiser. Pottery Barn wants to sell you furniture, yes, but they didn’t become a powerhouse retailer by stopping there. After all, how can you just purchase the Devon Campaign Style End Table when the massive Seeded Glass Lamp with Pure Silk Drum Shade looks so stunning on top of it? Oh, and that little Bird Sculpture. And the Silver Plate Frame, yes, the whole set of Silver Plate Frames, while we’re at it.

As you can see, I have this kind of love-hate relationship with them. Mostly, I take what they do and use it in our home staging business. We don’t just stage homes. We merchandise a lifestyle. Don’t think for a moment that a huge apothecary jar filled with organic soaps, sea sponges and bath salts doesn’t scream Pottery Barn. Spa. Serenity. Relaxation.  “I’ll be so organized and relaxed if we buy this house!” “I’ll put my bath salts in a big jar like that.” “I can see myself taking long bubble baths here.” You get the idea.

It’s a fact. Every woman in America is bequeathed a lifetime subscription to the Pottery Barn catalogue if she has ever even browsed one of their stores, turned on her computer and brushed past their website, or happened upon their catalogue by accident. It’s as if Pottery Barn knows our very hopes, aspirations and dreams. And knows they are laced with Tuscan Footed Urns, Herb Garden Topiaries and, yes, Apothecary Jars. Sigh.

t often amazes me what can be found when you wander into a random Ross Department Store. Like these gorgeous garden drums. The openwork turquoise drums are $50 each and the Suzani-inspired one is just $60. Pretty low prices for this much style.

And this awesome aqua leather-topped barstool. Looks waaaaay more expensive than the $60 they’re asking for it.

These cute industrial farmhouse style barstools are a mere $40 each.

And who can resist an umbrella stand with a cute overall pattern like this one for $15? Hurry on down to Ross and snatch these up before I do!

Vanessa Yan of LA’s popular Eastside blog Soulful Abode has featured us on her blog today!

Bentwood chair before (shown in back with dark blue leatherette seats)

And one of the chairs as used in our staging (the one mismatched piece mixed with Tolix chairs)

ilverlake/Echo Park is an area of LA that is near and dear to our hearts. And Rachel and I just had the opportunity to stage the sweetest flip house at 1418 Coronado Terrace in the sweetest Silverlake/Echo Park neighborhood. 

We staged this home using a lot of vintage and Mid Century Modern pieces from our collection — along with some vintage finds we sourced specifically for this staging. It makes you just want to move right in, doesn’t it? Photography by Michael Hillman.

Come on in. Let us show you around.

The living room features a kilim rug, a modern sofa, an antique Middle Eastern Druze chest, a vintage deacon’s bench, old oil paintings, a handmade vintage driftwood lamp, ethnic textile and faux fur pillows and a yellow Mid Century Modern chair.

The dining room is lit by a modern pendant light over an IKEA DOCKSTA table with three Tolix chairs and one bentwood chair with graphic B&W upholstery. Simple Heath-style stoneware, wood bowls and a trio of vases hold court atop the table.

A view into the kitchen, which was remodeled in a tasteful gray, taupe and white color scheme. We added earthy, vintage touches like African baskets on the wall, a wicker-wrapped demijohn and wooden utensils.

Details in the kitchen include a modern lamp and a Charley Harper bird print.

A vintage food scale and an open cookbook invite a culinary adventure.

The master bedroom wears a soft palette of taupe, dark brown and bright white. A vintage Indian shawl lays across the foot of the bed and a flokati rug warms the feet below. A simple polished nickel floor lamp and a glass lamp atop a teepee base Mid Century Modern table flank the bed. Another of the bentwood chairs occupies a corner. The walls needed no more than a couple of vividly colored vintage oil paintings.

The guest bedroom is bathed in white with linen curtains, an all-white bed with a challis shawl and vintage orange pillows. A mock fur rug, Mid Century Modern lamp and bedside table complete the scene. On the walls, a quirky mix of original art.

Guest bedroom detail shows the vintage deer figurine, alarm clock and art.

We placed vintage Jack’s Sugar Shack posters in the hallway, attached to the wall with metal clamps.

The bathroom is a study in gray and white with a minimalist and naturalistic style.

The den, off the master bedroom, is a true dude-cave complete with a rough plywood desk on sawhorse legs, an Eames molded plastic chair, a trio of globes, a lounge area complete with a Moroccan tray table, knitted pouf, Indian pillows and a starburst mirror.

An original photograph by Rachel Moore above the desk.

We found a vintage 1962 newspaper for the desktop.

The room reflected in the starburst mirror.

A few bright colors are all it takes to show the lounging opportunities on the back patio.

‘m working on the next DIY project — hopefully for use in a staging we’re doing tomorrow through Friday… 1/4 of the way through on recovering my $8 bentwood chairs with IKEA Saralisa fabric. I found them yesterday at Salvation Army. They have these really ugly blue leatherette seats, so I figured they don’t need a coat of paint, but they could sure use fabric. Had to fight a guy who wanted to buy the whole set of eight. I convinced him to buy four and let me have the other four. It worked!

I’ve finished three so far…

his was such a fun project: helping Ashleigh Taylor, a professional wedding photographer, and her husband AJ transform their Santa Barbara condo into a fabulous live/work space that expresses their personalities. It now gives Ashleigh a stylish work zone to meet with clients and show off her photography.

Ashleigh blogged about the experience in her popular wedding and lifestyle blog: Ashleigh Taylor Blog

Ashleigh knew the look she wanted to achieve and she guided the entire process by using Pinterest and undertaking some marathon shopping trips! She special-ordered a chevron pillow and silhouettes on etsy, but she also rolled up her sleeves big-time to DIY her own chevron curtains (don’t you just LOVE them?), that stunning crystal linear chandelier and grasscloth covered closet doors. Kudos to you, Ashleigh! We helped her pull it all together by creating Mood Boards to guide her choices for a cohesive look, recommending paint colors, providing furniture, lighting and accessory recommendations, DIY’ing the faux bois bookcase and styling the rooms.

HERE’S THE LIVING ROOM BEFORE (showing Ashleigh dreaming of her new look!)

AND THE LIVING ROOM AFTER

A BEFORE VIEW OF THE LIVING ROOM FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION

AND AFTER

STUDIO/OFFICE BEFORE

AND AFTER

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE STUDIO/OFFICE BEFORE

AND AFTER

Ashleigh caught some great detail photos of her space, including this view into the dining room

Silhouette gallery wall, including the family cats!

Ashleigh’s fabulous DIY crystal linear chandelier

The dining room’s vintage plate wall

Detail of the coffee tabletop

She DIY’d the chevron curtains in just four days!

We brought in natural details like this real (abandoned) bird’s nest with faux eggs

She loved the faux bois backing we put on the bookcases!

The finished bookcase with vintage items on display

An antique chair gets a major refresh with a chevron pattern fabric

The tufted distressed leather ottoman and white lamps came from Urban Home. The sofa & pillows are from west elm, the coffee table & button tufted chair are World Market finds. Everything else is antique/vintage.

We found her a discontinued Thomas Paul “Feather” pillow for the studio/office. The curtains are from west elm.

ad this cute vintage trunk that we’d already used once in a staging as a bedside table. We had been meaning to reinvent it in another color, and while the thought of painting it striking red or orange had occurred to us, it seemed like a great idea to paint it pure white. Then we could use it anywhere — in any setting and alongside any style of furniture, from modern to vintage. Here are the results.

BEFORE

AFTER

“Recession Remodel” was just the ticket for this homeowner who wanted to rent her condo, but didn’t have the funds for a full-on remodel.

We oversaw the work — doing most of it ourselves and then a little subcontracting for the tile work and carpet install. Here’s a quick recap of what we did for this kitchen: New paint on walls and cabinets, new flooring (which we installed ourselves), new lighting fixture, new appliances and new stove hood.

Our client kept the retro white tile and the cabinets, which were in good shape, but just needed a fresh coat of taupe paint. Everything else is new, and sourced at bargain prices wherever possible — without scrimping on quality. (For instance, we found the completely new and still in the box $800 Maytag cooktop for $300 on craigslist!)

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

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AFTER

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AFTER

Here, the flooring is about to go in…

Jerry laying down the flooring…

1/3 down, 2/3 left to go!

DONE!