My friend Audrey has the best taste of any human being I have ever met, ever. Zero exaggeration. Her Los Angeles home – which you saw in this post a few months ago – is a master class in casual perfection, and I honestly didn’t think it could get any better. And then she made over the exterior, and proved once again that she when it comes to home decor, she has an absolutely flawless eye.
The Makeover: What Audrey Did
- Painted the house (which was originally yellow).
- Brought in a carpenter to build custom exterior doors, gates, and lattice.
- Installed new exterior lighting.
- Added new exterior accents (mailbox, house numbers, doorbell, etc.).
- Refreshed the landscaping and brought in tons of potted plants (apparently the black mulch addition was RG-inspired, haha).
Talk To Me, Audrey
Audrey Scheck, Senior Sales Director at Mashable
What inspired your house makeover? What didn’t you like about the original look of the house, and what did you want to update?
When we bought the house a few years ago, it hadn’t been painted in close to ten years, and the doors were at least 30 years old. The house was built in 1925, and we love the style, but wanted the vibe to be modern Spanish as opposed to traditional Spanish.
White can be tricky on the exterior of the house, because it can easily be either coffee-tinged or too bright. What shade did you pick, and how did you pick it?
We tested different shades of white on various walls around the house and ultimately chose Simply White by Benjamin Moore. The house was previously yellow, so we were drawn to whites with blue undertones opposed those that skewed more yellow. For the trim, we wanted a dark charcoal that read more black than purple. We chose Black Jack by Benjamin Moore which worked nicely with the white. For the new gates, we wanted a neutral, semi-transparent stain. We went with Antique Brass by Bher.
What’s your strategy for plants? Do you just purchase whatever ones you find that you like, or do you have a strategy to make it all look cohesive?
For potted plants, we tend to stick to succulents given that they thrive in the dry, warm Southern California climate. For the yard, we incorporated ferns and flowering plants alongside succulents to provide depth.
I love how you integrate unexpected pieces into the exterior of your home (a golden deer head, a stone turtle, etc – I think I even spotted a bar cart used as a planter?). Tell me about those pieces.
The gold longhorn came from the Rose Bowl Flea Market. As a 3rd generation University of Texas graduate, I have a soft spot for longhorns. Most of the repurposed planters also came from the flea. I love to mix new with old, and I really enjoy curating vintage pieces that have character.
Your doors are incredible. Are those the house’s original doors, or did you install them yourself?
The front door [pictured above] is original, but we worked with a carpenter to custom build doors for the rest of the house. Our priority for the doors was maximizing the amount of open glass which would allow light to flow into the house. Once installed, the doors were painted to match the trim.
Where are your favorite places to shop for outdoor pieces?
Rolling Greens nursery for plants and outdoor decor;
Restoration Hardware for lighting;
Rejuvenation for accents (doorbell, mailbox, house numbers, etc.);
Rose Bowl flea market for unique, vintage pieces;
The Mart Collective antique mall for one-of-a-kind accents;
And Target for affordable outdoor furniture.
It’s so tough to decide what to do with a side yard – so many people just end up using them as sort of trash dumps (keeping the garbage cans there, tools, etc). Did you play with any other ideas for yours? How did you settle on this plants-and-antique-seating approach?
When the house was built in 1925, that area was a driveway that ran along the side of the house connecting the street to the garage. The garage has since been turned into a guest house, which we utilize almost every weekend. For the side yard area, it was important for us to keep that as a nice space for guests to enjoy. We planted Jasmine in three large pots along that walkway which now makes the whole area very fragrant. To capitalize on the space, we added a bench and two chairs for more seating.
What’s your dream outdoor decor item?
I would kill for a beautiful, vintage runner from Frances Loom to put outside the front door. I’m obsessed with the rugs she curates, and we recently purchased one of her area rugs for our living room.
Any fun recipes for summer entertaining you can share?
My favorite summertime go-to meal is an easy, light pasta that my husband and I make often: penne pasta, blanched asparagus, toasted pine nuts, and sliced (or shaved) Parmesan cheese drizzled with olive oil and freshly-squeezed lemon juice.
Who’s your celebrity style spirit animal?
Sienna Miller! Her hair, her red carpet dresses, her everything.
When are you starting your interior (and exterior, apparently) design company, and can I book an advance appointment right now?
Can you just move in with us? I have always loved you, and now Matt has a massive crush on you. He also wants to adopt your daughter.
Done. That hammock is calling my name.
Family images by Brittney Vier Photography.
