Casey Hill transforms an overdone Pacific Palisades home into a serene oasis filled with character and warmth.

Located on the sun porch, the family room features a Kreiss wicker sofa and armchairs upholstered in Loro Piana’s Darjeeling linen, vintage French tulip chairs found at Round Top and a vintage floor lamp found at Nickey Kehoe. The custom ottoman is upholstered in Nicholas Herbert Ltd.’s Antoinette fabric. Custom pillows are made from Namay Samay and Décors Barbares fabrics. The Sferra throw blanket was found at Field Fort in Summerland. Photographed by Laura Resen

Photographed by Laura Resen

It is often said that one shouldn’t mix business and pleasure, but sometimes, things work out for the best. Such is the case with a recently completed residential project by Casey Hill of Casey Hill Studio, who met her client—a married mom of two—when she moved to Los Angeles in 2018. “I was introduced to the homeowner through mutual friends and we became fast friends as we both had daughters the same age,” says Hill, who looked at the home, located in the Huntington neighborhood of the Pacific Palisades, before her client put in an offer to purchase it.

Atelier Vime’s Boulbon cone pendants in natural rattan pair beautifully with counter stools by deVOL and a table lamp by Rebekah Miles purchased from Nickey Kehoe. The lamps’s custom shades are made from a Les Indiennes print. Photographed by Laura Resen

“The home had great potential but needed a complete overhaul of the interiors, including renovating bathrooms, replacing all light fixtures, paint throughout and furnishings,” says Hill. After deciding this was all doable in the client’s tight time frame, the project began.

Hill kept the kitchen’s original layout, but used faded colors and natural materials to soften the space and add warmth. Roman shades made with Robert Kime’s Dandelion Clock fabric guide the eye upward, while vintage wood stools in varying heights add contrast. Photographed by Laura Resen

Her clients were after a comfortable, cozy home for their young family—one perfect for entertaining family and friends. “In regard to furnishings, my clients wanted a mix of antiques that had been passed down through the family, and interesting vintage finds that are beautiful but not too precious, plus casual and cool rattan pieces, prints and color,” Hill shares. San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito—the clients’ favorite getaway—served as inspiration. “The wife and I visited together and walked the grounds, soaking in the landscape and gardens, admiring the use of materials throughout.”

Hill had to incorporate a few key pieces from her clients’ prior home, including a wicker sofa and pair of armchairs from Kreiss gifted by the husband’s father, and bedding from Les Indiennes from the son’s bedroom. “It provided us with a jumping-off point,” shares Hill, who notes that other pieces were found or custom made for the new space.

Purchased from French Bleu Antiques, the vintage French settee is newly upholstered in Robert Kime’s Cornflowers fabric. The custom-made curtains are made from Jasper Fabrics’ Crescent Silk in Sea Blue. Photographed by Laura Resen

The only room that required major construction was the children’s bathroom. “For the rest of the house, paint, light fixtures, curtains and shades really renewed a sense of charm and historic significance in the home,” she adds. “Paint was a total game changer for this project. I focused on muted colors throughout that all sit effortlessly together and give the home elevated interest,” adds Hill, who used a variety of warm, subtle shades from Farrow & Ball throughout. “I often refused to use white paint in this project—it was definitely outlawed!”

Regency-style dining chairs (circa 1825) frame a vintage English oak dining table purchased from Country House Antiques in Montecito. The circa 1930 hanging lantern is from Antonio’s Bella Casa and artwork is by Laura Resen. Photographed by Laura Resen

Once painting and construction were underway, decorating officially started in the living room. While in San Francisco for a client meeting, Hill popped into one of her favorite antiques shops, Antique & Art Exchange, and came across a beautiful Italian neoclassical painted side chair. “The base color of the chair was a warm taupe/gray, exactly the wall color we selected, and the interior carving was painted this rich sea blue,” she shares. “I purchased the chair on the spot and brought it back to L.A. to show my client. It is the smallest piece of furniture in the living room and yet it provided us with so much inspiration.”

Wanting the living room to feel like an extension of the garden, Hill installed gorgeous silk curtains by Jasper “that change with the sun, as does the exterior foliage,” she says. The room’s largest piece is a custom 8-foot sofa upholstered in a Décors Barbares print called Varykino. “It’s a fun, playful design with loads of colors found in the garden,” Hill adds. There’s also a whimsical game area in the living room, consisting of rare 19th century French table surrounded by a custom pale-pink settee by Hill, and a pair of vintage French rattan chairs topped with custom cushions in a Chelsea Textiles mini check.

Another standout space is the dining room, where Hill placed a table she and her client found in Montecito at Country House Antiques. “It was exactly what we had been searching for,” she says. “We even debated having a custom table made but it just didn’t feel right for this house. Jennifer [from Country House Antiques] had just unloaded a container from Europe and we were lucky enough to have the first look.” They found an English oak drop-leaf table, circa 1890, in great condition, and paired it with a set of regency dining chairs from Robert Kime. “The lantern is vintage Italian painted olive green with faded gold detailing,” adds Hill. “And the artwork is by artist and photographer Laura Resen.”

A rare 19th century French macaron table serves as the living room’s game table, and is surrounded by a pair of French rattan chairs—found at Round Top—topped with custom cushions and an armless settee custom designed by Hill. “Fortune Teller” by Chris Gwaltney and a ceramic vase by Frances Palmer add whimsy. Photographed by Laura Resen

The sunroom houses a beautiful range of fabrics. “A fun mix of Indian block prints by Namay Samay, linen ticking by Loro Piana, moss green mohair by Rose Tarlow, as well as floral and vine prints by Nicholas Herbert Ltd. and Décors Barbares give the sun porch a relaxed yet sophisticated look,” says Hill, who also incorporated the Kreiss wicker pieces from the husband’s father, a rattan pendant from Atelier Vime and a wooden occasional chair nicknamed “Wilson” purchased from dealer Amelia Tarbet at Round Top.

The client’s son’s bedroom shines with textiles by Les Indiennes. The desk and chair are vintage, and the Alix Soubiran ceramic table lamp is topped with a lampshade made from Robert Kime’s Hishi fabric. Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke paint covers the trim and bed frame. Photographed by Laura Resen

The son’s room is a favorite of Hill’s. “My client and I both agreed we loved his existing Les Indiennes bedding, therefore we used that in his new room, and added to the scheme with wallpaper, shades of green and various metals,” she explains. “I wallpapered the walls with Les Indiennes Coromandel Coast wallpaper, and used their indigo check for the Roman shades, as well as painted all trim and cabinetry Farrow & Ball Green Smoke for a handsome backdrop that can grow with him.”

While in Montecito, Hill and her client fell in love with the Giacometti-style metal armchairs from William Laman. Those are covered in Rose Tarlow for Perennials Tatton Stripe fabric and surround a vintage Italian green marble garden table purchased from Obsolete Gallery. The copper hanging lanterns are from Bevolo in New Orleans. “My clients instantly knew they were going to spend a great [deal] of time on the front porch, enjoying a glass of wine while watching the sunset, playing catch with their kids or throwing the ball for their dog,” says Hill. Photographed by Laura Resen

Now that the home is complete, Hill can rest easy knowing she made her client—and friend—happy. “The house feels very much rooted in its environment, as if it has been there for many years, like a woman only getting better with age,” she says. “I love the scale, it being single story, and that no matter where you stand, you are always peering out into the garden. The house is sophisticated yet charming, steeped in tradition, yet unexpected moments catch you by surprise.”

Photographed by Laura Resen

DESIGN DETAILS

TYPE

Single-family home

LOCATION

Pacific Palisades

INTERIOR DESIGN

Casey Hill (caseyhillstudio.com)

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Casey Hill and Inner Gardens (innergardens.com)

BUILDER

Westlan Constructon (westlanla.com)

RESOURCES

ANTIQUE & ART EXCHANGE

Living room antique side chair (aaxsf.com)

BEVOLO

Front porch lanterns (bevolo.com)

COUNTRY HOUSE ANTIQUES

Dining room table (countryhouseantiques.com)

DEVOL

Kitchen stools (devolkitchens.com)

FARROW & BALL

Paint throughout (farrow-ball.com)

FRENCH BLEU ANTIQUES

Living room settee (@frenchbleuantiques)

KENNEDY CONTEMPORARY

Living room artwork: “Fortune Teller” by Chris Gwaltney (kennedycontemporary.com)

LES INDIENNES

Son’s room wallpaper and linens; kitchen table lampshade fabric (lesindiennes.com)

KREISS

Family room sofa and armchairs (kreiss.com)

NICKEY KEHOE

Lighting throughout (nickeykehoe.com)

OBSOLETE GALLERY

Front porch table (obsoleteinc.com)

WILLIAM LAMAN

Front porch armchairs (williamlaman.com)

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