Escape To A Stunning French-Style Chateau In Bel Air

She’s resided in her Bel Air home for nearly 25 years and ushered it through several dramatic renovations (“past lives,” she calls them), but newly married, Sonia Soni felt eager for a fresh start for the house she now shares with her husband, Cameron Funk, and daughters. For inspiration, she looked to the City of Love. “I’ve always wanted to live in a beautiful apartment in Paris,” Sonia says, “but our lives are wholly in Los Angeles.” The compromise, if it can be called that, was to reimagine the interiors of her European-style villa with joie de vivre, calling upon designer Gianpiero Gaglione to helm what would become a French-influenced tour de force.

Gaglione began his career at Martin Brudnizki Design Studio in London (and helped establish the firm’s New York office) before decamping to Los Angeles to work with Kelly Wearstler, bringing with him both European stylistic sensibilities and experience with high-end hospitality projects. So his skill set felt perfect for Sonia and Cameron, who love to entertain.

The designer’s approach to interiors takes cues from his notable mentors. “Martin’s spaces are more than stylish, they’re incredibly functional, and Kelly’s vignettes are works of art,” he muses. Gaglione balances these viewpoints with an eye toward crafting rooms that read as elevated, but also timeless and trend-avoidant. “Symmetry is something very important to me because it’s visually calming,” he explains. “This is stylistically a traditional French-style mansion, and the interiors needed a better sense of balance to align with the existing architecture.”

While he touched nearly every space and surface in the house, Gaglione primarily focused on rejiggering the layout of the sizable great room, which previously had a small bar and wine glass storage at the far end. “It felt a bit apologetic to drink in the corner of your own home,” he quips of the original setup. The room’s other seating arrangements grouped guests around the fireplace and windows, creating disjointed gathering zones. His solution, working alongside architect George Avetisyan, was to center the bar—now a violet-veined-marble focal point that seats seven—and place a seating area opposite it. There, floating furnishings confirm the room’s Parisian air, with pieces that nod to the whimsical curved shapes of iconic French designer Jean Royère. “I’m very keen on 1920s and 1930s French Art Deco designers,” comments Gaglione. The sofas and armchairs converse easily with the swiveling barstools, as well as allow for views of the estate’s elegant landscaping. To further play up the scenery, Gaglione stripped away heavy curtains on the elongated windows and door and installed delicate sconces. The fireplace, rendered in rich green marble, is de-emphasized as a centerpiece yet still a standout, while paneling in a soft white accentuates the room’s 20-foot ceilings and graceful lines.

The rearrangement of this key living area brings a new sense of symmetry to the home and has proven flexible for gatherings. “A horseshoe-shaped bar is conducive for conversations in small group settings, and during larger parties, you end up with this communal energy all around it,” the designer describes. The bar also invites parties of just one or two: The cabinets slide away to reveal a hidden TV, allowing Cameron to invite friends over to watch a game, and he and Sonia often enjoy a glass of wine there while watching a movie. Just off the bar and living area, a dining room also handles guests with aplomb, seating up to 18 within walls wrapped in an immersive green floral mural.

The accents and surfaces are more muted in the private spaces, where beige tones, flowing draperies and a few vintage pieces evoke a soothing, sensual serenity. Ornate details still factor in, though, like the brass studs that wink from the custom silk wallcovering in the homeowners’ bedroom. “I’m so pleased with where we landed, as overall, the interiors feel classic and clean and elevated yet have such a luxurious edge,” concludes Gaglione. C’est génial !