Mandy Cheng’s color-drenched directive for her clients’ Los Angeles home is clear, right from the threshold: “As you walk through the spaces, you feel color on all sides; it’s enveloping,” the designer describes. “The way the shades relate to one another becomes a journey as you move through the house.” That’s an apt description, as the Culver City dwelling unveils a wildly unexpected palette—lavender and pistachio, mauves and reds, jewel tones and earthy neutrals—mixed with whimsical wallcoverings that, well, aren’t for wallflowers.
Which her clients are certainly not. A young family of four who relocated from the Bay Area, they were already color and pattern appreciators. They’d lived among accents of wallpaper, painted surfaces and vibrant fabrics in their previous home, but hadn’t been immersed in them to this degree, says Cheng. Now they are. “I try to overwhelm my clients and then dial it back as needed, but to my surprise, we went as big here as I thought we should,” the designer marvels, pointing out that nearly every surface has been reimagined with a textured or patterned wallcovering, a wash of paint, warm walnut paneling or colorful tile.
The metamorphosis is perhaps even more significant given that the family’s new residence started as a (nearly literal) blank slate. “Imagine the quintessential contemporary California modern home, with white walls and very pale bleached white oak floors,” recalls the designer of how the house looked when her clients purchased it. The house had been recently remodeled, so the owners opted to embark on only minor renovations. One vanity was replaced, certain finishes were retained—Cheng worked the existing marble of the primary bathroom into her redesign, for instance. But otherwise, her brief focused fully on injecting personality and life into the home.
“And we really did a number on it,” she quips. From the foyer into an open living room, the designer coated the walls in warm hues of wheat and cumin, which catch the sunlight and play off walnut accents. Teal tile lines a fireplace, winking to a similarly colored sofa, and sets off a striking sculptural rope installation by artist Windy Chien. The dining space, right across from the living area, is defined by a painterly wallcovering in a range of blues, with rusty-orange fabric on the dining chairs providing cheerful contrast. The layout then flows into an open kitchen and family room area—one of Cheng’s favorite spaces. There, glass sliders retract into the walls on two sides, allowing for seamless access to an outdoor kitchen and the pool terrace, and tripling the perceived size of the space. The designer amped up the family room with built-in cabinetry, an immense sofa and a botanical wallcovering, all in a variety of shades from celadon to dark sapphire. “The color palette for this home is a combination of earthy hues with pops of jewel tones, which creates a balance of calming colors and happy, fun ones,” she comments.
Rendered in a vibrant colorway of red, cyan and gold, Dan Funderburgh’s L.A. Toile by Flavor Paper covers the walls of a powder bath. The mirror is CB2 and the pendant is Cedar & Moss.
Cheng definitely had fun—everywhere. Take the experience of climbing the switchback stairs to the second level, where she turned the upper landing into an inviting playroom for the couple’s children. As you ascend, a view of the ceiling opens with a delightful burst of botanicals, thanks to a vivid floral wallcovering spanning the ceiling. “It’s a wow factor and a moment not immediately noticeable upon entering the house; it’s a surprise for later,” she notes. A powder bath inspires a similar feeling of astonishment upon entry, as it’s wrapped in a striking red-and-tan wallpaper depicting cheekily iconic California scenes. Sophisticated verdant hues take center stage in the primary bedroom, where the headboard wall’s green-and-gold wallcovering converses with the lush sage upholstery of the bed and a splash of olive paint coating the surrounding walls. Peek into the adjoining bath where walls doused in a saturated lavender paint create a moment of whimsy. And for guests, a bedroom of tawny striped fabrics and graphic wallpaper creates a relaxing yet still visually arresting environment.
“People who love color tend to seek me out,” says Cheng, whose background in film and music video production as well as graphic design informs her creative approach. “And here, I really enjoyed pushing my clients to go further and be bolder and more confident,” she concludes.
A vivid botanical St. Frank wallcovering lines the ceiling of the second-floor landing, which Cheng reimagined as a play space. Portola Paints’ Cassidy, a terra-cotta color, coats the walls. The sofa is Clad Home, the sconces are Cedar & Moss and the rug is by Stark.
Tour The Home:
A Porter Teleo wallcovering accents the dining area and reads as oversize artwork between two floor-to-ceiling windows. The chandelier is from Hudson Valley Lighting.
Portola Paints’ Rocky Coast, a sage color, pops against the kitchen’s existing tile, counters and wood cabinetry. The counter stools are West Elm, in a Perennials fabric.
The living area’s fireplace wall features walnut paneling, Zia Tile zellige tiling and an installation by artist Windy Chien. The rug is Rejuvenation and the coffee table is Lawson-Fenning. Walls of a Phillip Jeffries grass cloth add texture.
Rendered in a vibrant colorway of red, cyan and gold, Dan Funderburgh’s L.A. Toile by Flavor Paper covers the walls of a powder bath. The mirror is CB2 and the pendant is Cedar & Moss.
Designer Mandy Cheng selected a Pierre Frey wallcovering depicting foliage, fruits and exotic flowers for the family room. Portola Paints’ Ghost Tree coats the built-in shelving and nods to a spruce Clad Home sectional.
In the owners’ bedroom, a Porter Teleo wallcovering highlights a Maiden Home bed and contrasts with olive-hued walls of a Backdrop paint. The bedside sconces are Visual Comfort & Co. and the rug is Loloi Rugs. The framed print is by Peter Anderson, via CB2.
Gin Blossoms, a warm lilac shade by Backdrop, adorns the primary bathroom walls, setting off a marble-lined niche and the tub, both of which were retained from the home’s prior renovation. The pendant is by Lulu and Georgia.
A vivid botanical St. Frank wallcovering lines the ceiling of the second-floor landing, which Cheng reimagined as a play space. Portola Paints’ Cassidy, a terra-cotta color, coats the walls. The sofa is Clad Home, the sconces are Cedar & Moss and the rug is by Stark.
Benjamin Moore’s Pure Pink and a Wallshoppe unicorn-print wallcovering beautify the daughter’s bedroom, alongside striped draperies in a Schumacher fabric. The armchair is Crate & Barrel, the pouf is by Lorena Canals and the floating shelves are Shelfology.