Architecture
5 MIN

CA HOME DESIGN - FROM COLD TO HOT

https://www.californiahomedesign.com/house-tours/from-cold-to-hot/

The living room’s Camden Sofa and Fitz Channel Tufted Green Velvet Swivel Chairs are from CB2. The Kyoto coffee table was found at House of Leon. The dining room table and chairs were found at Pride of Place. Photography by Gavin Cater.

Though House of Rolison’s founders and managing partners grew up on opposite coasts—East Coast-raised Amanda Leigh has a background in ground-up construction while Taylor Hahn, her partner in life and business, who hails from Northern California, was schooled in architecture and software development—they connected over the idea of preserving history and creating beautiful, compelling homes.

The breakfast room’s table is custom. Created from dark wood, it underscores the nook’s coziness. The windows throughout the house were sourced from Pella . Photography by Gavin Cater.
A tonal palette and newly pale walls put the focus on the home’s original stone fireplace. The door hardware here and throughout the house is by Emtek. Photography by Gavin Cater.

The mission of their L.A.-based property-development company is to reimagine tomorrow’s habitats out of yesterday’s forgotten properties. Honoring the original essence of a home, they transform it via a toolbox that relies on light, natural materials and tonal palettes.

A newly cut skylight brings the “wow” factor to the kitchen. The plumbing fixtures are from Newport Brass. Photography by Gavin Cater.

The house they’d discovered, tucked into Coldwater Canyon, was a mismatch of styles that nodded to the mash-up of architectural influences that run through Los Angeles. “The upstairs was almost completely detached aesthetically from the downstairs, and it looked like two different homes,” notes Leigh.

Wood-vaulted ceilings highlight the coziness of the lower level. The Fiona table lamp is from West Elm. The cream planter was found at Olive Ateliers. Photography by Gavin Cater.
Dark framed windows and deep stained doors highlight the home’s Spanish Revival influences. Photography by Gavin Cater.

“The floor plan was choppy, the interior was dark, and there was no powder room in the common space,” says her partner in life and business, Taylor Hahn. “Having a powder room so guests don’t have to use a bathroom of those living in the home is always important in our builds.”

In the primary bedroom, Colin King table lams from West Elm sit on woodend nightstands found at Pride of Place. The inviting Rumford Accent Chairs are by Jake Arnold for Crate & Barrel. Photography by Gavin Cater.

“The challenge was to make the house feel cohesive and to create a feeling of flow that would unify these spaces,” says Leigh. Adds Hahn, “Our goal was to bring out the soul that had drawn us in and find the ‘wow’ moments that would underline the home’s strengths.” Here, a new red tiled roof, a freshly white-washed exterior and iron details brought out the home’s strong lines. Dark wood cabinets, rich materials, walls embedded with stones, vaulted wood-beamed ceilings and wood floors unified its interiors, blanket the house with a feeling of coziness and warmth.

A vintage wood dresser was repurposed as a vanity in the primary bath. The mirror was discovered at Olive Ateliers; the vanity is from RH. Photography by Gavin Cater.
Natural materials underscore the serene vibes of the primary bath. The lights were found at Rejuvenation.
Photography by Gavin Cater

Witness the kitchen where a dramatic skylight cut into peaked roofline illuminates a kitchen that highlights a sprawling island and richly-veined marbles. “We wanted to bring light into the space through innovative design choices,” says Hahn who also points out the stone walls that ground the lower floor, mimicking the stone siding on the exterior. “These aren’t things that you see everywhere,” she says.

A neutral palette keeps the focus on the landscape and the home’s architecture. Pella windows were throughout the house.
Photography by Gavin Cater

The result is a home that feels both modern and timeless, cozy and yet open. “The home feels fresh and new, but also soulful and cohesive,” says Hahn. “We are happy to say there’s nothing we would have done differently,” agrees Leigh.

Simple landscaping highlights the strong lines of the home’s terracing
Photography by Gavin Cater
A new red-tiled roof, fresh coat of white wash and iron details help unify the exterior
Photography by Gavin Cater

Read our latest

Blog posts