Take a Peek Inside a Vintage Dream Home

There is a house in LA, hidden from the people walking their dogs and the cars whizzing by, that is a vintage collector’s dream… decor heaven. Interior design paradise!

Mustard yellows, greens and oranges set the tone, and each additional pop of color matches perfectly. Every piece in the house is secondhand — nearly all bought at Southern California flea markets and swap meets. Vintage magazines rest on the tables and abstract-shaped mirrors adorn the walls. An old record player sits in the lounge next to dice-shaped ottomans and sunken chairs. Lava lamps, geometric shapes, and Hollywood memorobilia are constant surprises around each corner. It’s a bright one story “L” shaped home, with a pool glistening right outside the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. A cabana is quietly tucked away in the corner, large-leafed green plants grow high and cast shadows. Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, and The Mamas and Papas ring loud through the home’s speaker system. This house is rare, stylish…. Inspiring.

We shot our In The Groove lookbook here and were so excited by the space that we had to learn more! We got to chat with Janet, the home owner, about her house and the classic and cool pieces she’s acquired over the years. Read on!

It was built in 1961 by architect David Hyun. I brought him and the kids of the family that built the house back to talk about it. I know EVERYTHING about this house. It was a Korean mission when I bought it in 1998 – no grass, no plants, no fun! It was completely plain and every floor was covered with the same dark green carpet. No pool cabana of course. My friends thought I was nuts!

I found all the furniture at the Pasadena swap meet – except the stereo, which I got on eBay. I think it’s all old – secondhand when I bought it. I got the magazines at a swap meet before I bought the house so I’d know what to look for. I also studied architecture at UCLA before I house shopped so I’d know what to look for. There is a glass corner window in my bedroom that sealed the deal!

There have been many videos shot here – artists like Tiesto, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Osbourne, Dita Von Teese, lots of celebs. Bradley Cooper once picked up his then-girlfriend Suki Waterhouse after a photo shoot here. W magazine had a White Diamonds Oscar party here a few years ago. European fashion mags shoot a lot. I remember watching a B-movie on late night TV and suddenly the characters walked into my living room! I thought I was dreaming but I had forgotten about the shoot years prior.

I call this place the house of my dreams. I was inspired by the House of Tomorrow at Disneyland as a kid. Of course now it’s not the house of the future, it’s the house of the past, but I love it. Mid-Century Modern makes me very happy and always has a sense of function and fun.

Thank you Janet!

+ Hey vintage lovers, what is your favorite piece of vintage decor that you have in your home? Leave it in the comments!

Photos by Melodi Meadows and me. Follow her on Instagram! Follow fp joanna on Instagram and Tumblr.