The Glamorous Life

Luxury meets comfort in this posh Camden home

Story by Shanee Edwards | PHOTOS BY DRICHARDS INTERIORS

Lifestyle is everything in Los Angeles. People from all over the world move here for the sunshine, healthy culture and beach days. With Hollywood nearby, actors, celebrities and sports figures add an alluring shimmer to the city. So when radiologist Sandhya Reddy bought her first home in Playa Vista, she was excited about its potential.

Single and in her early 30s, Reddy wanted her Camden home to exude the glamor LA is famous for, but she knew her home also needed to be welcoming when her family visited. “My sisters have kids and I wanted it to be comfortable for them, too. I wanted single girl-glamorous but comfortable,” Reddy said. To achieve her goal, she turned to the team at DRichards Interiors for guidance.   

“The client was pretty specific with us,” said Denise Richards, founder of DRichards Interiors. “She wanted it to be modern, a little glam but not overly so. That was what we went for,” Richards said.

The Living Room

One of the challenges with Playa Vista homes is that if you squint, they tend to all look alike. Richards knew there was a simple fix for that.

“There were no wallcoverings,” said Richards, “so her place looked like every other condo in Playa Vista and that was what [Reddy] wanted to get away from. Wallcoverings have been the hottest trend. People want things that are textural – at least textural looking, as opposed to a plain wall. There really aren’t any white walls in this project. There’s white trim, but not walls.” 

But not any wallcoverings would do. They had to be sophisticated and pass the test of time. The specific colors in the home would set the stage for comfortable glam.

“[Reddy] requested we stay in a neutral color palate, so we went into greys and taupes. Taupes are a little warmer, greys are a little more severe. We wanted to meet her requests, but still give her something very modern and timely but not trendy.”

The design team that included Jila Parva chose a wall covering from Tri Kes that has a wolf-grey background and a silvery, plant-like pattern. Silver art and accents throughout the room complement the wallcovering and add tasteful glitter. The clean lines add sophistication, while the snow-colored sectional brightens up the room while inviting comfort.

Powder Room

The powder room, a fancy name for a half bath, offered a unique opportunity for the designers to be adventurous. An underwater adventure to be more specific.

“An ocean feel is something [Reddy] wanted to obtain,” said Richards, adding, “We really like to make the powder rooms very special. The idea was to make it rich and dramatic.”

The wallcovering from Nina Campbell Wallpapers has a cerulean blue background with sea urchin-like shapes. The gorgeous star-shaped mirror hanging above the sink reflects that pattern.

Reddy says that she never would have picked the wallcovering on her own, but, “Jila [Parva] mentioned to me that the powder room is really a place where you can go a little bit louder and bolder. Jila understood my taste and what I was about very quickly. She would show me things and I would love them immediately and I’m a quick decision maker. So we went for it and I especially loved putting it on the ceiling. It just gave me that bolder, glamorous feel that I wanted as a single girl at the time,” Reddy says.

The Master Bedroom

The neutral greys and taupes make their return in this elegantly styled master bedroom. The metal cork wallcovering by Scalamandre gives this room subtle texture, while the oversized wall mirror reinforces the overall glam feel. The Egg Chair by Phillips Collection brings a fun, unique shape to the room and delights the eye.

Reddy said the bedroom was one of her favorite places. “I spent a lot of time in the evenings reading a book or relaxing watching a TV show. So I wanted the same vibe as in the rest of the house cozy, but a little glam. And that was added with the chandelier and full-length mirror and the Egg Chair on the side,” she said.

When all the rooms were finished, Reddy was thrilled with her home. However, what she didn’t know was that her glamorous single-girl lifestyle was about to change. She fell in love, had a beautiful wedding and soon moved to Northern California to start a family.

For Reddy, leaving her stylish home behind was bittersweet. “I finished it, but within the year I moved. I thought, ‘Oh my god, I spent all this money on this place and now I’m going to rent it out. It’s expensive to do and then you’re not spending that much time there, so, yeah, it was a little bit sad.”

But Reddy wouldn’t change a thing. “It was my first design experience in my first home purchase and I was able to express myself through my personal design for who I was at that time. I’m very proud of that home. Now I’ve moved onto designing and updating our home in the Bay Area to make it kid friendly for my 13-month-old daughter and for myself working from home while adding masculine touches for my husband.”

To quote the lyrics in the song “The Glamorous Life,” by Sheila E., “Love is forever and that’s all your life. Love is heaven-sent. It’s glamorous.” 

For more information on Denise Richards and her design team, visit drichardsinteriors.com.