My friend Scott Horne has the most refined taste of anyone I know. I would describe him as picky, but not snobby (this is true of most good stylists I know). I’ve fantasized about having a super curated online store and hiring him to be the Creative Director/buyer for it, but when I drunkenly pitched it to him 5 years ago he quickly said “oh, hell no”, which I thought was a hilarious reaction to a job offer (and took no offense). Turns out that giving up your freelance freedom to work 100% for your possibly-at-the-time-un-hinged good friend/influencer might be a recipe for a friend divorce. So wisely we didn’t venture into that together. Instead, I shot his new house for my book, almost 4 years ago now (NUTS!) and while it’s all over the book, with captions on what he did that we love, etc, I wanted to put them all in one place as more of a house tour. I think he does such a great job of making his home so effortless and still comfortable and I wanted to show it off, and brag about my friend.
This house was the first space we shot for my second book, and I was actually there to style it (many of the other homes Velinda and Erik did all without me), so there is a weird nostalgia for this space. Feels like a whole different time – living in LA, running a much larger team, feeling hopeful about a book that would go on to take 3 1/2 years to finish … CRAZY TIMES. His space, like his last one, is just so inspiring because his stuff is so cool and it’s just full of creativity. His home is located on the hills in Silverlake (near Echo Park for all you Angelenos) and has incredible lights and views. You walk in and then down to the sunken living room (why don’t we do that more?) and he designed it to be really cozy and bright.
A New Way to Hang An Art Wall We All Loved
I wanted to call this out his gallery wall, hung in a way I have never done before. He used one median line and then hung up and down from there. So pretty. It’s both organic and structured.
The whole place is a vibe. The blue/gray tones, wood, vintage everything (obviously I’m very into it).
Such a good example of mixing materials and textures, but with a limited color palette.
Scott is so good at finding awesome stuff, but more importantly, splurging on the right pieces that last him for years and years – both functionally and stylistically. That dining set (not sure if it’s an actual set) from MidCentury LA is just so stunning. He had to get them refinished and add new leather on the seats, but so worth it.
It’s not a dining set you’d see in a magazine right now – it has strong Midcentury vibes, but done in rosewood (not teak) and the scale of it and the shape of the backs are just so pretty. Also, these are so comfortable to sit in. The point is, he finds something he LOVES regardless of how ‘current’ it looks and puts it in his beautiful world.
Gah. That credenza!!!! It’s EXACTLY what I want in our sunroom (looking for at least 80″ piece to go under the blimp art I’ve had forever). That wood grain is just nuts (it’s vintage, I think also from MidCentury LA).
The Bedroom – Airy and Yet Cozy
Every stylist loves linen and Scott and I like to fight about linen bedding – I’m firmly against it (on the skin side anyway, fine if it’s on a comforter on the top side). I find it itchy and prefer a percale or even a jersey in the winter. And he is very pro-linen sheets/duvets (he styles most of Parachute bedding catalogs which is why they always look so beautiful).
His vintage rug over the headboard hack is always inspiring to me – and one of the reasons we went for a simpler bed for the Farmhouse primary bedroom– so that we could transform the bed with different vintage fabrics (hearts in February, easter fabric in April, etc – JKJKJKJK).
The Bathroom – Neutral And Textured
I think we’ve published this bathroom before but it’s just so beautiful and classic. Please note that he hung the roman shade all the way to the ceiling to make the window look as big as possible.
You would think that the white-on-white color palette would be too boring, but with all the variation in the marble mosaic tile, there is a lot of warmth.
So rarely have we ever taken a shot of a toilet (it’s a thing that magazines or blogs never show toilets) but we shot this when we planned on a huge plumbing chapter in the book and I wanted to show all the different styles and types of toilets. It really is such a pretty toilet, though!
Thanks, Scott for letting us feature your beautiful home. I miss you 🙂
And if you want to pick up the book with more homes like this, feel free to snag it here. xx
*Design by Scott Horne
**Styled by Emily Henderson, Velinda Hellen, & Erik Kenneth Staalberg
***Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
Wow sometimes it feels like there can’t be anything new and then someone goes and does a gallery wall like that in the entry. So CLEVER. I love the horizontal line, such a great way to lead you into the room/along the walkway.
Everything that’s old is new again! This is an old Martha trick. I did it in my first apartment and it is oddly calming. 🙂
To me, the design of this living room is very similar to your farmhouse living room that you just posted you had regrets about. White walls, pops of wood and blue/grey tones. So why do you love it here but not in your own house…?
I think her current version of the living room fights with the bones of the house while this space is decorated in harmony with the bones of it
I think this room was inspiring for the farmhouse; maybe just living in it a while before major changes would be beneficial – what with the decision fatigue and all
I think Susan and Amanda are both right. Scott’s living room is a much smaller space than Emily’s current living room, so making it cozy was a straightforward task. But Emily’s current living room has entirely different dimensions, has doorways on all four walls, and is flat, with all architectural emphasis going to the farmhousy-but-bulky fireplace. It’s very hard to achieve the same result in that space. Ultimately, I think Emily’s room will depend on the sofa(s) she picks. Its shape, fabric, and mood will (must) dominate that space and counterbalance the fireplace. Is she unduly concerned about the white?? For sure! I see how the wood might be good, better even, but the white looks fresh and crisp and ready to let the light bounce around.
Couldn’t agree more. Scale of rooms is so important. I wondered when I first saw the pics of that space how it would be made liveable. Is somewhat barn-like but assumed Emily had some designer tricks up her sleeve. I know those ‘great rooms’ are popular but I think more human scale rooms work much better and are intrinsically more pleasing and inviting, though less imposing. Always think how much nicer Shae McGee’s designs look in normal sized houses. Less hotel-like.
Yes well said . And this house is flooded with that killer LA light, and features lovely vintage old wood such as the rosewood whereas the farmhouse does not have these things. (I personally find this photographs a bit grey, with right angles everywhere, I bet it’s much better IRL.)
Invite Scott over. I think he can soothe your own decisions that you are very disappointed with.
Beautiful space! Timeless.
Love it! Love it!
This has such a beautiful understated and relaxed feel, yet so thoughtful and livable and timeless.
Great example of what the details achieve, that broken mosaic on the floor. Plus the great layer of fabrics, from the warm Roman shade, to that relaxed shower curtain the guy sure is a fiend with material.
Thanks for sharing!
So scrumptious. Simple and gorgeous. That dining set is stunning and will never, ever NOT be beautiful!
My grandparents had the most wonderful furniture like that (clean lines, high-quality wood), and we all snapped it up when they passed. I love the idea of buying pieces so timeless that my grandkids will want and use them!
Soooo pretty. I wish I could control myself this much, but I know I would fall in love with colorful pieces that would ruin this vibe.
There’s such a calmness about this place. I love it!
Love this overall. It is well laid out and put together, but I would like to see large art over the sofa and by the dining table. The bathroom could use some grey or other tones to blend with the tile and be less white. Otherwise, it’s a 10!
Josh, I was thinking the same thing about a large piece of art in the dining room! But then my walls are all filled with art so that is my vibe, not Scott’s. His house is beautiful.
IDK i love a lot of the elements, but it does feel a little stark to live there myself 🙂
“Gah! that credenza!” is right! Upon seeing but before reading the caption I thought “Oh my! I want to sit on the floor and have my coffee with that credenza”… ; )
For me this space is for looking not living. It is a good look but in a museum still life way.
I get it, but this is exactly how some of us actually live.
That’s a grown up space for sure. I do like his furniture but something’s missing.
Really beautiful. Love this house and love these stories. Could live here in a heartbeat. I’m curious about the lack of curtains in the living and bedrooms though. How do you stop people seeing in at night or the light waking you up super early in the am?
I’m stealing a couple ideas from this. But not the sunken living room. If you’ve ever had a guest take a tumble, you’d know why. And if you don’t know now, wait about 25 years … The lamp contained within the tray, yes. Rug over the headboard, yes. Horizontal meridian line — if I ever rehang the hallway photos, yes.
I’m in the process of selling our family home of 49 years. 70s house with sunken lounge. No one has ever taken a tumble! But I can see he has very wide stairs and did think I would likely add another railing.
There are so many fun architectural details in this house – I would love to know more about what was there to start with and what he renovated. The moulding/trim detail in the bathroom, for example – with the ledge going around the perimeter – did Scott put that in, or did he find it that way?
stark white walls and gray fabrics is starting to look dated. I am seeing warmer, more interesting color combinations appear in design trends and I am ready for them.
Yes, Emily, I can see why this designer’s work appeals to you, lots of white, grays, blues with black accents and warm wood tones. Since this room was designed and since you bought the farmhouse the trend of white, white paint is moving on to a warmer white and subtle variations of white. Look at Studio MaGee’s and Magnolia rooms. While your intentions were good to try to get as much light in the living room. The bright white just bounces off its self and is intensified. I have found that a bright white room is tiring to be in for any amount of time. In design school we had an exercise in how to do a white room. One page was al the one color of white the facing page was subtle variations of white. In various shapes Which was more interesting and comfortable, the page with the variations of white.
The curation of vintage furnishings and the architectural features are absolutely beautiful. It has an elegant air but the abundance of white/lack of color and many blank walls make it feel like an empty art gallery for me. It’s missing a homelike feel but certainly is editorial.
The dining room is my favorite part! And the curved steps in the sunken living room. This all reminded me a lot of your house in LA before the Los Feliz house.
Already posted but I absolutely love this house and keep coming back to look at it. Normally a massive lover of colour myself, leaning towards maximalist but couldn’t agree more that this house has a vibe! Feeling super inspired. Checked Scott’s website for more inspo but doesn’t seem to be live. ☹️ . Does anyone know where to buy similar blue & white quilt to the one in the main bedroom? (Second pic). Looks like it is somewhat textured. Love it.
As always, Scott’s home is stunning! What’s the deal with all the millwork in the house? I love all the paneling and millwork all over the walls. Did he have that added or was the house like that when he bought it? So jealous of all that detail!
Love the ottoman/benches in front of the chairs (I remember them at the foot of a bed in a former home). If anyone else likes them, search for Arthur Umanoff for Washington Woodcraft.
Where can I find the tile used in the bathroom?
According to this blog post https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/scotts-bathroom-makeover-parachute it is Calacatta Gold from Artistic Tile. Maybe this one? https://www.artistictile.com/products/calacatta-gold-scalacattagoldmosaic?variant=39384345804888
I would love to know where to find the plug in sconce in the living room!
It is vintage and was in his prior bedroom six years ago: https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/scotts-bedroom-makeover-leesa
Found a few similar ones searching for Hoogervorst and paperclip or elbow wall sconce:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1192681977/vintage-dutch-design-wall-lamp?
https://www.vntg.com/121520/paperclip-wall-lamp-by-j-hoogervorst-for-anvia-almelo-1950s/
https://www.lowes.com/pd/NOVA-of-California/5013295101
https://www.homedepot.com/p/NOVA-of-California-Swing-Gunmetal-LED-Sconce-3011631GMW/314533288
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/lighting/sconces-wall-lights/jjm-hoogervorst-white-paperclip-wall-lights-anvia/id-f_8082263/
https://rewirela.com/designer/j-j-m-hoogervorst/
Really love the book cubbies built into the stairway landing/railing. I like when a home has several little nooks to place books instead of one massive bookcase or shelving unit.
I ALSO FIND LINEN ITCHY!!!!
The bench! <3
It is beautiful and I am so going to copy that gallery wall. My favorite room is the dining room…gorgeous! The trend of only neutral, curated-to-perfection, modern farmhouse gives me some anxiety (TY Chip&Jo!) Every Airbnb I have stayed in lately has this aesthetic, it seems. It is lovely, but there is something unsettling about it.