Waiting To Exhale
Interior designer Carly Barba renovates a townhouse, creating a beautiful backdrop for her life that doubles as a showcase for her work
The kitchen cabinets are washed in Sherwin William’s Prarie Grass. The hardware is Lee Valley’s Classic brass knobs.
The custom banquette cushions were created by Lux Upholstery from Design of the Time’s Atohi with their Soto used for the pillows. The pendant’s custom shade was fabricated by Munder + Sons from Larsen’s Marana in White. The banker chairs are vintage. Photos by Lauren Taylor.
Interior designers love using their own homes as a laboratory to experiment with ideas. In fact, Los Angeles-based interior designer Carly Barba had been looking for over a year for a new home with just that goal in mind. “I wanted the perfect canvas for a full gut renovation that would demonstrate my work and my vision,” she explains. Finally, she stumbled across an MLS listing for a 1400 square foot, two bedroom, 3 bath townhouse in Santa Monica. “I was immediately drawn to its natural light and strong bones,” she shares. While it would need significant work, Barba immediately understood its potential. “The previous owner had lived there for over 45 years so it definitely needed a complete reimagining.” Her plan was to transform it into a beautiful, grounded space that would function as both her personal residence and her studio while also acting as showcase for her work.
The living area adjacent to the dining room and kitchen echoes its soothing color scheme and inviting textures.
Photos by Lauren Taylor.
She knocked down the walls that divided the kitchen, dining room and living room from each other, and raised the kitchen’s dropped ceiling, creating an expansive gathering space, anchored by the kitchen. A mix of custom painted and stained millworker, honed marble countertops, tongue and groove wall panelling, aged metal finishes, hidden appliances, and layered lighting set the tone for the entire house. “With the idea that the kitchen is the heart of the home, it was important to me that the rest of the space support that same inviting feeling.” With that in mind, she extended a banquette from the edge of the kitchen cabinets, wrapping it around the adjoining corner to create a cozy dining area and unifying the room. “It now feels like one large and welcoming hangout room,” she says.
A custom bed by Carly Barba Interior Design, covered in Hale Mercantile’s Focca blanket, is flanked by the Duncan nightstands from Four Hands. The bench was discovered at Acme 5. The artwork is by Chelsea Fly. Photos by Lauren Taylor.
The bathroom, washed in Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground. The flooring is from Eco Outdoor. The hardware was discovered at Sekelskifte. The antique brass Ledburry sconces are from Fritz Fryer. Photos by Lauren Taylor.
Her biggest challenge was a stylistic one. “With no client constraints, the possibilities felt endless. While that freedom can be a dream, it also requires discipline, knowing what to edit, when to pare back, rather than including every idea or detail,” she confesses. “I had to be honest about what felt natural to me, what would be livable for me day to day, and what would feel timeless in the long term.” Layering in warmth and texture was also important. “I wanted it to feel lived-in,” she stresses. “It’s important to me to have a balance — between light and dark, aged and new, quiet moments and more expressive ones — to create a place that feels welcoming,” she explains.
A second bedroom serves as both Barba’s office and as a guest room. Photos by Lauren Taylor.
“I believe that good design should be experienced, not just observed, so practicality is a big priority for me,” Barba notes. “Once the foundation is set, I build on what’s already working, refine the overall aesthetic, and layer in character so that each project has its own distinctive voice. The goal is always a space that feels thoughtful, elevated, easy to live in, highly functional, comfortable, and visually refined.”
The result are rooms that feels serene and livable. “It’s the kind of space that performs whether I’m hosting, relaxing or working,” she says, then adds, “It offers a beautiful backdrop against which life can easily and beautifully unfold.”
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