See Inside This Classic Spanish Colonial House in Santa Monica

Jennifer Fernandez
·7 min read

What do an 1885 Victorian in San Francisco, an 1870s Federal townhouse in Manhattan, and an 1840 Greek Revival house in Sag Harbor have in common? They’re all the former pet projects of John de Neufville, a real estate investor whose passion for renovating historic homes stems from a lifelong love of architecture. “My mother grew up in New Orleans and always had an affection for old houses,” he says. The interest in them certainly rubbed off on him.

So when he heard about a historic 1924 Spanish Colonial home while contemplating a move with his family to Santa Monica—his wife, Allison de Neufville, a fashion consultant for brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Aerin Lauder, and Edie Parker, grew up on the West Coast—he knew he had landed on his next rehabilitation subject. “Despite its run-down condition, the house had this aura of greatness,” he remembers of their first visit. “We knew immediately that it was a project that we wanted to pursue.”

A Formations dining table and chairs from Janus et Cie set the stage for alfresco dinners on the back terrace. The custom banquette features fabric by Mariaflora; the cocktail table is from Hollywood at Home.

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. Designed by celebrated Los Angeles architect John Byers for the actor Leo Carrillo, the house was well known to the Santa Monica Conservancy’s landmarks commission. What began as a call to architect Paul Brant Williger to update the house’s four fireplaces with sensitivity to Byers’s original design quickly ballooned into a full-scale historic preservation job that spanned three years. “We were all very dedicated to doing it right,” says Williger of the painstaking attention to the details involved in revitalizing the original plaster throughout the house, correcting previous structural work, reframing the kitchen ceiling, and repairing and replacing the existing flooring and windows. “John and Allison wanted to see a house that was restored to its former glory in a contemporary way and wasn’t willing to let modern conveniences compromise the aesthetics of the house. At the same time, it doesn’t feel like a museum. It retains the character of the house but feels fresh.”

Much of that has to do with the bold intervention of Los Angeles designer Mark D. Sikes, who pored over tomes about the California-Mediterranean aesthetic and researched the history of Spanish Colonial homes of the era, paying special attention to scale and authenticity. (The latter is a larger theme in his forthcoming book with Rizzoli called More Beautiful: All-American Decoration, available online and in bookstores on September 1.)

Colorful Mosaic House tiles play off traditional details like the Nanz Company hardware and Ann-Morris pendants and stools in the kitchen, which was gutted and reframed to create more generous proportions and an era-appropriate aesthetic.

“I wanted things to feel like they had been there for a while,” says Sikes of the eclectic assortment of Italian antiques, Portuguese ceramic tiles, and Moorish accents. “We made a conscious effort to salvage as much as we could, from the wrought-iron balusters on the staircase to some of the lighting.” Terra-cotta floors, dark wooden beams, and bronze lighting impart a sense of warmth throughout, while custom furnishings and de Neufville’s contemporary art collection give the California ease an unexpected edge. Flamboyant textiles play off each other in unexpected ways. “We couldn’t do a lot of treatments on the walls because of the plaster, so I really wanted to have fun with the fabrics.”

That sense of mirth is translated in the easygoing flow of the home. “The openness of the layout allows for a freedom of movement,” says de Neufville, noting that the design was conceived out of a need to build a house that the couple’s young son could grow into and feel at home in. “It’s not uncommon for him to run laps around the house because that’s how it’s designed.” The family-friendly property has become a backdrop for weeknight dinners and Saturday afternoon naps by the swimming pool, holiday gatherings and quiet mornings spent reading the newspaper. Though de Neufville’s obsession with beautiful homes remains strong as ever, the culmination of it all just might be enough to let him stay put for a while.

See Inside This Classic Spanish Colonial House in Santa Monica

Architect Paul Brant Williger and designer Mark D. Sikes collaborated with homeowners John and Allison de Neufville to restore and reinterpret a historic 1924 Spanish Colonial home by legendary Los Angeles architect John Byers for modern life.
Architect Paul Brant Williger and designer Mark D. Sikes collaborated with homeowners John and Allison de Neufville to restore and reinterpret a historic 1924 Spanish Colonial home by legendary Los Angeles architect John Byers for modern life.
“I wanted things to feel like they had been there for a while,” says Sikes of the curated mix of antiques, custom furnishings, and playful accents. A vintage Turkish rug from Hollywood at Home sits atop a natural fiber rug by Merida for warmth, and an antique console features a pair of lamps by Jasper. Upholstery from C&C Milano covers an ivory custom sofa; the trim is by Samuel & Sons and the pillow is of a Lisa Fine Textiles fabric. A custom settee is clad in Fermoie fabric and a pillow in Penny Morrison Fabrics. The mirror is from William Laman.
“We didn’t let the tail wag the dog,” says Williger of the painstaking process of restoring the house’s mechanical systems as inconspicuously as possible. He used a sample of the living room’s original ceiling plaster as a base for the restored plaster throughout the rest of the house. The drapery is by Bojosa, the Bielecky Brothers ottoman is covered in a Pierre Frey fabric, and the talavera tiles are from Mission Tile West. In the distance, an Aesthetic Décor bench is upholstered in fabric by Jennifer Shorto.
In the dining room, a Paul Ferrante chandelier hangs above a custom Dessin Fournir dining table surrounded by Century Furniture chairs embellished with Jennifer Shorto fabric; an Elizabeth Eakins rug anchors the arrangement. Quadrille drapery completes the space with a burst of vibrant pattern.
Roman shades by Hill Brown dress the windows in a sunny breakfast nook, where competing fabrics take on a life of their own. A Soane ceiling light coordinates with the rosy ticking stripe, also by Soane, on the Hollywood at Home chairs, while the Fermoie-upholstered banquette is punctuated with pillows covered in fabrics by Lisa Fine Textiles, William Laman, Jasper, and Lee Jofa.
Colorful Mosaic House tiles play off traditional details like the Nanz Company hardware and Ann-Morris pendants and stools in the kitchen, which was gutted and reframed to create more generous proportions and an era-appropriate aesthetic.
Cool blue tones help lighten the moody depth of dark wood accents in the family room. The rug is by Guinevere, the drapery is by Lisa Fine Textiles, and the custom sofa is clad in a Soane fabric. The pillows are swathed in fabric by Lee Jofa, Lisa Fine Textiles, and Bujosa. Chairs by Aesthetic Décor and Gregorius Pineo and a Hollywood at Home ottoman dressed in Zak + Fox fabric round out the scene.
A Hickory Chair bed made with D. Porthault and Matouk linens dominates the main suite, where Zoffany wall coverings also make a big splash. The Atelier MVM mirror over the fireplace was a surprise Sikes unveiled on installation day. In the corner, a Bunny Williams Home table is topped with a lamp by Charles Jacobsen.
The main bath’s Carrara marble tub from Urban Archaeology was so massive it had to be craned into the window. A roman shade made in Soane fabric and Ann-Morris sconces help keep the vibe light and airy, while an inlaid chair and table from JF Chen impart a sense of age.
Chaises by Janus et Cie, umbrellas from RH, and side tables from Serena & Lily define the pool area.
Lee Jofa wall coverings convert the guesthouse into a tropical retreat. The Roman shades are in a Martyn Lawrence Bullard fabric, the sconces are from Circa Lighting, and the desk and chair are from William Laman and Design Within Reach. The Pottery Barn bed anchors a blend of textiles by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Peter Dunham, Holland & Sherry, and Kerry Joyce.
A Formations dining table and chairs from Janus et Cie set the stage for alfresco dinners on the back terrace. The custom banquette features fabric by Mariaflora; the cocktail table is from Hollywood at Home.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest