Tony Hale’s L.A. Home Is a “Cozy, Sit-by-the-Fire” Refuge

When it’s finally safe to release ourselves from social distancing and entertain with friends again, Tony and Martel Hale would like to have you over. In fact, the Emmy winners (she for makeup, and he for Veep) designed their three-bedroom Los Angeles home, where they live with their daughter, Loy, to be just the type of welcoming respite where their loved ones can walk in, kick off their shoes, watch an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and maybe even stay the night. (There’s a guest house with a Murphy bed for that.)

And should you be the lucky recipient of a dinner party invitation at the Hales’, the Southern pair (she’s from Anniston, Alabama; he grew up in Tallahassee, Florida) probably serve up cheese straws and a one-pan rosemary-lemon chicken, a Southern Living recipe that’s their go-to. “We love to have people visit,” Tony says. “When someone walks into the house, we want them to feel joy. There’s a cozy, sit-by-the-fire, have-a-glass-of-wine vibe to the house.” Who among us couldn’t use a little of that right now?

Inspired by Diana Vreeland’s New York City apartment, Martel wanted something bright, but she wasn’t sure where. Martin & Brockett designer Jason Martin convinced her to use a fiery orange shade on grommeted dining chairs that he designed (and fittingly named The Hale). A Broad Beach raffia pendant hangs above the table, also by Martin & Brockett. Jen Mayo, a production coordinator on Arrested Development, photographed the artwork above the buffet.

When the couple moved into the Studio City ranch house five years ago, they called upon friend and Martin & Brockett interior designer Jason Martin, who had worked on their first house in Griffith Park, to give it a homey feel. “I wanted it pretty, and I wanted it Southern; a bit modern, and a bit traditional,” says Martel in her Alabama drawl. And a relaxed feel was key: “I remember saying I don’t want to sacrifice comfort for something just being cool or looking good,” Tony says.

So Martin filled the space and its guest house with tufted furniture, cozy monochromatic shades, and the kind of showers you’d want to spend all day in. The couple’s master bedroom is a prime example of their comfort-based philosophy: You could literally roll from the bed onto a tufted sofa, then right onto cozy overstuffed ottomans, never once encountering a hard surface.

Tony Hale’s L.A. Home Is a “Cozy, Sit-by-the-Fire” Refuge

In Tony and Martel Hale’s L.A. home, designer Jason Martin designed the kitchen for the home’s previous owners, but the Hales fell in love with its modern farmhouse feel. It was also the perfect place for their ABC Carpet & Home wooden table, a wedding gift from Martel’s mother. “We always sit around this table and catch up when people come in,” Tony says.
“Their request was, ‘Please don’t put these on a bookshelf in the living room,’” says Martin of the couple’s collective Emmy awards, which casually reside in the kitchen. They also use this space to display their daugher’s academic certificates and camp awards. “They’re just as important as the Emmys,” Tony says.
“Their request was, ‘Please don’t put these on a bookshelf in the living room,’” says Martin of the couple’s collective Emmy awards, which casually reside in the kitchen. They also use this space to display their daugher’s academic certificates and camp awards. “They’re just as important as the Emmys,” Tony says.
Inspired by Diana Vreeland’s New York City apartment, Martel wanted something bright, but she wasn’t sure where. Martin & Brockett designer Jason Martin convinced her to use a fiery orange shade on grommeted dining chairs that he designed (and fittingly named The Hale). A Broad Beach raffia pendant hangs above the table, also by Martin & Brockett. Jen Mayo, a production coordinator on *Arrested Development,* photographed the artwork above the buffet.
As a major gathering place in the home, the living room was designed for comfort and conversation. For example, a pair of cream leather Warren chairs by Martin & Brockett face the room (not the fireplace), the TV is hidden behind doors, and a burl wood coffee table gives guests plenty of room to place their drinks and plates. A woven Phillip Jeffries wallpaper adds to the warm vibe.
Tony’s Veep costar Julia Louis-Dreyfus introduced him to George Boorujy’s work, and a print now hangs in the Hale’s powder room. Wayne Pate + Studio Four wallpaper and high-gloss Portola add jolt of color, and the custom Biedermeier-style vanity is by Martin & Brockett. A vintage Italian chandelier gives good light. “Going into that bathroom is an experience,” Tony says.
“They’re the Airbnb of their friend group, so it’s almost always got a guest,” Martin says of the nautical-inspired guest house that doubles as Tony’s office. A West Elm sofa and vintage sketch conceal the Murphy bed, and an abstract Jonathan Mess sculpture adds eye candy to the coffee table.
With the Murphy bed down, the guest house becomes a proper bedroom. An Eero Saarinen for Knoll tulip table adds a homey touch.
With the Murphy bed down, the guest house becomes a proper bedroom. An Eero Saarinen for Knoll tulip table adds a homey touch.
“My favorite color is yellow because it exudes so much joy,” Tony says of the Granada tiles in the guest house bathroom. Does he ever go over there just to shower? “You know what? I do actually,” he says.
In the master bedroom, a monochromatic palette gives off a peaceful, chill vibe. White linen covers the headboard and settee, and a Les Indiennes blanket adds the cozy. At the end of the bed, two vintage ottomans got a facelift thanks to a layering of Paul Smith suiting fabric. “We’re actually laying on top of our bed, sipping cocktails, talking to you,” jokes Tony before Martel riffs, “and we’re wearing those little nightcaps!”
Although some couples say having individual sinks is the key to a healthy marriage, the Hales don’t mind sharing the one in their Martin & Brockett vanity. “There have been lots of fights over toothpaste,” jokes Tony. Hermes sconce shades and the marble shower and floors complete the look. A jib door makes the WC practically disappear.
The couple’s teenage daughter, Loy, had a say in what pieces ended up in her bathroom, from the art to the blue mirror. The vanity only looks like drawers; those are actually double doors to increase storage for her favorite Lush bath products and her mini skin-care refrigerator.
“That’s what’s so exciting about having a home with a design aspect to it,” Tony says. “It’s a real gift to anybody who comes into the house. It’s a service to them. I just want you to have just a real, restful time here.”
“That’s what’s so exciting about having a home with a design aspect to it,” Tony says. “It’s a real gift to anybody who comes into the house. It’s a service to them. I just want you to have just a real, restful time here.”
Photo: Liesa Cole

The couple’s homey atmosphere is also thanks to plenty of personal touches, like the Saturday Night Live costume sketches lining a wall in the kitchen—Martel salvaged them from the trash when she was on the makeup team there in the late ’90s to early ’00s. Their kitchen table was a wedding present from Martel’s mother. In the living room, the couple hung photographs by a production coordinator from Arrested Development. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony’s Veep costar, told them about the artist whose work they now display in their powder room. But most importantly, the pair and their daughter use every room of the house. “There’s a puzzle on our dining room table as we speak,” Martel says.

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As Martin can attest (he and his husband have been hanging out with the Hales on an almost-weekly basis for the last 16 years) their unpretentious love of home and hosting isn’t just a line. Even during my interview with the duo and in subsequent emails, Tony and Martel invited me to come over the next time I’m in L.A., a request I’m holding them to when this is all over. “That’s what’s so exciting about having a home with a design aspect to it,” Tony says. “It’s a real gift to anybody who comes into the house. It’s a service to them. I just want you to have just a real, restful time here.”

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest