LA-based Estee Stanley advises Ashley Olsen and Jessica Biel on style matters and calls Justin Timberlake "the brother I never had." What's the draw? Her aesthetic is subtle and sophisticated; she favors faded over fadish, and she takes a commonsense approach ("I never want my clients to spend money on something they're not going to love in 10 years," she says. "I want everything to be sexy and comfortable"). Join us on a tour of her Hancock Park house, a labor of love (and economy).
Stanley is nothing if not practical (and brutally honest). "I wanted to live in Hancock Park, and a $3 million house was not in my budget. I'm not one for small-space living," she says. So when she happened upon a 4,500-square-foot rental duplex on the edge of her desired neighborhood, she took a leap of faith. "I lived in the upstairs apartment and started renovating one room at a time. I added a staircase, ripped out walls, and reconfigured the living room. One step at a time."
To see more of her work, go to Estee Stanley Styling & Interior Design.
N.B.: Maybe you already know this, but Timberlake and Stanley have collaborated on a collection for HomeMint, featuring goods from some our favorite designers (Matteo linens, Swans Island, and Canvas) at appealing prices.
Photography by Laure Joliet.
Above: Stanley likes a faded, been-there-forever look; the rug is from Lawrence of La Brea.
Above: "I take my design cues from Europe," Stanley says. "Nothing matches exactly. I like to use a mix of pieces—a sofa and a white baby grand piano from my grandmother, for example."
Above: A Brahms Mount Arcadia Melon Blanket, hand woven in Maine from cotton and linen, is on offer at HomeMint.
Above: A live-edge coffee table coincides with a sinuous linen-covered chaise.
Above: Stanley layers mementos to create a sense of timelessness.
Above: Stanley papered a wall in Willow Boughs, a classic William Morris pattern.
Above: An essential element for entertaining: a wine refrigerator.
Above: A giant railway clock keeps time in the kitchen.
Above: "I hate normal lighting," Stanley says. "All my lighting comes from vintage sources like 1st Dibs and Obsolete in Los Angeles."
Above: French barstools, marble countertops: are we in Paris?
Above: Stanley is known for her entertaining prowess; a necessity: the formal dining room.
Above: The Old World look continues in the master bedroom.
Above: A rumpled leather sofa bookends the bed.
Above: A vintage carpet, a portrait, a skull animate a corner of the bedroom.
Above: Stanley's bath features traditional window treatments and a vintage carpet.
Above: Even the children's rooms have a sophisticated edge.
Above: The vintage overdyed nuLoom pillow is available from HomeMint.
Above: A canvas teepee provides an instant hideaway.
Above: A collection of birdhouse lights.