"I’m obsessed with the fashion stylist Larissa Mills," says the LA-based interior designer Jaqui Seerman. "Her outfits are very laid-back but high-end: ripped denim with a caramel cashmere sweater and something like a port-colored boot poking out of her pants. It’s super luxe but pared down and the exact vibe I try to create with decor."
It’s unusual to hear about the crossover between fashion and home styling so obliquely, but interiors as cashmere was the perfect reference point for this eight-bedroom modern home hidden up a remote enclave off the iconic Mulholland Drive in Hollywood.
It’s a place where the palette is mostly warm neutrals and the mood is just happily and cossetingly warm, as comfortingly refined as your very favorite sweater.
"Light floods this space, sometimes highlighting the floor, sometimes the wood," says designer Jaqui of this curved staircase, "but it’s always serene and grand."
"Don’t you just want to feel safe in — and looked after by — your environment, but also have it look perfect?" Jaqui asks. "That was how we approached this design, wanting it to seem cozy and effortless but wonderful, too. Just like cashmere."
"I wanted this space to be very approachable and for the family to not mind having their kids eat here despite it being high-end," Jaqui says of the spotless white kitchen. "The vintage feel to the lights and stools helps with this."
A brass pendant can create a calm focal point on a kitchen island — this one has a similar simplicity to its styling as Jaqui's pick.
"Everyone looks beautiful against this dining room backdrop," Jaqui says. "It’s the perfect color for all skin types and clothing. It sets the tone for a wonderful evening."
This approach has seen the home decked out solely in 100% natural linens and brushed cottons, all accented by deeply veined stone — so much stone. It’s on the coffee table, dining table, kitchen countertops, and, most showstoppingly, encasing the bathrooms in a beguiling opulence.
"I describe the technique as enveloping a room," Jaqui says. "The stone in these bathrooms cocoons you and gives you an incredible feeling. All the colors have come from Mother Nature; they draw you in and are just amazing to be around. They’re very soothing to look at."
"My favorite part of this home bar is the pass-through window for serving cocktails to guests swimming in the pool," Jaqui says.
In fact, that sense was the note Jaqui wanted to draw out in every room, stripping out the dark, heavy leftovers of a noughties refurb by previous owners and replacing them with sandstone, wood, and pale hues.
"We leaned into the quintessential Californian aesthetic in all its creamy yummy-ness," Jaqui says. "Every room is just delicious on your skin, relaxing on the eyes, and with the richly pigmented tones of vanilla ice cream in a cone."
"The most incredible part of this renovation was transforming a large extra bedroom into a primary bathroom, but it was the rose quartz that makes it so visually stunning," Jaqui says.
Perhaps the main star of this home is the spectacular view. "It’s really remarkable how far you can see across LA," says Jaqui. "What you dream about where celebs live in Hollywood? This is definitely the location you’re picturing."
And then there’s all the light that comes with it. "We have our iconic golden hours here every day, and because of the house’s position on the hill, the light just slants through the windows.
"I wanted to enhance that effect and make it last all day, using sheer curtains that create a filter all the time."
Arrange some bamboo stems in this Irregular Glass Vase from Arket for a touch of flair and greenery.
A curved sofa in the main bedroom takes in the key feature. "We really wanted to showcase the view here, which is the star," Jaqui says. "Instead of an alarm clock, we installed drapes that open on a timer automatically — a wonderfully natural way to wake up."
Chunky marble side tables add a luxe touch to this modern bedroom seating area — but they'd work just as well in any other space.
The result is a space that is helping to redefine what Californian style looks like and why it’s so influential across the world. "It’s all meant to seem totally effortless," says Jaqui. "And like you can be the best version of yourself."