VENICE BEACH COTTAGE GOES INTERNATIONAL ECLECTIC!

All photos in this post by Coco of Cococozy

A classic Craftsman style home in Venice Beach, CA charms with a subtle exterior paint color scheme of light grey siding, green and white trim, a portico with traditional white columns and a bright red door in high gloss paint. (above)

This is my friend Juliana Jaoudi’s charming Venice Beach home. Juliana (or Julie to those who are in the know) has lived in this lovely beach home for the last five years. The cottage was built back in 1921 and now, after a renovation, features three bedrooms and two baths.

Julie throws fabulous parties at her adorable home. She has a great backyard, deck and party space…a warm and cozy home that has successfully been the backdrop for quite a few of Julie’s entertaining evenings (and dance parties) with friends and family.

I have been obsessing about Julie’s house for Cococozy for the last few years. Every time I see her, I beg her for photos of her home. After at least 10 requests with no photos supplied, I was convinced that Julie thought I was just the ultimate geek (her “geeky friend”) who constantly pestered about pictures for some kind of strange interior design website. I imagined that each time she saw me she thought, “That Coco is so weird…she keeps bugging me about photos of my house…I would NEVER want my house on that kooky little design website.” Well that is what I thought.

Turns out, just this weekend, Julie (or Juliana to those who are not in the know) had another gathering…in honor of Memorial Day. She invited a couple dozen of her friends to enjoy a sunny Southern California afternoon and barbecue. (I was responsible for bringing my famous “summer salad” (P.S. it is the same salad I make for winter, fall, spring and any season in between…I just pretend to those who don’t know that I make a different salad for each season…my secret…well, before I just gabbed about it here, it was my secret…anyhooooo…back to Julie’s house…))

In the middle of this gathering, Julie actually invited me to take photos (phew she doesn’t think I am “weird”)! An opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I dashed out to my car, grabbed my camera and then spent a good part of the bbq photographing every detail in her house (I think the other guests were slightly alarmed by my behavior…and while Julie didn’t think I was weird, many of them did I think…oh well, what’s a girl to do?).

Because I took so many pictures, I will have to feature them in a series of posts. This first one is focusing on Julie’s charming living room.

Julie’s well edited living room is filled with colorful accents and natural textures which compliment the Craftsman style home and architecture. (above)

When I asked Julie about the design theme and overall aesthetic objective of her living room, she said the goal was actually NOT to have one specific theme. The living room is filled with a mix of modern, traditional and international pieces of furniture and accessories.

Here’s what Julie texted me about her living room design:

“Didn’t want one specific theme – thus the Asian nesting tables + the modern hutch + natural window coverings. Wanted it to be comfortable while incorporating accents I’ve brought home from my travels…”

Exposed brick around the fireplace stays true to the home’s Craftsman roots, while two sketches set in simple dark frames add modern design to the mantel. (above)
White built in book shelves on either side of the fireplace provide storage for books and for many of Julie’s treasures collected on her many international travel adventures. (above)
A Buddha Julie bought in the dirt market in Beijing, China is displayed in a book shelf and presides over the living room in a regal manner. (above and below)

A trip Julie took to Italy’s Amalfi Coast yielded this classic hand painted Italian red and white ceramic urn. (above and below)

A bright orange leather armchair is actually one of Julie’s favorite pieces in the living room. While this find comes from Crate and Barrel, Julie says she was excited to “find something with so much character in such a practical place”. (above)

Color and texture are the order of the day with a brown and off white dotted linen throw pillow that adds visual interest and charm. (above and below)

A Moroccan side table gracefully contributes to the international allure of the space. (above)

While the room is filled with international finds and high style modern accents, the home’s architecture is traditional Craftsman…starting with the front door! (above)

The metal and glass entry table and the avocado green colored ceramic table lamp are modern in form but blend well with the room’s stylish and eclectic mix. (above)

A simple arrangement of framed art and mirrors on the main wall welcomes guests as they enter the home. (above)

A collection of floral prints from Julie’s trip to Jaipur, India lines the wall facing the home’s dining room. Decorative trim and wall moldings make the entire vignette a stunning point of visual interest. (above)

The warm yellow paint used for wall color, the white baseboards, white crown molding and the large windows, make this cozy space bright and cheery. (above)

Bamboo window shades and woven natural fiber drapes allow just the right amount of sunlight into the living room. (above)

Thank you Julie for allowing me to take photos of your living room! A tremendously beautiful space…a space in which your personal touches make the room a decor stand out!

Readers…stand by for more from Julie’s house. If I can get my act together, I will do a post on the bedrooms and a guest bath! Stay tuned…

All photos in this post by Coco of Cococozy