l'~..

-'

I

andebonized hardwood floorsprovide the ultimate back-drop for color and texture,whether it's an antique Kilimrug or the richly wovenbasket used as a consoletable near the front door."THE SECOND I SAW THISHOUSE, I KNEW IT WAS

MINE," Tia says of thecottage she shares with her

.husband and two daughters.

i!iIj

i

u

If. ,,

II @

80

)-c ~f - TfA PAINTED HE BOLD1 piece over th living

room sofa. She says, "Forme, painting is a soothingway to be artistic."·THE VINTAGE Barcelonachair (far right) that Tiai

I found at a flea marketand put in the living roomis the preferred loungingspot of 6-year-old Zoe."I always find her therelistening to her Walkman,"Tia says. Beside it, ;:iceramic outdoor ga denstool makes a great. table.

82

: ;\;E-

TIA INCORPORATES SHOTS OF COLORwith a prominent piece in every room, likethe tufted ottoman (at left) and the armoire

in the dining room.

IN THE DINING ROOM, wooden side chairs slipcovered in white linen

mix with garage sale armchairs upholstered in a graphic stripe.

, ';, ''Wheh'we're not eating there, it's where Ben and I work," Tia says.

to the outside," she says, "and the light radiatesall day:"That light and airy quality allowed Tia,a designer, to transform a house that "neededa lot of cosmetic work" into a stylish, classicCalifornia cottage.o liegin, she painted every room white and

Had all of the hardwood floors refinished and"' stained black. "Colors are hard to decide," Tia

says."You need to live in a house awhile to figurethem out. It's almost like giving the house somerespect. I think we lived here three years beforeI began adding color through accessories."

Starting with a simple white backgroundand enlivening the space with painted furnitureand vivid artwork is a hallmark of Tia's style:"Instead of changing the color of the walls, Ilike to change out fabrics, because I change mymind so much," she says. "I never feel like my

~ house is done, because it's constantly in a state• of design metamorphosis."

Whether it's swapping one area rug foranother or flipping throw pillows on her sofa,Tia loves to rearrange her house. "The mostfascinating part of decorating is that there'salways potential for change," she says. "Ourlives are always evolving, so there's room fortaking risks in design as opposed to alwaysbeing monochromatic. It depends on howdaring and bold you want to be."

o switch things out on a whim, Tia says it's important to have an intriguing mix offurniture and accessories, rather than one style of decor. "I like to mix everything," shesa s. "I have some modern pieces and some traditional. My art and fabrics are definitelybohemian. There's a lot of texture to the fabric I like to use, whether it's woven or embroi-dered. And many of my furniture pieces are flea market finds that I'll sand down andpaint myself» .

Much in this house epitomizes Tia's creativity and hard work "My everyday job is aninterior designer, but I'm also an artist," she says. Her own paintings, including a hugepiece over the living room sofa, hang throughout the house. She also loves to sew andmade many of the curtains and pillows here, including those in her daughters' bedroom.

Six-year-old Zoe and 3-year-old Abby have gotten used to Mom's decorating antics andseem to be following in her footsteps. "I love to see my daughters' facial expressions whenthey walk into a room that's been changed. Zoe has such an appreciation for fabrics now, and1 can tell she's already got a great eye for color and texture," Tia says proudly.

And Ben? Tia says, "He lets me do my thing." He offered input on only one room: thekitchen. After two years in the house the Zoldans decided to completely gut and remodelthe space. 'We tore down awall, pushed the ceiling up about 4 feet, and added beams," Tiasays. By eliminating a tiny breakfast room, they were able to enlarge the kitchen's work-ing area and make room for professional stainless steel appliances- Ben's favorites.

The couple further maximized space by incorporating an outdoor courtyard as a livingand dining area. "We're outside most of the year. All of the French doors in the livingroom open to the courtyard," Tia says. "It's so nice and romantic. It feels very European."

But then again, this is still Los Angeles, and Tia and Ben are happy about that. She says,"1 can't imagine living anywhere else." • ~ GO TO THE SOURCE page 134

I~_'~_~~"__~·__"'__'~~·~~k~~"~~~~~ __ •I

86

IN THE MASTER

BEDROOM (left), an ~upholstered-headboard' .rises almost 6 feet. The" J.-faux mink blanket adds lluxurious texture to the' 1.,-";:-"---

.~ :-simple bedding: I \

'~MINTGREEN ANDCRANBERRY is one of my

. 1 .favorite color combos," TIasays of the palette in thebedroQm 40.e~(Ric~ured)and Abby share.Tia,sewedall of the curtains andpillows, and the be~ is anantique she painted whiteand sanded down so theoriginal 1950s greenshows through.

more ideas and inspiration ...

JOY OF GARDENINGROMANCING THE COTTAGEPage 56 Containers: Smith & Hawken;smithhawken.com. Full-spectrum andclip-on glow lights: Gurney's; gurneys.com.Special thanks to Toby Seeger, production managerof Four Winds Growers, a dwarf-citrus nursery withlocations in Fremont and Winters, California.

"I'm a big fan ofclassicism ... so Iput some form backinto the structure"

-Carl Palasota, p. 94

Window shopping

Sweeten any space withthis bubblegum pink

..•••••••••••• push-pedal design,$178; 800/870-3513or garnethill.com.0:

W:.:u::::>l-

ewI-

FEATURES"I CAN'T IMAGINE LIVINGANYWHERE ELSE"Page 80 Design: Zoldan Interiors;tiazoldan@yahoo.com.Page 82 White armchair, ottoman, andsofa: all from Sofa U Love; 323/464-3397 orsofaulove.com. Campaign table: Big Daddy'sAntiques, Los Angeles; 310/769-6600 or bdantiQues.com.Woven trunk: World Market; visitworldmarket.com for store locations. Lamp: Target;target.com. Painting (over sofa): by Tia Zoldan;tiazoldan@yahoo.com. Turquoise pillow onsofa: Silk Trading Co.; toll-free 888/745-5302 orsilktrading.com.Page 83 Barcelona chair: Rose Bowl Flea Market,Pasadena; 323/560-7469 or rosebowlstadium.com.Black-and-white crewel fabric onottoman, pillow fabric on white arm-chair, and bolster fabric: all from Diamond

Trashy and stylish? Like Brilney and Paris,these wastebaskets prove it's possible

Boost your style~t; quotient with a (an

.f~ decoupaged with,:.~~ Japanese newspnnt,

$24.99; toll-free888/266-8246 orcontainerstore.com.

Foam & Fabric; 323/931-8148 or diamondfoamandfabrics.com. Garden stool: Rose Bowl Flea Market,Pasadena; 323/560-7469 or rosebowlstadium.com.Page 84 Dining room wall color: Down .Pipe by Farrow & Ball; toll-free 888/511-1121orfarrow-ball.com. Trim: All White by Farrow & Ball;toll-free 888/511-1121or farrow-ball.com. Rug:Crenshaw Carpet Centers; 323/295-7731 orcrenshawcarpet.com. Striped fabric: Silk TradingCo.; silktrading.com. Black candlesticks:Anthropologie, not available; for a similar look, try thePersimmon lacquer candlesticks; store.yahoo.com/sprouthome. Wall color: Simply White (OC-117)byBenjamin Moore; 800/672-4686 or benjaminmoore.com.Table: flea market find; for a similar look, try WinslowDining Table from Crate & Barrel; toll-free 888/967-6696or crateandbarrel.com. Windsor chairs: Rose BowlFlea Market, Pasadena; 323/560-7469 orrosebowlstadium.com. Red and white fabricon pillow: Diamond Foam & Fabric, Los Angeles;323/931-8148 or diamondfoamandfabrics.com. Rug:antique Kilim from eBay; ebay.com. Clock: StationWall clock from Z Gallerie; 800/358-8288 orzgallerie.com. Chandelier: Natura Chandelier fromIkea; ikea.com. Floor tiles: Mission Tile West;310/434-9697 or missiontilewest.com. Companythat stained and glazed tile floor: StoneServices Ine.; 800/477-6419. Light fixtures oversink: Restoration Hardware, discontinued. Sinkfaucet: Kohler; kohler.com. Cabinet hardware:Restoration Hardware; 800/762-1005 orrestorationhardware.com. Sink: Kohler; kohler.com.Subway tile: Mission Tile West; 310/434-9697 ormissiontilewest.com. Stove: Viking; vikingrange.com.Pitchfork: Old Pine Furnishings at Pasadena FleaMarket, 818/507-7077. Roman shades: Ikea;ikea.com. Armoire and trunk: Old PineFurnishings at Pasadena Flea Market; 818/507-7077.Zebra rug: Sophie's Seat Design, Los Angeles;323/464-1400. Tufted ottoman fabric: SilkTrading Co.; toll-free 888/745-5302 or silktrading.com.Sconces: discontinued; for a similar look, try AncientCandlesticks; 800/767-5490 or wisteria.com.Page 86 Headboard fabric: Diamond Foam& Fabric; 323/931-8148 or diamondfoamandfabrics.com.Blue pillows: velvet from Silk Trading Co.; toll-free888/745-5302 or silktrading.com. >