Santa Monica Beginnings
Where California Life Began — A Santa Monica Foundation
A Santa Monica condo remodel that marked the beginning of Bronwyn Poole's Los Angeles interior design practice — where a decade of refined Australian residential design first met California architecture, coastal light, and the relaxed energy of life near the Pacific.
From Sydney to Santa Monica — Three Homes in One Building
When we first moved to California from Sydney, we rented a small apartment in a quiet block of six units tucked at the back of a Santa Monica property. Our first home was the middle unit on the upper level — a modest rental that became our initial landing point as we began building a life in Los Angeles.
Not long after we moved in, the condo directly below our rental came up for sale. We purchased it and moved downstairs, transforming it into our first owned home in California. That apartment became the setting for my earliest American design work — the place where a decade of Australian residential design experience first met California architecture, light, and lifestyle.
A year later, the penthouse above our original rental unexpectedly became available. We sold the downstairs condo and purchased the top unit, completing a rather unusual journey — over several years we had lived in three of the six units within the same small building.
Sculptural Sandstone Fireplace and Bohemian Courtyard Design
The downstairs condo became the canvas for my first California interior design project. I remodeled the fireplace with sculptural sandstone — a material chosen for its organic texture, warm tone, and ability to develop character over time in Santa Monica's coastal climate. The fireplace became the room's anchor, a focal point that grounded the space while inviting touch.
The courtyard was reimagined as a relaxed, bohemian outdoor retreat — layered with planting, comfortable seating, and ambient lighting that allowed the space to function as an outdoor living room. In California, outdoor space is living space — a principle that Australian designers understand intuitively. The result was an exterior room as intentional and styled as any interior.
Penthouse Kitchen Remodel — The Curved Arch and Coastal Character
The penthouse became our family home and another opportunity to refine the architecture of the space. The existing mezzanine level was enclosed with a glass panel to create a third bedroom for our son — using glass to preserve the openness and light of the upper level while giving the room privacy.
In the kitchen, I opened the space with a softly curved arch — a gesture that brought flow between the rooms and referenced the relaxed beachside architecture typical of Santa Monica. Rather than replace the kitchen entirely, we refinished it: the original cabinetry was painted and paired with new countertops. Keeping the bones of the kitchen intact allowed the space to retain its authentic 1980s coastal character while feeling newly refreshed.
The penthouse fireplace was treated differently from the sandstone fireplace downstairs. Here, I chose a small pebble tile, creating a clean and understated surface with subtle texture — calm and minimal while still adding material interest.
Live-Edge Wood, Natural Light, and Sculptural Interior Design
One of the largest windows in the living room remained intentionally simple. A light window treatment framed the opening but was rarely pulled down, allowing the California sun to fill the space. To give dimension to what was otherwise a large flat wall, I suspended a live-edge wood shelf in front of the window. The floating element introduced depth and perspective, transforming a quiet architectural moment into something more sculptural.
Throughout the home, I layered vintage pieces to create what I think of as a sun-kissed California aesthetic — relaxed, collected, and slightly nostalgic, with a subtle 1970s influence. I've always believed the most soulful interiors evolve over time, and many of the pieces here were discovered slowly rather than purchased all at once.
The Vintage Lamp Story — Why the Right Pieces Find You
One of my favorite design stories from this home involves a pair of vintage table lamps. On my first visit to West Hollywood, I wandered into Nathan Turner's beautiful shop on Melrose and fell in love with a pair of lamps he had on display. They were expensive, and at the time I could only justify buying one.
Years later, after we had moved into this condo, I regretted not buying the pair. Then one afternoon, while wandering through the Mart Collective in Venice, I suddenly saw the matching lamp sitting on a shelf. It felt like seeing a ghost. I bought it immediately, amazed that the second lamp had somehow found its way back to me — now at a reduced price as Nathan's shop had closed.
Moments like that reinforce something I believe deeply about design: the right pieces find you. Good objects carry a certain vibration, and when a space evolves slowly and intentionally, those pieces have a way of appearing at exactly the right time.
The Foundation of a Los Angeles Interior Design Practice
Looking back now, this small Santa Monica building holds an important place in my story. It was the beginning of my Los Angeles design practice — the place where my Australian design background first met California architecture, light, and lifestyle.
The principles that made these compact spaces feel considered and complete are the same principles I apply today across multi-room renovations and new construction projects throughout Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, and greater Los Angeles: architectural sensitivity, material honesty, sensory awareness, and the conviction that even a modest condo deserves the same design intelligence as a grand estate.
Santa Monica, California · Interior Design by Bronwyn Poole