A Cabin of Curiosities at Los Angeles
July 12, 2019
Opening the front door of costume designer Julie Vogel’s home is like opening up a jewelry box. Set back in the road in South Pasadena, California, her cozy 1944 “honeymoon” cottage is the creative result of years of collecting suzani fabrics and bizarre objects. With a discerning eye, Vogel has turned her 1,500-square-foot home into a cabin of curiosities, showcasing her international travels and love for color and art.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Julie Vogel and her 2 dogs, Leroy and Jackie
Location: South Pasadena, California
Size: 1,500 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bath, library/office
That’s intriguing: Vogel designs the costumes for the “Most Interesting Person in the World” advertisements for Dos Equis.
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The vaulted beam ceilings inspired the Moroccan camp style of the living room. “I’ve been dying to live in Mammoth for years, and it was the log cabin sense that attracted me to the house,” says Vogel. (Mammoth Lakes is a California resort town famous for its rustic cabins.)
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People are welcomed by Leroy . Initially, Vogel was uncertain about the colour of orange on her exterior doors, but she has since fallen in love with it.
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Pakobel, an eBay vendor, is the source for most of Vogel’s amazing collection of rugs and suzanis. The two armchairs that flank the fireplace are reupholstered in a number of her favorite online finds.
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All the colours in Vogel’s home work collectively in a surprising, eclectic way. A weathered green cabinet peeks out from behind an orange exterior doorway, echoing the colors of the upholstery cloth. A fringed Moroccan tent flap provides a sneak peek to the library.
Vogel loves to accumulate needlepoint cushions — new or vintage; she doesn’t discriminate. She found both of these at a flea market and a favorite regional boutique, A Stitch in Time. Occasionally she crafts her own.
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Vogel has layered nearly every surface in her home with intriguing art and fabrics. Sourced on eBay in Turkey, Afghanistan or nations in Africa, these international elements contribute to what Vogel describes as her “hideaway — a key Shangri-La.”
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Next on Vogel’s to-do listing is reupholstering her couch in a kantha cloth and lacquering the cocktail table in a glistening blue. On the rear wall, a vintage 1960s credenza anchors a wall of well-loved bits by artist friends.
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Vogel discovered the bighorn sheep decoration head in a Pasadena Dumpster. “I discovered the deer decoration in a store in New York and walked it home amongst inquisitive onlookers,” she says.
A literal cabinet of curiosities is full of miniatures and quirky finds. “My motto is, ‘If you like it, get it,'” Vogel says.
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Three DIY birdcage pendant fixtures line the ceiling’s center beam and supply a soft gleam, reminiscent of fireflies caught in mason jars.
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Beaded fringe highlights the view to the library in Vogel’s home office. “I spend as much time in my workplace I want the perspective to the library to inspire me,” she says.
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A huge book collection outlines the walls of the intimate library space. While plans for a new couch are in the works, a vibrant ethnic textile thrown across the present one invites an afternoon nap.
See more cozy library spaces
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“Once I remodeled the kitchen, I was careful to do so in a vintage design, so it looks as though it has always been this way,” Vogel says. A vintage stove enhances the room’s 1940s credibility.
Vogel picked Martha Stewart paints in Jadite and Ursa Minor, since she loved the titles as much as the colours.
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A quirky set decorates a hanging shelf in the kitchen. Vogel admits, “I’ve a dish problem.” Many of her plates are by Sarah Cihat and French artist Nathalie Lete.
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A vintage poster is surrounded with more eclectic art in the kitchen.
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Much like the kitchen, the bathroom remodel remained true to the space’s midcentury roots. New retro-style tile includes a nostalgic appeal.
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The toilet also received a gallery wall, with different collected prints and decoration items reflecting Vogel’s signature style.
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A view to the pink-walled hallway shows a gallery wall of bits out of Etsy and Cinders Gallery.
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Vogel’s bedroom comes with a calming palette of blues, and more art. “I love my cloudlike mattress. I enjoy sleeping on sky-blue sheets and blue blankets under my Martin Whist cloud painting,” Vogel says. “My love of art was nurtured in my childhood. I’ve seen Frida Kahlo’s house, and it is now a museum in Mexico. Her style and character are among my main design influences.”
Throw pillow: Sins pillow, Jonathan Adler
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Dogs Leroy and Jackie have their own refuge in the bedroom. A window seat is obviously prepared for impromptu canine cuddling.
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An art deco–style burlwood dresser pops against the bedroom’s pale turquoise walls.
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Outside, Japanese oilcloth covers a vintage chair and seat.
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Though Vogel celebrates the handmade and artisanal works of her many artist friends, she’s pictured here holding her prized possession — a obviously heart-shaped rock she received as a gift.
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