This House Has Every Shade of Blue

When Rebecca Simon started planning the makeover of her 1970s Los Angeles townhouse, choosing a color palette took no time at all. “Blue has been my favorite color since I was a little girl. It reminds me of the ocean,” says Rebecca, a historian who has written two books about pirates. The rest of her decorating decisions didn’t come as easily, though, so she called her sister-in-law, Ashton Egbert, for help. Ashton and her mom, Kathleen Nixon, are designers and were happy to come up with a plan for the 1,180-square-foot home. They suggested crisp white walls to make the space feel bright, wood and leather furniture for texture and, naturally, big splashes of blue. Because they incorporated the color in a variety of shades and materials, the house is a true ode to blue — but one that doesn’t go overboard.

Slate blue velvet chairs by Arhaus are the stars of this space (aside from Rebecca's pug, Pippin!). Blue tones also show up in the throw pillows, lamps, art and even the rug, which has aqua accents. “Initially I was hesitant about the rug because it has a lot of pink, but now I love how it adds a fresh color,” says Rebecca.

To create an ombré effect on the stairs, the designers mixed increasing amounts of white paint into blue for each riser. Pippin approves of the final result.

The layout stayed the same, but the space looks totally new thanks to a bold tile backsplash by Elysium. Ashton and Kathleen ripped out the upper cabinets so the tiles could stretch to the ceiling, then painted the peninsula blue (try Bracing Blue by Sherwin-Williams for a similar look) and installed white quartz countertops to complement them. The stools are vintage.