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.

To bring blue into this space, Ashton and Kathleen transformed a vintage-inspired dresser from Pier 1 into a vanity with a Kohler sink on top. An antique mirror adds more charm.

The statement-making headboard is a carved wood panel the designers found from Etsy shop, My Thai Home. They layered the bed with blue shams, striped bedding by Serena & Lily and a John Robshaw lumbar pillow. Leftover kitchen paint transformed the bench, which used to be green.

The bedroom fireplace got a new mantel and mosaic tile by Mission Tile West. Faux sheepskin throws from Ikea make the chairs extra cozy. The hammered metal coffee table is from World Market.

Rebecca jokes that she moved in with all books and no furniture, so ample shelving and a spot for reading were a must. The indigo cushion is upholstered in a fabric from Nate Berkus’s collection for JoAnn; the sconces are from Build.