10 Ways to Get California-Cool Style in Your Home

LA-based designers Hollis LaPlante and Jordyn Grohl (musician Dave Grohl's wife) consider themselves "The Mothers of Reinvention." That's because they specialize in reinventing midcentury modern homes that they name after their children. By coincidence, both actually come from TV production backgrounds and fell into design. They teamed up in 2016 to form Hollis | Jordyn Design and use their joint love of fashion to inspire their California cool choices.

"California midcentury design tends to be more laid back, undone and relaxed, whereas traditional midcentury design can feel a bit more structured and refined," explains Jordyn. Read on for their hot tips on how to recreate this West Coast look, from dabbling in color to mixing vintage finds with midcentury-inspired pieces.

"We love to incorporate earthy elements wherever possible as it creates a neutral and sophisticated palette," says Jordyn. This starts with the entryway since first impressions always count. One way to recreate the look is by choosing natural flagstone, plus it comes in a variety of colors. For this home they opted for a light gray tone to harmonize with the custom wood door and light green spruce trees. A bold midcentury hanging pendant light fixture is another way to try this design look.

In this renovation Hollis and Jordyn opted for custom flat-panel cabinetry from ArchStone Design; its slight grain variation lends an earthy feel. Note how the simplicity doesn't compete for attention here, instead allowing the focus to shift to the large picture window kept beautifully minimalist without curtains or blinds. For a smaller project, the textured, multi-tonal tile backsplash in a neutral shade from Mission Tile West provides midcentury flair with fairly minimal effort.

True, this is a larger undertaking, but adding exposed beams doesn't involve any structural changes. "By adding these beams into our design, we gave the home more of a midcentury feel while also maintaining its cozy, earthy and warm aesthetic," says Jordyn. In the background, the kitchen's pendant lights are a vintage find.