How One Designer Gave This Los Angeles Condo a Bold Makeover

Interior designer Aaron Duke believes your home should be a place where you can be yourself and express yourself. For his latest project, he transformed a 28-year-old TV and film coordinator's West Hollywood condo into a live, work and play dream home. Before the makeover, Aaron's client had no interest in showing off his bland space. Aaron's main goal was to not only focus on the design, but on the way each home-y detail could enhance his client's personal life. After a three-month renovation, Aaron delivered, and now this bright and bold space is perfect for hosting and entertaining friends and family.

Aaron and the client agreed that everything must go. The condo had been renovated over the years, but visually, it was a collage of other people's mismatched ideas. "[The living room] wasn't a place you wanted to come, hang out and enjoy a meal," Aaron says. "The lighting was poor, and it was very dark and cave-like. [The client] felt like he couldn't live his best life because his home was getting in the way."

The living room is where the client spends most of his time, so he wanted comfortable furnishings that would wear well with his cats. Aaron took inspiration from New York City apartments. Small spaces call for multi-functional furniture, so Aaron opted for a sofa big enough to lay down and watch TV on. In addition, the ottoman serves as a coffee table. Aaron aimed to make the condo colorful, masculine and sophisticated. To create a sense of continuity in the small space, he used a palette of warm neutral colors for the finishes throughout the home.

The client's cats had taken over all rooms of the condo, including the powder bathroom. The litter box was taking up valuable floor space and prevented the room from being guest-friendly.