Una Casa Privada

It started innocently enough—one of those afternoons spent daydreaming and scrolling through listings on Zillow. A few years ago, Los Angeles designer and showroom owner Una Malan was doing just that, spending a little time going down the online real estate rabbit hole. “I really was not looking for a new home,” says London-born Malan. She had her hands full with her eponymous showroom, where she features her own furniture and textile designs, as well as some 20 other artisanal lines of furniture, lighting, accessories and art.

One thing led to another, and the self-described lover of traditional architecture was soon meeting a real estate agent for a tour of a three-level, 1930s Spanish-style house in the Hollywood Hills. “It was all supposed to be very casual,” Malan recalls, “but by the time I walked out, I had fallen in love and had to make it happen. The house was so welcoming and calming, and it had different spaces that you want to explore.”

Envisioning the 3,600-square foot house as an extension of her brand, where she could experiment and stage pieces from her showroom in a residential setting—as well as a cozy home for herself and her partner, Tom Muyters, a former soccer player and specialist in architectural plaster finishes—Malan sealed the deal.

But it wasn’t exactly a done deal—the house had only lightly been remodeled over the decades and was in need of a facelift. Malan and Muyters went to work, replacing the flooring and lighting, adding new steel-framed windows, plastering walls and redoing the bathrooms. The kitchen received the biggest overhaul. “Along with the bathrooms, the kitchen, as we first found it, let the house down,” says Malan. “It was rather generic.” The old breakfast banquette was ripped out in favor of more storage. New cabinetry, plumbing, appliances and a reconfigured island transformed the kitchen. “We found we really didn’t need that banquette,” Malan says. “We usually sit on stools at the island, and the dining area is right there next to the kitchen.”

Once the construction dust had settled, Malan began furnishing the rooms, using each space as a design laboratory where she could mix and match pieces, experiment, yet create a livable setting. “It’s not like I change everything all the time,” she explains, “but about once a year, things get refreshed.”

Against a backdrop of Muyters’ pale plastered walls and the cool hues of herringbone-patterned oak flooring, Malan anchored the main level’s living room with a curvaceous sofa and swivel chair of her design, adding texture through the organic form of a walnut coffee table by Joseph Pagano and a furry ottoman with bronze legs by Chaaban Designs, both lines she represents through her Los Angeles and San Francisco showrooms. A rope of pearl-like lights from Cameron Design adds a finishing touch.

In the lower level, which opens onto the pool and garden, a sculptural game table is encircled by Malan-designed chairs, while the adjacent den features a sofa of her design and a pair of Danish modern-inspired Marcali armchairs. The upper level—reached by a sinuous staircase that still has its original wrought-iron handrail—includes the primary suite, a calming retreat with a balcony that captures views of treetops and rooftops. The bedroom is a study in ivory and gold hues, highlighted by an upholstered bed of Malan’s design, as well as her “Olive” club chair. Above the bed hangs a framed drawing by her father, an artist, who inspired her creative career. The suite’s bathroom includes a deep soaking tub, placed below a new window, positioned just right for in-tub views. Down the hall, there’s a guest bedroom done in blush tones and a cozy den for TV watching.

Even with the annual “refresh,” the interior has a calm, cohesive look, with accent pieces and art drawing the eye. Malan has dubbed the house “Una Casa Privada,” a play on her name and the home’s Spanish-inspired architecture. She and Muyters have hosted numerous events and parties there. “People wind through the house,” says Malan. “Nothing reveals itself all at once, but the floor plan lends itself to exploring. A lot of time, people congregate on the terrace off the living room, where I designed a banquette that’s perfect for lounging.” By appointment, she also opens up the house to clients, eager to see pieces in context and in a residential scale. Post-Covid, Malan points out, clients enjoy this more curated approach to shopping.

However, most days the house is a home, where Malan, Muyters and their four dogs can enjoy a serene retreat. “The sky seems like it’s always blue,” says Malan, “and we can see the city lights. What more could you ask for?”