One Designer, Two Houses, Three Looks

A special thanks to my blogging friend, Artie, of Color Outside the Lines, for sharing this story with me!

Meredith Corporation which publishes such magazines as Traditional Home and Better Homes and Gardens also keeps the racks full with their special edition issues such as – Country French, Kitchen and Bath Ideas and Makeovers, Renovation Style, Elegant Homes and Décor.   Another popular title is Tuscan Style. Word of warning though, Meredith has a sneaky way of publishing the same magazine twice – several years apart. Be sure you check the cover to see that it doesn’t say “Back By Special Demand” or you might be buying something you previously bought before. One such reissued magazine was Tuscan Style which first came out in 2007 and then was repeated again in 2010.   This particular issue featured the beautiful Spanish styled Los Feliz house of Michelle Niday, an interior designer.   The story is a little out date as over five years ago, Michelle sold the house and moved to a loft in downtown, while her Los Feliz house sold and then sold again. Here are the three versions! Enjoy!!!

The Los Feliz house was built in the 1931, with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths, and surprisingly a 3 car garage. The views are amazing from the turret’s balcony.

The living room furnished by owner, interior designer Michelle Niday, is an eclectic collection of antiques and accessories. Michelle says she likes every room to have something a little “off.” She doesn’t like her interiors to be taken too seriously. She doesn’t like any printed fabrics, except for striped ones.   She likes flea market shopping as much as high brow antique shopping. Textures play an important role in her designs.    Here, her slipcovered white sofas are separated by a tall coffee table.   These pictures are from the early 2000s.

Seagrass lies underneath a glass table, surrounded by boldly striped slipcovers.   Shells are found everywhere throughout the house.

Another view of the dining room shows a collection of empty hanging frames.   Velvet portieres divide the dining room from the sitting room.

In the small sitting room, a faux zebra provides the much loved stripes. A French daybed serves as the sofa and a large antique mirror doubles the visual space.

With pillows and bedspreads, Michelle turns the bathroom into a sitting space.

The master bedroom is like a treehouse – with endless views of L.A. Dressy antique furniture mixes with striped upholstered couches and chairs.    Right after these pictures of Michelle’s house were first published, she sold it to move downtown into the Toy Factory Lofts:

Built in 1924, this warehouse was most recently a toy factory, hence its name.

Today, the building looks like this – with 119 lofts plus first floor retail spaces.

Wow!!! Today, Michelle lives in this open loft space at the Toy Factory Lofts.   She says when she moved in, it looked like an empty garage. Even her own mother doubted her abilities to turn the blank space into a beautiful home.   I have to say that I love how Michelle’s taste has evolved over the years. It’s more streamlined and less cluttered. It’s more “decorated.” Of course I love the white slipped sofas – but I also love the striped pillows and the way the two zzebra rugs mimic the stripes. The grays look wonderful against the white, as do the brown silk taffeta curtains.   Michelle says the curtains and the wide plank wood flooring were two of three must haves.   The third?   The crystal chandelier.    I just wish these pictures were bigger!!!!!

Looking the other direction, you can see the ottoman has white trim on its top and the French chairs are slipped in the same Belgian gray linen.   Notice she uses two zebra rugs in this large space. The kitchen and dining area are on the right, back.   The sleeping area is behind the dining room area on the left side. Hanging over the living area is a great chandelier found in the famous Paris flea market, the Marche aux Puces. Niday says she wanted this loft to resemble a Parisian apartment.   Do you think it does?

A close up of the side table next to the sofa. I love the high backs of her sofas.

The kitchen was designed by Michelle and her contractor who is also her fiancé.    Stripes cover the French dining room chairs.   Trying to make the kitchen look less like a kitchen, Michelle added books and accessories to the open painted gray cabinetry.

A close up of the shelves with books and accessories along with plates and glasses. Michelle loves statues and concrete urns and pots.



In the bedroom area, a large four poster iron bed looks similar to the one used in her Los Feliz house – but it’s different. The curtain were made with extra lining so they would be full and luscious.    The rods are simple industrial ones.   A second seating area is between the kitchen and the bed, it’s “walls” marked by the seagrass rug.

The sink was once a fountain, found in a L.A. shop, while the floors came from Country Floors.

And finally, the entrance to the loft has a rare female blackamoor, along with wood antique doors.   After living here awhile, Niday added more stripes to the entrance area.

The beautiful 1932 Los Feliz house was put up for sale again after Niday first sold it.   Here, you can see the listing pictures and how different the house looks under the new owners.   Out front, the living area is where the three French doors are.

What a gorgeous setting!!!! Just gorgeous!!!!! The property is amazing.

The swimming pool with its stunning views.

The view of the valley – incredible!!!

The living room under the new owners looks totally different.   The chandelier remained.   Even the bookcases were left bare.    Remember what it used to look like?

The same room, under Michelle. What a difference! So warm!

The dining room today – looks like the paint color remained.    Here’s how it was under Michelle’s ownership:

The chandelier is different – as is all the furniture. It really looks so different today!

The sitting room as it is today retains the caramel wall color, but that is all that remains the same:

I prefer Michelle’s décor to how this room looks today – I like the large mirror between the two windows.   Michelle likes to put furniture on an angle – do you? I rarely use that arrangement, but many people love the drama it creates.

The bedroom today. The shades remain. I like that the bed is centered here.   Michelle’s was off centered.

I wish we could see the other side of the room, I wonder if it is the turret room?   I just adore this room – I love all the antiques and the soft muted colors.    As beautiful as the Los Feliz house is, I think if I had to choose between the décor of this house and the décor of the loft – I would pick the loft! I just love the way Michelle Niday decorated it!!!   It really does look like a Parisian apartment – in the middle of downtown Los Angeles:

The Parisian styled loft!!! So beautiful.   If I owned a loft – this is exactly how I would decorate it – with lots of white slips, grays, browns, antiques everywhere, chandeliers, and antique books and shells.   I think this room is gorgeous.   Unfortunately, Michelle Niday does not have a web site that I can find if you would like to contact her.   I couldn’t even find an email address for her BUT – I’m sure Google White pages could help you in your search.
To read the L.A. Times story about the loft, go HERE.

Please, welcome a new Cote de Texas sponsor:


GREIGE – who sell everything from furniture to accessories to fabric. Go HERE to see their shop.

And, highlighting another CdT Sponsor: The Bella Cottage HERE who recently received new merchandise, including this beautiful pair of antique gilt French chairs.