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<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles is located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, where the likes are plentiful and temperatures often soar 10 degrees higher than the rest of the city. When designer Amy Elbaum, owner and founder of <\/span>ae design<\/span><\/a>, was brought on by her clients to revamp their 1950s ranch-style home, the backyard was in desperate need of a makeover. \u201cIt was just sort of concrete pavement out there with a couple of posts and beams,\u201d says Elbaum. \u201cThey really wanted a covered area, mostly because of the heat in the summer. They\u2019re right in that flat area of the Valley and it gets super, super hot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Her clients \u2014 a young couple in the cannabis industry with two kids \u2014 had recently moved to California from Colorado, where their previous home had been damaged by a fire. They had little in the way of furniture and accessories, so Elbaum was basically given a blank canvas to work with. \u201cThey wanted a place that represented this California outdoor lifestyle that was casual and family-friendly,\u201d explains Elbaum.<\/p>\n\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The home had been renovated prior to listing and had some pre-existing, trendy touches, like the hexagon-shaped tile in the entryway. \u201cInstead of adding a [coat] rack, we opted for a shelf so we could lean some of their daughter\u2019s art that we had framed,\u201d says Elbaum. \u201cThen we installed the hooks below it to give the space more personality than your typical coat hanging area.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The \u201centry-slash-formal living room\u201d proved to be the biggest challenge of all. \u201cA lot of these older homes have these little front rooms that are hard to work with because you don\u2019t want to fill it with furniture, but it\u2019s also too big to be just an entryway,\u201d notes Elbaum. The designer chose to give the space a library feel, with two cushy lounge chairs and upgraded IKEA bookcases. \u201cWe had a carpenter add trim to make them look more like built-ins,\u201d says Elbaum.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The main living area can best be described as boho-meets-mid-century, featuring clean lines and natural materials. \u201cA big comfy sectional was a huge priority,\u201d says Elbaum. \u201c[The clients] were sort of always pushing me to go as big as possible.\u201d The indigo-hued sectional has a machine-washable slipcover, the area rug is suitable for indoor or outdoor use, and the leather accent chair is easy to wipe clean. \u201cEverything was very consciously chosen \u2014 they have dogs that shed so it was a big issue for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The aforementioned (and totally serene) outdoor space is located off the living area. To make the transition as seamless as possible, Elbaum \u201cbuilt up the deck to be at the same level as the living room\u201d and stained the wood to match. An eight-seater dining table is anchored by an oversized, woven bamboo pendant and two plush sofas flank a concrete fire pit sourced from Canada.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The grill station offers counter space for barbecue prep and a hanging rattan chair adds a touch of whimsy. \u201cIt\u2019s a great space and it\u2019s really added square footage and value to their home,\u201d says Elbaum. \u201cIt\u2019s a usable space now and they entertain a lot out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Back inside, Elbaum designed a banquette with ample seating, surrounded by striking geometric wallpaper. \u201cThere was a lot of white with the wainscotting and we wanted to break it up,\u201d explains Elbaum. \u201cWe did a vinyl cushion cover for child-friendly purposes and all the pillows are covered in outdoor fabric.\u201d She added pull-out drawers at either end of the bench for storing kids\u2019 plates and placemats, and had the rounded triangle-shape table custom made to fit the space.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n While the project was underway, the clients\u2019 family grew from three to four with the birth of a baby girl. Their free spirited three-year-old was given the \u201cbig girl room\u201d of her dreams with a rattan daybed and a statement-making light fixture from McGee & Co. \u201c[The bedroom] has got a bohemian vibe, and she\u2019s definitely got that kind of style \u2014 we based it off her personality,\u201d says Elbaum.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe nursery we put together super quickly,\u201d recalls Elbaum. Deciding against yet another pink bedroom, Elbaum and her clients settled on green. \u201cIt felt really fresh and we\u2019d already done a good amount of wallpaper in the rest of the house, so we painted a third of the wall and the ceiling.\u201d Elbaum threw down a textured, Morrocan-style rug, installed an affordable macrame drum pendant from <\/span>World Market<\/span><\/a>, and hung up an adorable print by photographer <\/span>Max Wanger<\/span><\/a> to complete the look.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhen I walked into the master bedroom for the first time, I said, \u2018You know, we should really paint this back wall.\u2019 I suggested black and they were like, \u2018Absolutely not!\u2019\u201d Once again, the trio agreed on green \u2014 this time a deep, forest hue. \u201cIt really just adds so much warmth to the space,\u201d says Elbaum. There are brass accents scattered throughout and two, 36-inch night stands offer plenty of closed storage.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Amy Bartlam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The home office doubles as a guest bedroom when friends come to visit (and they always do when you live in sunny California). Thankfully, the caramel-colored loveseat is actually a queen size sleeper sofa. There\u2019s also a navy desk with sculptural pulls and a flatscreen TV above it that Elbaum jokingly points out she did not approve. \u201cThe husband likes to have friends over to watch games in there and it also opens onto the deck, so it\u2019s become a very high-traffic room.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n