Grazia Australia 00/11/2012

Nature & Nurture

High in the LA Hills, the charmingly retro home of The Mentalist's Robin Tunney coaxes the outside in. And it's thanks to her relaxed approach to timing...

Design and decorate from a distance... 'How To Create a Home 101?'. Not according to actress Robin Tunney, who was very conscious of this maxim when she took possession of her breezy mid-20th-century home seven years ago and began deciding how she wanted it to look.

Her first priority was to settle in, and then slowly and organically shape the interiors to her tastes, room by room. "Many people buy a house and redo it before moving in", she says. A risk, she thinks. "what's important to you changes as you live in it. I've been patient and it has paid off". 

The result is a space that's feminine, warm and, above all, considered.

When she first laid eyes on this home, the 40-year-old actress - who plays senior agent Teresa Lisbon alongside Aussie charmer Simon Baker in the series 'The Mentalist', and is also instantly recognisable from 90s cult hits 'The Craft' and 'Empire Records' - had one of those "We're meant to be together!" moments that every house-hunter desires.

It wasn't pristine - it 'had' been around for 60 years, after all- but it was classic and meticulously designed (a young Frank Gehry helped in its creation). Perched on a hillside, surrounded by nature ("It feels like a treehouse!") its post-and-beam structure framed by glass and wood shimmered with potential.

And this potential has now been miximised. The actress began by restoring the 1950s wooden-slat ceilings to a neutral, natural patina.

She also remodelled the bathroom with pebble-effect tiling to echo the outdoors - which can be seen from the deep along tub - and landscaped the garden into a relaxing oasis of Zen serenity (nothing says "spa-style bliss" like a saltwater lap pool, plump outdoor lounges and bamboo).

Inside, the style is feminine without frivolity. Smooth retro furniture by Minotti revisits the past with class, and is a creative complement to the home's natural brightness, which is further emphasised by warm white walls.

Architectural pottery by David Cressey is collected throughout, providing a counterpoint to the unabashedly colour-saturated artwork, including surrealist portraiture from photographers Loretta Lux and Malerie Marder.But it's the Missoni accents, such as the throw on her bed and the bright cuscions in their signature zigzag, that have made our lust-have list.

The kitchen clearly belongs to a foodie - that upscale coffee machine is a serious piece of gadgetry and the chalkboard is ideal for quick recipe scribbles or shopping lists. And sure enough, Robin insists entertaining family and friends is a priority (though she sets her limit at eight guests).

The frosted cabinets are a sleek design feature... and doubtless act as an incentive to keep things clean!

She's less convinced about the marble benchtops though - they're next on the remodelling list.

So was the end result worth the slow-and-steady approach? Absolutely, according to Robin. With a career that has grown in a similar easy-as-she-goes fashion, she's found what of us dream of: job satisfaction and a place to call home.

 

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