Everyday Exotic, Cottages & Bungalows

Everyday

42 cottages & bungalows

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BOLD COLORS,globalaccessories andburgeoningplant life makethis L.A.bungalow feellike a Bohemianescape.

BY MARGIE MONINDOMBROWSKIPHOTOGRAPHY BYBRET GUMSTYLED BYJICKIE TORRES

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J USTINA BLAKENEY AND HERhusband, Jason Rosencrantz, didn't

intend for their 1940s bungalow to

have a tropical theme. The Los Angeles,

California, design consultant simply began

filling the Echo Park home with items she

loved or picked up on her travels. But in

time, certain elements started popping up

that provided a lush and exotic backdrop:

kelly-green paint, multi-ethnic decor, animal

statues and masks, and plants winding

their way through the two-and-a-half-

bedroom home (the half bedroom and

in-progress nursery for baby on the way is

only 9 x 12 feet).

"It's wild," Justina says."When people come

over, they say it's like a jungle." Eventually,

houseguests, trying to coin a catchy term for

the unique home, fused the words "jungle"

and "bungalow" together. "You automatically

get a sense of what a space called 'jungalow'

could be like," she says, and "jungalow" stuck.

Justina's aesthetic is Bohemian and

international, with plenty of pattern and color.

She collects and curates various vintage,

handmade, recycled,repurposed, upcycled and

thrifted home furnishings-with the

exception of an occasional new piece-from

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many different origins and influences to

create an equally vibrant and welcoming

environment.

A SMAll SPACE, 'MAXIMAUZED'In such a tight space, Justina takes

advantage of her wall-space. She decorates

upward and everywhere, and the focus is on

the unique decor. The front entryway greets

guests with a white cubby bookshelf for

storing shoes, which, although utilitarian, is a

thoughtful touch. In the living room, a tall

.wood card-catalog style cabinet bought at a

thrift shop is repurposed as a vertical cubby

garden with succulent plants peeking out

from some of its drawers.

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The kitchen has a sunny greenhouse feel thanks to amplewindows and equally prolific plants. Also occupying the

window shelves are flea-market trinkets and local art.

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"I play with contrast, color and patternto set the eye at ease even though

there's a lot going on."One living room wall is covered with a

custom mid-century wall unit displaying

books, art and records-a work of art unto

itself-while another wall is decorated with

crosses en masse. "I'm definitely a rnaxlrnalist,"

Justina says.

BRING NATURE INPlants enliven each room in the jungalow. In

Los Angeles, indoor air quality is important,

so the greenery throughout the house is just as

functional as it is aesthetic. With numerous

windows to let the California sunshine in, it

was important for Justina and Jason to give the

kitchen a greenhouse feel, so they strung

hanging houseplants. "It's fun and bright. We.

cook a lot, so it's nice to have a kitchen with

that feel," Justina says.

AN ALL-COLOR SCHEMEThis jungalow has no set color scheme, but

there's a sense of rhythm among the colors

and patterns. "You will see every color-I think

you would be hard-pressed to find a color I

don't have," Justina says.

Justina keeps the walls neutral so the mix of

accessories doesn't overwhelm. The kitchen,

for insta~ce, has a bright green trim and an

accent wall that plays off the houseplants

scattered about, and the plants are part of the

color scheme too. Her master bedroom is

soothing with beige walls and wood-beam

ceilings, but an antique vanity recently given

two fresh coats of turquoise paint now catches

the eye, especially with a matching stripe

painted down the wall behind it to "anchor"

the piece in the space. "I have a thing for tone

on tone;' she says.

The living room jumps with a musical energy

of pattern and color. From the area rug and

sofa accent pillows to the framed artwork,

everything has contrasting colors and

geometric patterns. "I play with contrast, color

and pattern to set the eye at ease even though

there's a lot going on," Justina says.

Opposite: Justina painted an old, ornate vanity chest amatte turquoise for a modern update. A matching

stripe behind it anchors it to the space.

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The decor reflects many of the countries where

Justina has lived or visited. When she returns, she

always brings back new finds and inspiration from

the costumes, religious iconography, patterns, colors

and folk art of these cultures. You'll find items like

Turkish rugs and lanterns, African masks, paper

mache taxidermy from Haiti, and monkey dolls from

Mexico peppered throughout her home,

Although there's plenty for the eye to take in,

Justina arranges them in artful vignettes, "I do like

things to look curated and collected;' she says. Most

pieces have sentimental value, "I don't bring

anything into my house that I don't love. That way I

surround myself with things I think are beautiful

and inspiring," she says. I

Global art such as a suzani blanket give theroom a vibrant femenine feel. Justina repurposeda few vintage windows as ecclectic frames for agallery wall.

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COLLECTand CURATE

Ready to get a little artistic withyour decor? From bold colors toturning your style-literally-

upside down, try these tipsfrom Justina.

Don't worry about what otherswill think. Focus on the feelingyou're trying to create. If you feelgood in your space, others will too.

Get experimental with your finds.Turn it upside down, hold it up todifferent spots on the wall anddifferent rooms, and take pictures.Play around until you find what youlike best.

Always rearrange and work onimproving your space. Tryoutdifferent vignettes or,move pieces toanother room if you have to. Yourhome shouldn't be static.

Paint something in a bold color.Highly saturated tone on tones lookfresh and modern.

Justina custom designed this pieceto look like a mid-century-modernwall unit.

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Design

Everyday Exotic, Cottages & Bungalows