Gwyneth Paltrow has built a serene family oasis in Montecito, California. See inside …
Actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow first met Brigette Romanek in New York in 2000. Their paths crossed again in London where they both lived as ex-pats. It was during this time Romanek, a former singer, began to flex her intuitive interior design skills, first with friends, then with proper clients.
The entrance features an 18th-century fireplace and reclaimed stone floors from Château Domingue. The Akiko Hirai vessel on the table is from RW Guild.
A Lindsay Adelman lighting installation is a key feature of the living room, along with the Charles Zana sofa, and chairs by Jan Ekselius and Rick Owens.
“I am drawn to Brigette’s spaces for the same reasons I was drawn to her all those years ago,” says Paltrow, “the beauty, the warmth, and the authenticity. She has the most unique eye and is able to create the most original, unexpected spaces. She will spend hours finding just the right light, the exquisite chair you never would have thought of. In the three projects we have now done together she pushed my design boundaries and excited me with a new way of seeing things.”
In the living room, a Jim Zivic hammock for Ralph Pucci – a transplant from Gwyneth’s Brentwood home in LA – an Alexander Díaz Andersson lounge chair and a carpet by Woven.
Paltrow and Romanek collaborated on this home in Montecito, California, built by architects Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of Roman and Williams, who conjured Paltrow’s vision of “a Parisian apartment set within an old European barn, something with high ceilings, flooded with light, a place that feels generous yet manageable at the same time.” The final structure is long and lean, laid out on one floor, with a shingled roof and stone walls. The property is powered by solar energy and a grey-water system, reflecting Paltrow’s commitment to environmentalism.
“In the three projects we have now done together she pushed my design boundaries and excited me with a new way of seeing things.”
In the dining room, a Thomas Newman Studio chandelier hangs above a Martin Massé table for Kolkhoze, with GamFratesi chairs for Porro. The wallpaper is by MJ Atelier, consoles by Robert Kuo. The 18th-century fireplace is from Château Domingue and accessories are from RW Guild.
When she came to furnish the house, Romanek explains, “The design brief was the home Gwyneth and Brad (Falchuk, her husband) would retire to, their “exhale” place. Spending holidays and weekends there. Always filled with family and friends. And it had to be unique and pretty, layered with calming colours, luscious materials and striking pieces. But still with a bit of playfulness. A backdrop to her life.”
The kitchen features custom benches and an antique trestle table. Millwork and cabinetry are by Roman and Williams; and sconces by Allied Maker. The blue and white plates are by Hermès.
As the views from the house were spectacular, Romanek pulled colours from the outside and brought them inside: pale greens, browns, creams, golds and tans. The living room is a tour de force of singular pieces, like the oversized luxe Jim Zivic hammock, the Rick Owens chair, signature artwork by John Baldessari, Ed Ruscha and D’lisa Creager, and the most playful and elegant light sculpture by Lindsey Adelman that dances across the ceiling.” Romanek’s verdict: “I gave it everything I had – it’s a stunner, and Gwyneth’s happy. That’s all I care about.”
Gwyneth Paltrow, wearing Chanel, on a Charles Zana sofa from The Invisible Collection. The painting is by Ed Rusch and the wire sculpture by D’lisa Creager.
From Livable Luxe, by Brigette Romanek, Chronicle Books, out now.
Photographed by Yoshihiro Makino.
