Golden State

Turning a house you like into a home you love is a transformative task, one that can feel like finding yourself. Just ask style icon Garance Doré…

- Lindyl Crabb

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOME transformations, we usually mean the physical changes. But as any homeowner will tell you, the process is emotional, too. This is true for Garance Doré, the founder of lifestyle company DORÉ and a pioneering creative multi-hyphenate. Three days after moving from New York to Los Angeles with her former partner, she saw this almost-new house near Venice. “I’d dreamed of buying a home my whole life, it was very symbolic to me,” Garance tells. “As soon as we signed the papers, we moved in. But I wanted to renovate – it needed love.” Born in Corsica, Garance was drawn to the coastal vibe. For the first time, she says, “I felt supported energetically. There’s no mystery as to why LA attracts hippies and seekers.” The renovation became a renewal. “I didn’t want my house to define me, I just wanted it to be easy and happy.” To realise her vision, she enlisted interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel, who balanced Garance’s creativity with practical solutions and a few feminine (but modern) touches. Of her home, she says, “It feels like a symbolic mother. It takes me in its arms and everything is in its place again.” Here, Garance gets personal about her approach to decorating.

Garance on… how she cultivates calm

“I don’t do formal. I encourage people to feel good and relax, and I think this home breathes ease. It’s probably my reaction to working in fashion wearing high heels! People take off their shoes without me asking because they feel like it. You come back from the beach, hang out, the doors are open. I have a projector for cosy movie nights and there’s nothing like a nook for comfort.”

Garance on… her entertaining style