LAID-BACK IN LA

It may be a city abode, but this chic home was designed to be a place to truly unwind

- JULIET BENNING

Jennifer and Chase Utley had strong homing instincts when they first encountered the property that was to become their permanent LA residence. The 1930s Monterey Colonial-style house was shabby with a 1970s-era decor. ‘But I could see beyond that to its beautiful bones, wonderful energy and light,’ explains Jennifer. As a Major League Baseball player, Chase’s job had meant the family, which includes sons Benjamin, now eight, and Max, five, were regularly uprooted, but Jennifer, who runs the curated lifestyle blog shopvetted.com, was eager to settle in LA.

‘The house had been featured in a 1932 edition of House Beautiful and had a wonderful old Hollywood vibe,’ explains Jennifer. ‘It had an artisan element that you don’t see in more modern houses that we were eager to preserve.’ One original feature the couple loved were the floors, which had been hidden under carpet. Jennifer also persuaded Chase that the stained-glass doors from the sitting room into the garden must be restored. ‘They had this beautiful green glass that you never normally see,’ she notes.

Jennifer discovered up-and-coming interior designer Katie Hodges on Instagram. ‘I went with my gut and we really clicked,’ says Jennifer. ‘Katie is fresh, young and confident. I loved her energy.’