Francesca Grace Home Rental House Tour Photos

Name: Francesca, Penelope and Mila the Cats, Daisy the Dog, and Schnitzel, Ducky, Louise, Pat, and Rodger the chickens
Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California
Size: 1,100 square feet
Type of Home: Craftsman
Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting

Francesca owns Francesca Grace Home, a home staging and interior designer company, and her style is full of vintage furnishings, modern lines, bold colors, and energetic patterns, all words that can also describe the California Craftsman she rents in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood.

“A friend was moving out of her home nestled in the Silver Lake Hills, and it was my obligation to make it my own,” writes Francesca. “It was love at first sight. The home is canopied by fig trees with space to raise chickens and a brick fireplace for cool California evenings. The morning light dips through the primary bedroom’s stained glass windows and paints rainbows on the hardwood floors. I’m very proud of my Sunset Junction abode.”

“A short stroll brings you to coffee shops, boutiques, and bars including the Black Cat, which is the site of one of the first actions in the nation against police activity in gay bars. I will often spend my mornings with a warm latte from Intelligentsia on my deck with my cats and six-pound chihuahua, Daisy. I feed the chickens and sift through books of fabric to inspire the day. My favorite pastime in my home is to cook delicious meals, host friends, and swap furniture around. I call this my artist home, because I’m able to design and re-design the space to reflect my moods.” 

My Style: Vintage Eclectic 

Inspiration: Historical Parisian interiors, and the cottage where Cameron Diaz meets Jude Law in the movie “The Holiday.”

Favorite Element: My favorite elements about the home are the stained glass window in the primary bedroom, my fireplace, and the ribbed wood ceilings in my kitchen. 

Biggest Challenge: An older home comes with character, and with character comes challenge. The biggest challenge when it comes to designing my home is finding a sofa to fit into my narrow living room.

Proudest DIY: Wallpapering the guest bedroom on my own.

Biggest Indulgence: My whimsical hand-carved deer embossed wooden credenza. 

Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? I used the main living room as my primary bedroom.

What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? I recently bought pink, velvet accent chairs from an estate sale that embodied the aesthetic of my dreams, and I didn’t even need to have them re-upholstered. I also love my vintage curved velvet green sofa, which I stalked over the Marketplace for months. When the price dropped, I jumped on it. This piece didn’t fit into my living room, but I simply had to make it work, so it now sits comfortably in my bedroom. 

Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: I am a maximalist, so to those fearful of filling up their space because it may be too small, I encourage you to think outside of the box. Filling your space with beautiful, unique pieces that make you happy is truly enriching. 

Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? To me, vintage furniture is the best way to shop ethically and make your home truly unique.

This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.