In the Red

Encino born and raised, Lainie Zuckerman is a Valley girl through and through. Her husband, Jay, hails from Brooklyn and New Jersey, but the pair met and bought their first home here. Before the birth of their two kids, the couple lived briefly in New York but soon returned to the Southern Cali lifestyle they missed.

“Cooped up in an 800-square-foot apartment that cost more than a house? No thank you,” recalls Jay.

Jay oversees the manufacturing of imported fabric from Southeast Asia, mostly Lycra for swimsuits and workout wear. Lainie is a full-time homemaker, raising Ethan, 12, and Jenna, 10.

The family’s bright, south-of-the-Boulevard home, with its 10-foot-high ceilings, is 4,400 square feet with four bedrooms and five bathrooms. “We also have a sitting room off my bedroom,” Lainie says, jokingly referring to the master bedroom upstairs. Jay continues the jest, “I’m allowed to visit!”

HOME CHIC HOME   Left: A mixed media piece in the family room adds a pop of color. Right: A TV/playroom with a sectional sofa  and fun “pouf” stools. Built-in cabinetry housing desktops is set off by a backsplash of “mod,” floral wallpaper. An unexpected twist: The person who uses the space most often is Jay. “I like it more than anybody else does, so I try to hide and chill out in there because it’s removed from the rest of the house,” he says.

When the Zuckermans moved into their spacious home four years ago the structure needed a major remodel. Recalls Jay, “The whole house was dated. We basically ripped everything out and put in all new floors, new windows, kitchen and bathrooms.”

Lainie worked closely with interior designer Lara Nesburn of Mangrove Interiors for inspiration and guidance. “She’s a genius. She’s a goddess,” Lainie quips.

The duo started from a clean slate—except for one thing. Lainie wanted to keep the raspberry-hued curtains (from the previous owners) in the family room. That proved to be an instrumental starting point.  

“Knowing those curtains would remain and that Lainie really liked that color, we just worked from there,” says Lara. “If you look around, when it comes to color palette, everything is an iteration of red, white and blue,” she explains.

The overriding theme, beach chic, can be seen in stylish accents such as driftwood table lamps and seascape photography, such as Ocean by Leslie Sokolow, Eden Roc Pool by Slim Aarons and a photo by Claude Guillaumin, Pool #4, of a transparent, pink, plastic tube floating in a swimming pool. Grass cloth on the walls, sisal rugs, fine grass window shades and wicker accents on furniture complete the look. Coastal blues and whites provide a soothing vibe and are complemented by the light grey finish on the wood floors and ceiling beams.

Lara picked up several of the accent pieces in Nantucket, where the designer vacations each year. Purchases include the striking plastic resin beaded-rope chandelier (above left) in the foyer. The couple installed a large window that opens to the outdoor grill area for easy serving from the kitchen. Grey-hued stains were used on the wooden floor and the ceiling beams (above right).

The vivid, reddish hue threads its way into the living room as well with an oversized, cranberry-pink flower artwork by Oberto Gili. That photograph then inspired the hot-pink grass fabric walls in the room just off the main entrance.

“I was immediately taken with the Oberto Gili piece of art that Lara found. That really was the catalyst for so much of the design direction,” explains Lainie.

The central color is again echoed in the chic formal dining room opposite. Flower oil paintings by Christian Brechneff flank the fireplace. There’s an Asian influence in the sideboards, lamps and small ceramic side table stools.

Lainie chose tufted white linen for the custom couch and natural tassel trim on draperies. Rustic rattan provides backing on the chairs. Ikat prints and jazzy fabrics predominate, created by designers such as Kathryn Ireland, Lisa Fine and Bennison.

Confides Lainie, “This is my first grown-up house. I’ve never felt totally settled before now. Everywhere else I have lived has never felt right. It was always, ‘The next place will be…’ I got to style and decorate this home just how I like it. I don’t think we’ll ever leave!”