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It’s not often that a rental home gets treated to a designer’s touch, but when TV executive Meredith Gertler made the move from New York City to Los Angeles, she knew that she wanted her temporary residence to have all the character and charm of a forever home. Enter decorator Katie Salove: With offices in New York and L.A., she understood Gertler’s vision for her midcentury rental in the Los Feliz neighborhood, an area that appealed to the newcomer’s East Coast sensibility. “Los Feliz is a little grittier and more hipster than other neighborhoods in L.A.—less ‘lip filler’—and every street isn’t lined with palm trees. It reminds me a little of Brooklyn,” says Salove. Gertler wanted the interior of the house to share that same understated, no-nonsense vibe.
While sitting in velvet barrel swivel chairs from Vintage on Point, guests can chat with friends sitting on the sofa, or spin around to watch TV. A Thai teak stool from Berbere Imports is used as a side table. Throw, Lena Rewell.
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The textured stone fireplace set the tone for the living room and inspired the distinctive accessories. Vase by Jotham Hung from JF Chen. Glazed stoneware wall sculpture by Brie Ruais, Albertz Benda Gallery.
Sam FrostThe house itself was a blank slate: “white walls, white oak floors, and lots of glass…nothing offensive,” says Salove. But rentals come with considerable restrictions: She couldn’t knock down walls or wrap rooms in wallpaper, so she had to find clever ways to make the house feel like Gertler’s own. The pair decided on a palette of warm neutrals that complemented the midcentury style of the home and then accessorized with a unique collection of art and objects. Because Gertler wasn’t sure how long she’d be living in the house, she wanted to stick to a reasonable budget and purchase furnishings she could take with her when she moves. To that end, Salove selected versatile pieces, like the large modular sofa in the living room, which can be used in different iterations in a future home, and end tables that work with a variety of architectural styles.
In the primary bedroom, Salove used subtle pattern and texture to create a soothing retreat. A Maja Dlugolecki painting was commissioned to hang over the tufted bed, which is covered in a luminous silk and linen bedcover by Pat McGann. Polka dot ceramic lamp, Hollywood at Home.
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Gertler can catch up on work at a burl wood desk from Anthropologie. Velvet chair, Sun at Six. A commissioned piece of art by Nik Nik Studio hangs over a hemp dresser from Made Goods. Ceramic lamp, Miguel Torres.
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“We wanted to greet guests with a calming color palette and inviting textures,” explains Salove, who introduced in a bedcover and vintage footstools from Pat McGann. Bed, Crate & Barrel.
Sam FrostThe biggest challenge in bringing the home to life was the tight timeline. Gertler had made the cross-country move with little more than her king-size bed, dining room table (which Salove repurposed as a game table in the living room), and some office furniture. “I couldn’t have her living there with nothing to sit on, so we needed to move fast,” says Salove. Due to time and budget constraints, they shopped mostly at big-box stores like Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, and Anthropologie, and nearly all of the furniture arrived within a month or two. “Once the big items were in, we were able to take a breath and have a little fun,” says Salove, who scoured Etsy and Chairish for vintage or handmade side tables, lamps, and pillows to add character.
A dining table by Teak Warehouse is surrounded by green steel chairs from Design Within Reach. “The furniture is outdoor quality, but we wanted something cool and modern looking—something with character,” says Salove. She had chair cushions upholstered in a Rose Tarlow fabric.
Sam FrostGertler was “overjoyed” to finally have a proper outdoor space after years of living in New York, says Salove, who leaned into a quintessentially Californian indoor-outdoor vibe. The patio was imagined as an extension of the house, complete with a modern dining table and chairs for throwing dinner parties—Gertler loves to entertain—and an imaginative sculpture garden that features low-maintenance succulents that don’t require much watering, a boon for a businesswoman always on the go.
“The side patio felt empty, so we decided to turn it into a sculpture garden,” says Salove, who filled it with distinctive pots, sculptures, and plants from The Tropics Inc., a vast nursery and outdoor showroom in Hollywood.
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Cement chairs from Berbere Imports double as clever planters, creating a verdant moment in an empty corner. Vintage wooden stool, Counter-Space. Perforated steel side table, Faire du Vert.
Sam FrostWhile this house was initially intended to be a temporary stop, it’s a sign of Salove’s successful design that Gertler is still living in it nearly three years later—and is in no hurry to leave this cozy oasis that feels like home.
