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Interior designer Jessica Nicastro likes to make things happen. While that usually means crafting beautiful spaces, sometimes she sets other things in motion. “Like labor,” quips the Los Angeles-based creative and founder of Jessica Nicastro Design—referring, of course, to the kind that involves babies, not buildings. When she first met clients Katie and Rob to discuss their midcentury bungalow in Beverly Hills, the connection was instant—so instant, in fact, that their baby decided it was time to join the party. “Katie was very pregnant,” Nicastro recalls, “and she and Rob left that meeting and headed straight to the hospital to have their baby.”
As her clients grew from two to three, Nicastro envisioned a family home that was colorful, joyful, and in harmony with the lush canyon views framed in every room. But carving out space for the future meant undoing parts of the past. “The previous owner had taken the midcentury bones and slapped on a modern builder-grade remodel,” says Nicastro. Determined to restore its original spirit, she set about turning back the clock. She closed off part of a fireplace, clad the walls in earthy Roman clay, and transformed the powder room sink into a monolithic onyx statement piece. If there were any design rules in play, they were simple: embrace natural materials, warm tones, and richly layered textures. Anything too white or sterile? Strictly off-limits.
In Nicastro’s mind, the indoors and outdoors were two halves of a cohesive whole. Every interior addition had an exterior counterpart to match. Where a formal living area and bonus space became a pair of home offices, an outdoor shower and surf shed were added around the back—keeping their connection to the sun and surf alive. “After living at Manhattan Beach for many years, this home is a sweet, secluded nest to begin their next chapter,” says Nicastro of the couple. Ahead, the designer gives us the inside story of how she brought the tired home to life.
What took the most time but turned out great?
The stone. We scoured every stone yard in Los Angeles for the most fabulous slabs to bring the wow factor to each space. We used a peachy Quattro Stagioni in the kitchen, a beautiful green Quartzite Esmeralda in the bathroom, and Chanel onyx in the powder room—pure magic!
What is the story behind the bar?
We tucked the bar into a corner of the living room so it could simultaneously serve the living, dining, and outdoor areas. Making it three-sided was a deliberate choice—when entertaining, you can open the doors and access it from outside, too. With an ice maker and wine fridge built in, it’s fully equipped for easy, all-out entertaining.
How did you approach the new baby’s space?
I love a good nursery. We first found the vintage rug and built the space around it. We wanted the room to feel playful but still grow with their child. By painting the walls a neutral color other than white, it gave a warmer feel that complemented the furnishings.
What do you consider the shining star?
It would be a toss-up between the custom suede-wrapped bar with the Rosa Travertino countertop and custom brass footrail and the blacked brass fireplace with the bullnose Rosa Travertino edge detail.
How did you decide to cocoon the bathroom with stone?
The shower has a private picture window framing a gorgeous view (it really resembles the botanical backdrop of Obama’s portrait in The National Portrait Gallery). To preserve the beauty of the lush setting, we enveloped the entire space in sage green Quartzite Esmeralda.
What was the end goal for their bedroom design?
We wanted the primary bedroom to feel like a fabulous boutique hotel. It has an amazing treetop and city view, so we kept everything low-profile to really highlight the scenery. We incorporated texture through the decor, including the rug and bed, to create a layered look.
How did you land on a bold green for the facade?
The house was originally painted a creamy taupe which did nothing to complement the exterior of the home. The client wanted to set the tone for color, mood and indoor-outdoor flow by painting the exterior a nature-inspired color.