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Just months after the tragic Palisades Fire in early 2025, Leanne Ford and her husband, Erik Ford (co-founder of Buck Mason), made a move to Venice Beach after losing their historic Rustic Canyon bungalow. The pair saw it as a meaningful reset. “This wasn’t a project that began from creativity, like most of my work,” Ford shared over email. “In fact, the house was done and beautiful. It came from necessity. We needed a place that could hold us, ground us, and help us slowly bring Los Angeles back into our lives.”
Now, they’ve tied a bow around the project and put it on the market for the next owners. The five-bedroom home is currently listed at $4.45 million, but there are plenty of genius design ideas you can borrow (for free). Here are some of our favorites:
A Custom Touch Will Always Stand Out
Ford used a custom hue (aptly-named Sunset) from Portola Paints on the existing drywall, and then tapped Maneuverworks to add updated kitchen shelving and cabinet fronts. She turned to Strong Coast Construction to remove a more traditional island and rearrange millwork in order to wedge an oversized dinner table in there. “In the living space, we designed a massive, wall-to-wall sofa based on the Ever sofa I created with Crate & Barrel, which helped soften the cleaner lines and cooler feel of the newer architecture.”
Swap Storage for Windows
An out-of-the-box idea, but one that made complete sense in Ford’s situation. “We took out the upper cabinets and installed long windows in their place since we already had plenty of storage,” she says (we’re jealous!). The designer rounded everything out by installing concrete countertops and replacing the fronts below and adjacent open shelving in matching hemlock wood.
Take out the Island, Drop in a Dining Table
In Ford’s eyes, kitchen islands can feel primarily task-driven whereas a table invites people to linger and talk. The swap, she advises, completely changes how people use the room. “It feels more like a family space and less like a workstation, which was exactly what we wanted for this house,” she explains.
Choose Materials That Will Age With Patina
In an effort to avoid anything feeling too new, Ford chose materials that age well and get better with time. “I’m always thinking about how things feel just as much as how they look,” Ford says. “I want walls you want to touch, floors that feel grounding, and furniture that invites you to sit and stay awhile.”
Create a Studio Space (or Just a Corner)
Even if you don’t have the space to fully dedicate to a creative practice, try carving out a pocket within your home for getting a little wild. “I think the best part of this space is the studio,” Ford shares. “A place to feel free to create as you feel drawn to.”