We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
If there’s one design goal that never goes out of style, it’s timelessness. No one wants to invest in a look that feels dated in a year, which is why the smartest spaces tend to borrow from the past. When a detail still feels cool decades later, it’s probably worth holding on to.
Diane Keaton—yes, the Oscar winner with equally iconic taste in hats and houses—clearly agrees. (She did write The House That Pinterest Built, after all.) The actress once restored a Los Angeles home originally designed by Lloyd Wright (son of Frank Lloyd Wright), and it’s now on the market for $12.8 million.
You don’t have to be the next buyer to benefit, though. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Rustic Canyon is packed with ideas that prove enduring style isn’t about trends—it’s about intention. Here are three design moves we’re copying from this mid-century gem, including an unexpected material that’s hiding in the bathroom.
Add Low-Slung Shelving
Bookcases are a recurring feature, seen opposite the brick fireplace in the living area and lining multiple walls in one of the bedrooms. Not only do they soften the angles that make the architecture so distinctive, but they also give the rooms some warmth. Take a page—pun intended—from this home and consider adding shelving on the bottom half of a wall, particularly if it can stretch beneath windows. While you could go for a high-contrast finish using the same black-and-white palette as this property, color drenching the shelving and walls in the same shade would work wonders, too.
Mix Materials
If there’s one space that flirts with maximalism instead of firmly embracing mid-century, it’s the dining room. The glass-topped table has a natural wood base that resembles the roots of a tree, and it’s all encircled by woven chairs in a light finish. Two large cabinets flank the table, reflecting sunlight on their glass-and-metal builds, while an oversized art piece hangs on one wall. A lot is going on, but it still feels cohesive. Why? The mixed materials share the same tones. If you’re aiming for the same effect in your space, you’ll have success by following suit.
Choose a Fresh-Yet-Familiar Backsplash
One of the bathrooms appears to feature stainless steel as a predominant material, which is a surprising choice for a bathroom (it’s usually seen on kitchen appliances). But in a room that gets a lot of natural light, like this one, stainless steel takes on a sophisticated shine. Opt for this alloy instead of a more routine ceramic if you want to pull off a reno with a twist, and follow Keaton’s lead on surrounding finishes.