The feeling when you step into your dream home is akin to finding "the one"— you just know. But it wasn't love at first sight for Lauren Kleinman, founder of Dreamday and co-founder of The Quality Edit. After finding the five-bedroom home on Redfin, its central location was a major drawcard (10 minutes to Beverly Hills, 15 minutes to Culver City and Venice, and 30 minutes to Malibu) but the interior wasn't what she envisioned — at first. "There was so much clutter that I didn’t like the house," she recalls.
Eventually, after some encouragement from her husband, Kleinman used her imagination to visualize the space once it had been cleared out and she fell in love with the home's simple, logical floor plan. "I loved how open and bright the space was," she continues. "It felt modern but warm and easy to live in. It also had the perfect amount of space for our fast-growing family," she continues, which includes her three-year-old son Alexander, one-year-old daughter Leia, and two dogs, Rocky and Apollo.
The home, which also features a downstairs office, guest room, upstairs gym, pool, and a jacuzzi, really ticked all the boxes. "Everything just worked," she adds. And while the house is near some major roads, the neighborhood streets are very quaint and quiet with families who had lived there for over 50 years. "Coming from a busy street in Venice, we appreciated the (relative) quiet and communal vibe," says Kleinman. "And with two kids under three at the time, it felt like the perfect, safe spot to raise our family."
When it came to decorating the space, Kleinman went for a mid-century meets laid-back California chic vibe. "Throughout the house, you can see elements of both," she explains. "We both like a timeless look and try to not do anything too trendy. For the most part, we like to wait to invest in pieces that we can use for the next 10 plus years."
While Kleinman was influenced by her friend's homes on Instagram (we're looking at you Sivan Ayla) she mostly turned to her favorite interior boutiques for design inspiration including Amber Interiors, The Citizenry, Restoration Hardware, and West Elm. "I take a lot of inspiration from travel as well and like to bring some worldliness into the space," she notes. "Andy’s sister, Carolina Kleinman has been a big design inspiration for us, and that’s where you see some of the eccentricity coming from."
Overall, the home is fairly neutral with layered whites and natural wood elements, but this is accented by pops of color in rich red, orange, and royal blue via the couple's artwork and decorative furniture "to bring life and fun into the space." Kleinman's favorite and most meaningful piece of furniture is the giant Carolina K pouf in the media room, which was a wedding gift from Andy’s sister. "They are found all over the Faena in Miami, where we were married," she adds. "It’s a gorgeous design and while not pictured, is usually covered in its entirety with legos by our son, Alexander."
You wouldn't know from these stunning photos, but Kleinman tells me there are still rooms in the house that aren't complete. "For example, our gym isn’t pictured for a reason (it also contains our baby girl’s crib since she was waking our son up in her early months)," she declares. As a busy mom running two full-time companies with two kids, Kleinman's design approach is mostly centered around convenience — and honestly, we appreciate the realness. "I haven’t had the time to do anything particularly custom," she admits. "The reality is I need some of the décor items when I need them, and so I visit my tried-and-true spots that I know will be delivered quickly."
Overall, Kleinman is a minimalist at heart; "I hate clutter but two kids make it inevitable," she remarks. But she still likes for everything to feel lived in, personal to their family, and warm. This sentiment is clear throughout the home which has an elevated, modern aesthetic that is anchored in comfort and approachable luxury.
When it comes to decorating advice, Kleinman has three very specific tips" "All accents should be in threes. You should always buy the biggest rug for the room to make the room look larger. And, this is your space, you live in it, so it should bring you peace, inspiration, and happiness. And above all, don’t adhere to any one else’s rules; just follow how the space makes you and your family feel." Amen to that.
Since Kleinman and her husband both run multiple companies, their work lives are pretty chaotic and busy. Then throw two kids under four and two large dogs into the mix, and it's clear they both have their hands full. "I like our home and the spaces we spend most of our time to be minimalist as a reprieve from the busyness of our day-to-day lives," she assures me. It's safe to say this home is just as Kleinman envisioned it: welcoming, livable, and timeless. Sounds like a dream home to me.
