Inside Emily Wassall's Pop-Hued, Plant-Filled LA Paradise
Welcome to Mama Cribs, an FM Journal series where we shine a light on the gorgeous homes inhabited by inspiring mothers.
Photos: Emily Wassall
Given her career as a freelance creative director with a client roster that boasts such stylish brands as Net-A-Porter, Anine Bing, and AG Jeans — as well as the founder of kids concept store, MINI X STYLE — it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Emily Wassall likes to surround herself with beautifully designed things. For proof, look no further than the bright, playful, and plant-filled home she shares with her husband and three children.
Emily and her family moved to the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles from London, and had a brief stint in San Fransisco before settling down for good in the home they lovingly renovated and personalized with lots of natural light, custom neon art, and decor that’s best described as Miami-meets-LA (think tropical prints and color palettes and tons of greenery). Since completing the passion project, Emily has expanded her business to include the interior design world and is currently accepting commissions.
For more insight on Emily’s expert eye and how she created a space that’s both visually inspiring and conducive to her family’s changing needs, check out the inside peek she shared with Fashion Mamas — plus learn where she shops for chic home goods, what her favorite spot in the home is, and what drew the family to the neighborhood in the first place.
What are some words you’d use to describe your home?
Colorful, playful, bold, and eclectic.
Who lives with you in your home, and what age are your little ones?
It's a full house (especially right now with everyone home)! Me and my husband, Fran have three kids and a dog. Our eldest daughter Aura is seven, Middle daughter Zephyr is five and our son, Jade, will be one in March.
What initially attracted you to your home and the area you live in?
We moved to the US from London in 2011. All our like-minded friends in LA and back home in London pointed us in the direction of Silver Lake. When we arrived we immediately felt we had found 'our place.' The Silver Lake community is creative, vibrant, progressive, and welcoming, which is exactly what we loved about our neighbourhood in East London.
We signed the contract on our house the night Aura was born and still feel very lucky to have snagged it when we did. It's on a hillside with incredible views and magical sunsets. It's very quiet and nestled up in the trees so feels a little treehouse-esque. I love looking out the window to see squirrels playing in the trees and hummingbirds hovering close by.
The house was first built in 1932 and we always planned on a complete remodel. We had a brief stint living in San Francisco and decided to return to LA and work on creating our dream home. We finished construction on the house in March 2020.
What kinds of items do you love to surround yourself with? How do these items identify with your personality?
I like to be surrounded by objects that inspire and have a purpose. We have a lot of books and magazines, mostly fashion, interiors, and art. Even when I don't have the time to dip into them, just having them there makes me feel and think more creatively. Candles, I can never have enough of. I light one once the kids are asleep and it helps to change the mood into relax mode. We also have a healthy dose of house plants because obviously taking care of three kids wasn't enough! They add little Miami flavor (South Beach was a big influence when we designed the house). Watching new leaves sprout during the year of lock down has become strangely satisfying and happy making to see!
What's one of your favorite rooms or corners of your home?
Probably the staircase. When you walk into the house, [the staircase] is open from the ground floor to the roof, with a skylight and two story windows to capture the light and the view. It's also home to a custom neon artwork surrounded by greenery. At night it changes the mood of the house from playful and bright to a little more Blade Runner. Blue and purple light bounce off the walls to create more of a club vibe.
Under the stairs is a hidden powder room, which you enter through a secret arched doorway. The walls are decorated with a Miami Metropolis Maze wallpaper. Somewhere to hide or get lost in depending on your mood!
What changes have you made inside your home as your family evolves?
We designed a complete remodel of the house and took it back to the frame. There were a few practical changes we made. It was important to me that all the bedrooms were on the same floor, so we redesigned the whole footprint and layout of the house to make this happen. The bedrooms are all upstairs now with living and dining downstairs, which opens out onto a deck and the back garden. We wanted the house to feel bright and airy and make the most of the views so we added some large windows and skylights. It's now very open plan to let all that beautiful California light in.
"The Silver Lake community is creative, vibrant, progressive, and welcoming, which is exactly what we loved about our neighbourhood in East London."
How have you translated your aesthetic into your kid rooms?
I recently designed and painted my baby's room. We moved many times in the past 10 years, which meant I wasn't able to decorate how I wanted. Jade's room is exactly how I dreamed whilst I was pregnant with him. He has a huge wall mural inspired by the California landscape with a sun and abstract ocean and mountains in some of my favorite colors. I wanted him to wake up with lots to see, in a bright and inspiring space!
My girls room is less kiddy, a little more tween. The design is more simple and clean. As we love reading and books, they have a chill out library corner. They have some cool art on the walls and their room has giant windows with the best views in the house!
Where in your home does your family spend the most time, and what are some daily rituals you share with your partner and/or little ones?
Thankfully we moved back into the house right when the pandemic hit. Like everyone else, we had no idea how many hats our home would have to wear with us all at home for the past year. I spend most of my time in the kitchen, working on my laptop, helping my oldest daughter with her zoom school, and making endless rounds of meals and baby food.
As the girls are older now and have their own things going on, our days are pretty jam packed. We do always start the day with breakfast together and some fun learning time and end the day with a family reading session. Simple, but a nice way to slow down and connect at the beginning and end of our days. Dance parties and art are a big part of our weekend agenda!
"I like to be surrounded by objects that inspire and have a purpose.”
What item in your home do you treasure the most?
It's a big item, but our kitchen table. I knew I wanted to commission this table way before we even began the remodel. The designer, Shin of WAKA-WAKA makes the most beautifully crafted pieces. I love the color, shapes, and curves in his work and I wanted a table that evoked creativity and conversation. I always imagined making memories with friends and family around the table once the house was complete. It's the center of our home, physically and metaphorically speaking.
Where are your favorite places/sites to shop for art and interiors?
Candid Home in Silver Lake is a fave for vintage and new. It's also local, female-owned, and they hand deliver to your door (extra dopamine hit!). Poketo is another local fave as well as Coming Soon NY, and BI-RITE. Brands I love are Dusen Dusen (for bedsheets and towels), Areawear (home accessories), Hem and HAY Design (furniture and home wear), Quiet Town (shower curtains and bathroom rugs), and Aelfie (rugs and bed sheets).
*Stay updated on Emily’s exciting LA life by following her on Instagram: @ew_studios.
**Black and white baby cardigan and socks, all @memekidswear.