Pacific Overtures
A Beni Ourain carpet contributes a flash of exotic color to the living room’s subtle palette.
Written by Robert Leleux | Photographed by Patrick Cline | Produced and Art Directed by Michelle Adams
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Melissa Culligan creates a colorful, kid-friendly home in Los Angeles.
An accent wall covered in Albert Hadley's iconic Fireworks pattern greets visitors to the Culligans' home. The portrait of Melissa's father-in-law, Joe Culligan, is among her favorite things in the house.
Low-slung furnishings emphasize the living room's streamlined, mid- century style. Bold, oversize pieces, such as the gouache and the potted ficus, provide dynamic contrast to the room's sleek proportions.
Tucked into the hills of Los Feliz, a Los Angeles neighborhood where "kids still ride their bikes on the sidewalk," Melissa and Duffy Culligan have created a sunny, tranquil family home for their three growing children. Since moving in almost six years ago, the couple has filled the three-bedroom residence with an eclectic blend of traditional and ethnic furnishings. "We've worked piecemeal, acquiring slowly over time," says Melissa. This deliberate pace has helped the Culligans build a collection of pieces they love. "We've never regretted a purchase," she says. "Some of our things have been found at vintage shops, some on our travels." Melissa discovered the family's Moroccan rugs, for instance, while in Marrakech producing an H&M commercial directed by Sofia Coppola. "We've worked with what we have and have used every square inch," she says. "With three kids, we happen to like an atmosphere of controlled mayhem. But, somehow, everything seems to fit together."
“Stick to the classics, and always ask yourself whether you'll want what you're buying in five years' time," Culligan advises. “Steering clear of trends is key to the process.”
Matching industrial lighting fixtures help extend the dining area’s decor into the open kitchen.
In the dining area, open shelves provide practical storage space as well as a spot to display family keepsakes. Forgoing costly window treatments can help conserve a budget, while also enriching an interior’s modern sensibility. In the Culligans’ living and dining rooms, a wall of uncovered windows ushers in the Southern California sunshine.
I love that my home reflects that I have children. Every room has something that centers on them. Whether it’s a family photo or a piece of art they’ve made, they’re represented in every room.
Understatement is essential, Culligan insists. Stick to a basic uniform in your wardrobe and in your home.
The walls of Melissa’s office are covered with images of inspirational women such as Joan Didion and Jane Goodall.
In the tranquil primary bedroom, Melissa upgraded the hardware of IKEA’s white-lacquered Pax wardrobe, transforming a bargain purchase into a custom shelving unit.
In the bedroom belonging to Beatrice, the Culligans’ young daughter, walls are papered in a bright Cath Kidston floral. “The boys don’t really notice my interior design choices, but Beatrice does,” says Melissa. “She likes to weigh in and give her opinion.”
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