It’s easy to discount actors and actresses as nothing more than an empty character vessel. But as Architectural Digest discovered when Jennifer Aniston invited them into her finely designed Los Angeles house, some stars of screen and stage have extra-curricular talents – and a discerning eye for aesthetics.
Nestled away in Bel Air, the beloved Friends cast member has spent the better part of last decade transforming this space into a home. Acquired in 2011, incidentally, the property transferred ownership shortly after yet another fresh renovation. And while there was nothing inherently wrong with the execution, it simply did not align with Aniston’s own desires.
“Aesthetically, it was the furthest thing from what I wanted, but I immediately had the sense that it could work.”
With help from designer Stephen Shadley – who Aniston had previously enlisted help from to revamp her last Hal Levitt-designed Los Angeles pad – they got to work “softening some of its sharp lines” by toning down the more dramatic elements, eventually turning it into something more cosy and welcoming. Something Aniston could truly call her own.
“Jen is drawn to wood, stone, and bronze, materials that have real substance and depth,” Shadley tells Architectural Digest.
“No matter how beautiful or glamorous something is, it has to be warm and inviting.”
“Sexy is important, but comfort is essential,” says Aniston.
The end result is something which blends the old world with a modernist ethos. Think midcentury furniture, antique Japanese screens, and handpainted wallpaper arranged in a contemporary fashion, championing a “flow” which connects every room together… as well as all the contemporary fixings we’ve become accustomed to since the early 2000s.
“There was a time when I thought there was something romantic about picking up and trotting off somewhere different every three months. Now… there’s nowhere else I want to be.”
Check out the Jennifer Aniston Los Angeles house above (images courtesy of Architectural Digest).
