The Home
First rule for new homeowners: If your parents ask if you want some old furniture, say yes! While you might have to politely decline that overstuffed couch from their rec room, sometimes you get treasures. Designer Amy Sklar and her husband Randy, a comedian, inherited more than a few parental gems after they bought their place in Los Angeles — ideal since Amy wanted a look that reflected the house’s 83-year-old bones. “A lot of the original features were still intact, like the floors, molding and doors,” she says. “I loved that it didn’t feel blurred out.” She supplemented the pieces she got from her family with old-school goodies from area thrift stores, then paired them with contemporary picks. Neutral colors and natural wood help everything mesh. “There’s history here, but you never feel that this house takes itself too seriously,” says Amy. “It feels so good to see bits from my childhood around me. I hope one day when my kids have houses, I’ll get to do the same for them.” Here, homeowner and designer Amy, stands by a custom console that holds the family’s vinyl record collection. The quilt above it is a crafts fair find.