Live beyond your walls
Justina Blakeney’s home is California dreaming defined
What does it actually mean to design for indoor/outdoor living? And for that matter, how can you do it in your home? Step inside artist and designer Justina Blakeney’s LA home to see for yourself.
When Justina Blakeney and her husband, Jason Rosencrantz, bought a new LA home, they got the California dream. With its terracotta roof set against a stucco exterior and low-slung silhouette full of expansive glass openings, their home combines the best of Spanish Revival and Mid-Century Modern architecture. Not only that, but the house was “designed for indoor/outdoor living” with an interior courtyard, a swimming pool, and a lanai. There was, however, a problem: The windows and doors that made the home so charming, livable, and connected to the outdoors simply weren’t functional anymore. Here’s how Blakeney made updates to those features while also aligning it with her signature aesthetic.
Before Blakeney replaced the French doors in her home (right), they would blow open in the wind. For the new doors, she chose new E-Series Hinged Patio Doors in olive (left). Of these doors, she said “[they] fit beautifully with the Spanish Revival architecture of the home.” Photography by Max Wanger.
“The pop of olive green on the trim really brings me a lot of joy. It’s elevated but fun — my vibe!”
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“We just open [the gliding patio door] and the courtyard becomes an outdoor living room.”
“Living in concert” with nature
Adding new windows and doors, of course, improved the family’s ability to access the outdoors. But they also feel the benefits of this access on a deeper level as they go about their everyday lives. “Research consistently demonstrates the profound benefits of living amidst and near nature on both mental and physical well-being,” Blakeney said. “But you don’t need to delve into scientific studies to grasp this truth intuitively.” She grasps it when the sunlight streams into her home or when she looks out at the trees, squirrels, and birds. “When I wake up in the morning and look out the window, it honestly looks like a beautiful painting,” she said.
