Giampiero Tagliaferri

Built in the late 1930s by husband-and-wife architects A. Quincy Jones and Ruth Schneider, the Jones House & Studio #1, in Los Angeles’s Laurel Canyon, is a gem of early organic modernism, freshly reimagined by Giampiero Tagliaferri. “At our studio,” the Italian-born, Los Angeles–based designer says, “we believe in layering design elements to add complexity and depth, rather than sticking to a single era or style.” In the living room, features Jones designed for the home — including a cork wall and built-in shelves that also point to the bold aesthetics of the 1970s, epitomized by designers like Gae Aulenti and Carla Venosta — set the stage for Tagliaferri’s signature blend of Milanese sophistication and California cool. Surrounding a custom sofa that he reupholstered in iridescent velvet, the designer placed Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs, a Pierre Guariche G25 sconce, circa 1952, and a 1970s stainless-steel coffee table by Massimo Papiri that features an integrated drinks bar. Tagliaferri combined these vintage pieces with ones by contemporary artists, such as a marble side table by sculptor Ian Collings, an Otis Jones circular painting and, on the shelves, ceramic works by Ben Medansky and Jonathan Cross. “By combining this vast range of pieces and materials, we cultivate environments that feel contemporary and classic,” Tagliaferri notes, “while maintaining a sense of intrigue and freshness.”