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Raised by a second-generation Hollywood stunt man, Tammy Randall Wood of Interior Archaeology fell in love with set design early in life. “I wanted to be involved in the creation of spaces because they really do help us tell our stories,” says Wood, who, newly married, went pursued interior design rather than film so she didn’t have to move on location for every new project. “We manifest the story of our lives," she says. After two decades in Connecticut and a few impressive house flips later, Wood and her husband decided it was time to make the journey back home to Southern California. And ever up for a challenge, their new property was going to require Wood's big imagination, decorating wizardry, and house-flipping expertise.
The property in question? A foreclosed Spanish Colonial in the Santa Monica Mountains right next door to the mansion featured on The Bachelor that was “an LSD nightmare,” the designer recalls. “They had painted the floors black, and every room a different electric color. But I said to my husband, ‘Let’s buy it.’”
Where others saw an abandoned eight-bedroom money pit, Wood saw potential. “I always have huge visions, and everyone around me shakes their head,” she explains. She got right to work and “refurbished the gardens with beautiful olive trees, redid the floors, and ripped out the kitchen. It was featured on a magazine cover—and then the 2018 Woolsey fire destroyed most of it five months later,” Wood shares with us.
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Ever the optimist, Wood saw this as an opportunity: “We fixed everything we couldn’t get to the first time around.” Using a neutral color scheme and quiet yet rich materials like limestone and zellige tile, she sought to “bridge the traditional architecture with a more modern sensibility.” The family follows “a Medical Medium protocol, with food as healing,” so the kitchen features two islands and extensive closed cabinetry (painted a soothing natural green) so that all her smoothie and juice-making gadgets can be quickly stowed. The swimming pool and sprawling gardens inspire the family to spend a lot of time outside, another design for healthy living.
For the furnishings and accents, “We created juxtapositions that make sense,” Wood says: nubby bouclé chairs across from a roll-arm sofa, easygoing woven Roman shades against patterned drapes, and refreshing white paint that makes the beams pop. Several bedrooms were converted into guest suites, decorated to make loved ones feel at home while visiting
So what’s it really like to live next to the Bachelor mansion? “People find out and are lined up at the wall [separating the two properties],” laughs Wood. “Luckily, it’s a really tall wall.” Keep reading to get a peek inside the rest of the home.
Family Room
Simple, comfy, and perfect for cozy gatherings. Sofa: Suzanne Kasler. Coffee table: Shoppe Amber Interiors. Chairs and ottomans: Little Petra, via Interior Archaeology. Fireplace tile: Zellij Galleries. Shades: Hunter Douglas.
Living Room
Wood was inspired by the idea of a caravansary, “a roadside inn where travelers would rest and recover, from the day’s journey along routes like the Silk Road.” Chairs: Wicker Works, with Rose Tarlow fabric. Coffee table: vintage. Tray: Made Goods. Sculpture: Picasso. Pendant: Formations. Tile: Walker Zanger.
Dining Room
A patterned Zimmer + Rohde curtain fabric plays into the more formal side of the Spanish Colonial. Ceiling accent: antique panel. Roman shades: Hunter Douglas. Pendants: Currey & Company. Table: custom, Interior Archeology. Chairs: Noble Souls.
Kitchen
Wood designed the space as a cross between English scullery and a hacienda. Paint: Winter White, Benjamin Moore (walls and ceiling) and custom, Interior Archaeology (cabinetry). Ovens: Wolf. Counters: terrazzo (left) and marble (right), Walker Zanger.
Bedroom
Almost everything in the walk-in closet off the main bedroom is tucked behind closed storage for a calming, clutter-free atmosphere. The green accents in the bedroom refer to nature. Bed frame: Hickory Chair. Bedding: Raoul Textiles via Shoppe Amber Interiors. Sconce: vintage. Bench: Interior Archaeology. Rug: antique.
Laundry Room
Everyday tasks take place against an elegant, serene backdrop. Wall tiles: Zellij Gallery. Backsplash and countertop: soapstone, Walker Zanger. Sink and faucet: Rohl. Accessories: designer’s own collection. Hardware: via Interior Archaeology.
Courtyard
A trickling fountain and outdoor fireplace set the scene. Dining table custom, and chairs: via, Interior Archaeology. Light fixture: custom, Dana Creath Designs. Floor tiles: Tabarka Studio.
Pool Patio
“Views of the Santa Monica Mountains dominate the horizon,” designer Tammy Randall Wood says of her family’s backyard vista. Tables: Formations. Chair: Four Hands. Tile: Saltillo from Mexico. Pillows and throws: Shoppe Amber Interiors.
