House tour: Lana Condor’s home goes through 80 phases to become her personal sanctuary
With the help of designer Joseph Monsour, the actor turned a good-bones property into a deeply personal sanctuary for family, friends, and furry companions
For actor Lana Condor, the journey to her dream home began with an impromptu FaceTime call from her husband, Anthony De La Torre. “I was in the jungle in Vietnam on a conservation trip when Anthony called me, saying, ‘Oh my God, I think I found the perfect home,’” Condor recalls. “He walked me through it virtually, and I fell in love, especially with the backyard. I could instantly imagine our dogs enjoying it.” Upon returning to Los Angeles, Condor toured the property in person and knew it was the one. “It felt like the home where we could start the next chapter of our lives,” she says.
Despite the home’s good bones, it would take considerable work to make space a perfect fit for the couple. That’s where Condor’s longtime friend, interior designer Joseph Monsour, comes in. “At first, Lana thought we’d just need some paint and minor updates,” Monsour says. “But as always, it snowballed. We ended up redoing every surface in the house.”
“We’re big sensory people,” says Lana Condor, describing the sitting area in the primary suite, which is swathed in sheer panels of fabric. The A. Rudin custom sectional sofa was designed by Monsour, who sourced the French brass-and-glass tiered coffee table at an auction. The chandelier is from Paul Ferrante.
The sofas, which anchor the living room, are from Sixpenny, while the central gilt metal and mirrored glass Guerlain cocktail table is from Ebanista. The Spanish Baroque oak chairs and antique oak console were both sourced from private estate sales.
The changes were both structural and aesthetic. Walls were removed to open up the kitchen and family room. A powder room and ample pantry were added. Monsour also worked closely with landscape designer Patricia Benner to emphasize views of lush gardens from every room.
Condor and De La Torre had a front row seat, living in the home through the renovations. “They saw the house in 80 different phases and stages,” Monsour says. “So Lana would see something, then she would go away to shoot something. She’d come back a month or so later, and it would be completely different.” While the homeowners aren’t entirely sure they could endure the grueling process again, witnessing so much of the renovation firsthand made them appreciate all of the small details that much more.
In Lana Condor and Anthony De La Torre’s all-white kitchen, the walls are Dunn-Edwards’s Milk Mustache, while the millwork is Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White. A Lazzaro Donati oil painting hangs in the background. The 1960s Italian Murano glass pendants over the island were sourced from 1stDibs.
The kitchen features brass finishes, including the faucet and pot filler, from Newport Brass. The counter stools are from All Modern, reupholstered in Perennials fabric. The cooktop is by Miele, while the refrigerator is Sub-Zero. The painting near the range is by Mladen Novak.
In the dining room, the Regency table, by Rose Tarlow, is surrounded by vintage Móveis Teperman chairs purchased from Billings Auction in LA. The antique console was sourced from Litt Concept House. An abstract still life by Olga Bolgar hangs in a 24-karat gold frame. Ferns from Inner Gardens rest on a pair of classic pedestals from Dennis & Leen.
For Condor, travels to Italy served as a major source of inspiration. “I’ve always admired how everything there feels like art but is also livable,” she explains. Monsour channeled this by incorporating durable yet beautiful materials, including upholstering many pieces in performance fabric. Indoor-outdoor flooring ensures that the home can host everything from intimate family dinners to large-scale events. “We wanted a home that we could live in and not be afraid to mess up,” Condor says.
Texture and subtle color are central to the design. Venetian plaster, silk wallpaper, and linen-clad walls add layers of sophistication. “We started with the idea of an all-cream palette,” Monsour says. “But as we explored fabrics and finishes, we introduced soft colors and warmth inspired by the surrounding landscape.”
Auction finds and family heirlooms bring depth and personality to the interiors. “Every room has a special antique that serves as a conversation piece,” Monsour shares. Condor’s late mother’s artwork and collected mementos are also displayed throughout the home. “Just being able to have her and her work in the house is really amazing,” she says. “This house is my pride and joy, and having these pieces makes it even more special.”
In the library, the custom desk is fashioned from painted walnut with a brass edge detailing, while the chair is antique. In the background an oil on canvas work by William Wolfson hangs on the wall.
The powder room is clad in Fromental’s dusty pink silk wallpaper—Mishima in Asama—with gold detailing. The George II Style Burton-Ching Regency giltwood mirror was sourced from Prospr Antiques.
The couple’s home was designed with functionality in mind. It’s where they hosted their recent wedding’s welcome party and farewell brunch, and now where they live out their daily rituals. “Our Sunday mornings are my favorite,” Condor says. “We’ll have tea in the loggia, watch our dogs play, and just soak in the beauty.”
As Monsour notes, “This house isn’t just about how it looks. It’s about how it lives.” For Lana Condor, the journey to create this sanctuary has been transformative. “This is the first place that feels like forever,” she says. “I’m a nomad by nature, but this home makes me never want to leave.”
An oil painting by Michael Berryhill hangs at the end of the interior hallway above an antique gilded klismos bench. The Galician granite column is from Philip Stites, while the pavilion lantern is by Paul Ferrante and the antique sconce was an estate sale find.
“I wanted it to be an experience, like when someone’s in it, they’re stepping into a scene,” Monsour says of the blush pink glam room. “I feel like I become a more fun, dramatic character when I’m in here,” Condor confesses. For the transformative effect, Monsour painted the walls Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground and affixed custom, hand-sculpted butterflies from MJ Atelier to the ceiling. The settee was custom designed by Monsour, upholstered in a Perennials fabric. The pillows were fashioned from Hermès scarves.
Lana Condor in her glam room. It took Monsour months of searching to find the right slab of marble for the countertops. In the end he was able to source the perfect pink polished Rosa Elegante marble from Stoneland.
In the primary bedroom, the upholstered bed frame was custom designed by Monsour and wrapped in Claremont’s Spencer velvet fabric in Rosemary. The custom upholstered chairs were sourced from A. Rudin. Nightstands from Kathy Kuo Home flank the bed, while the antique French chest of drawers is from Nickey Kehoe.
In the primary bathroom, the millwork was fabricated by Gamiz Custom Improvements. The bathtub and shower fixtures are by Newport Brass, while the freestanding tub is from Victoria + Albert. The antique Italian chandelier over the tub was sourced from Olde Good Things.
Joseph Monsour worked with Patricia Benner from Benner Landscape Design to transform the outdoor space. The potted plants were sourced from Inner Gardens.
The loggia provides the couple a serene space to entertain al fresco. Monsour sourced the teak farmhouse dining table from Frontgate, while the dining chairs are from Amalfi Living. The coffee table and stools are antique.
Original article appeared on Architectural Design