A New Order by Mandy Graham

Clean lines and tactile details harness an underlying sense of quiet sophistication at Walnut House.

DESIGN| Mandy Graham PHOTOGRAPHY| Manolo Langis LOCATION | Manhattan Beach, California WORDS| Lidia Boniwell

A Californian family home renovated in the late 1990s felt disconnected from its facade before designer Mandy Graham’s intervention, which saw her take an equally refined and restrained approach to transforming each space. A reinterpretation of an existing boxy narrative has resulted in a home that now reflects features of postmodernism through large blocks of stone, softened by a signature arch motif.

Inside, plaster-coated walls and floors in the main living areas create a textural canvas, while white European Oak flooring distinguishes the communal spaces from the private quarters; both chosen for the patina they'll develop over time. Mandy reimagined the once long and uneventful hallway into a grand series of arches, allowing the gentle interplay of light and shadows to become art in the space.

The epicurean kitchen was the only element that was repositioned, now beneath the original skylights of the former living room, while working within the existing parameters of the home. An arresting fourmetre-long monolithic island bench finished with brass joinery and tapware sits atop travertine blocks, letting light cut into the kitchen.

A hallmark of Mandy's work is sourcing vintage pieces and letting them mingle with more contemporary classics. In the formal dining room, an antique Swedish dining table paired with Matteo Grassi chairs speak to her affinity for unique preloved items, while the living room honours contemporary classics like the Up 5 Chair by Gaetano Pesce and Deisis Sofa by Antonio Citterio, both for B&B Italia. Custom-designed pieces from the designer's own MG Collection also create a highly personalised touch in each space.

By reconceptualising Walnut House's exterior linear forms, Mandy Graham has articulated distinctive, fluid movements through corresponding geometry, creating thoughtful moments within.