Revitalising a Historic Hancock Park Home: Ashley Lavonne Walker’s Art-Infused Design

When interior designer Ashley Lavonne Walker took on a historic home in Los Angeles’s Hancock Park neighbourhood, she saw a wealth of opportunity to blend classic charm with modern energy. The key to this transformation? The client’s extensive art collection. Walker expertly wove the collection into the design, bringing bold, modern art into conversation with the home’s traditional architecture.

Focal Points Through Art

In one of the home’s cosiest spaces—the family room—Walker’s design brilliance shines through. The room is anchored by a striking large-scale painting by Tiffany Alfonseca, which not only draws the eye but also infuses the space with personality and vibrancy. The abstract work, filled with rich hues, serves as both an artistic statement and a visual anchor for the room. It’s not just decoration; it’s a conversation piece that speaks to the client’s personality and love of contemporary art.

Vibrancy in Every Corner

What makes this family room particularly captivating is how Walker allowed the art to guide the room's color and texture choices. The painting’s energetic palette—comprising bright pops of colour and dynamic shapes—served as a jumping-off point for selecting vibrant textiles and upholstery. By echoing the colours in the artwork, the furniture pieces feel both harmonious and lively. This playful fusion of colour creates an atmosphere that is both relaxed and stimulating, making it perfect for a family-oriented space where comfort and visual interest coexist.

Balancing Old and New

One of the challenges of working with a historic home is ensuring that contemporary design elements integrate smoothly with period details. In this case, Walker achieves that balance effortlessly. The family room retains its traditional charm—think wood paneling and elegant mouldings—but is reinterpreted through modern furnishings and art, creating an atmosphere where the old and new coexist beautifully. The room feels lived-in and inviting, yet elevated, showcasing Walker’s ability to marry classic architectural features with contemporary design.

The Power of Art in Design

By emphasising art as both a visual and emotional focal point, Ashley Lavonne Walker reminds us that a well-curated art collection can be the cornerstone of a room’s design. Art doesn’t just decorate a space; it has the power to inform the atmosphere, set the tone, and even shape the energy of a room. Whether you’re working with a small collection or a substantial one like the client’s, art has the ability to breathe life into any space, offering endless opportunities to experiment with colour, texture, and form.

In the Hancock Park family room, the art does more than just hang on the wall—it becomes the heart of the design, guiding the choices in furniture, colour, and texture. This approach turns the room into a reflection of both the homeowner’s aesthetic taste and the designer’s creative vision.

Takeaway: Let Art Lead Your Design

Ashley Lavonne Walker’s design for this Hancock Park family room is a perfect example of how art can be the focal point that ties a room together. By using a single, large-scale piece as a jumping-off point, she created a vibrant and harmonious space that feels both fresh and timeless. It’s a reminder that, when it comes to home design, art is not just an accessory—it’s a transformative element that can elevate a space, inspire new ideas, and create a room full of character.

If you're redesigning a room and looking for a way to inject some personality and vibrancy into the space, consider leaning into art as a guide for your design choices. Let it inspire the colours, textures, and furniture choices that will bring your vision to life.