Emma Roberts LA abode

“Home is like a womb,” says actress Emma Roberts referring to her new LA abode – a place one feels happy and safe.

“I haven’t always had that -I think I lived in 10 houses by the time I was 15 – so for me now, having a son, I wanted a place that felt really ours.”

The actress and her son moved into the California home soon after she spotted it on Instagram.

“I have a picture of the day we moved in,” Roberts says, smiling. “I’m holding him and it was the most sunny California day, and we were in front of the blue door of our new house. I just remember feeling like we are exactly where we need to be.”

The actress and producer enlisted the help of Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward of Pierce & Ward to help her decorate what she refers to as “my very own grown-up dollhouse”.

Having worked together on previous projects, the trio easily pulled the design together, repainting the walls a creamy ivory to introduce warmth, depth, and an air of timelessness to the space. Next, they reupholstered many of Roberts’ existing pieces to breathe new life into them and beautifully arranged Roberts’ existing art collection on the walls. They also carefully curated her collections of dolls, books and vintage magazines.

“Minimalism is not my strong suit,” laughs Roberts. “Every house I’ve ever lived in feels a little bit like a cabinet of curiosities.”

But as Piece points out, this helps to create a cosy, lived-in feeling. “We want a house to look like it’s been there for 50 years. We never want a home to look new.”

This approach has resulted in a series of comfortable, character-filled spaces that exude an easy elegance. It also means that these spaces are ever-evolving; “A room is never done,” Ward says. “You need to breathe new life into spaces all the time.” So, while the design collaboration between Roberts and Pierce & Ward is complete for now, the design allows for change and growth – perfect for the growing family.