published 6 hours ago
Justina Blakeney believes that “a house is a wet rag”.
The beloved home décor community, The Jungalow, recently opened the SoCal home she shares with her husband, Jason Rosenkrantz, and 9-year-old daughter Ida. Architectural Digest In the first issue of “Family” magazine, this colorful pillow filled with plants is brimming with good vibes.
In addition to the popular Blakeney design brand, which launched in 2014, she has also channeled her creativity to transform the 1930s Spanish-style family home in Altadena. While the house was in “decent” condition when it closed in December 2020, the changes were certainly in order. They wanted to put in a new kitchen, fix the bathrooms, and do the electrical work. Now, it’s infused with Mediterranean detail across 2,700 square feet, embracing the positivity and energy you’d expect from the mind behind The Jungalow.
Of course, getting the house to that point where it exudes energy has been a huge challenge. In addition to the planned construction, they chose to convert the garage into a guest room that could be a Blakeney’s workshop to test bedding and wallpaper. Clearing permits and accessing supplies for the transformation has been very difficult during the pandemic. “It was a real exercise in patience,” Blakeney said. “It was not easy to live for about a year in a construction area.”
Fortunately, Rosencrantz is very useful, and complements her design flair. “We’re a great team because I have a big vision like ‘This is what I want the room to feel, these are the colors I want to bring,’ and it’s often dialed in with every tiny little detail,” Blakeney said.
Each room is designed to evoke a different mood. The renovated kitchen, which has a gorgeous blue Zia tile floor, embraces a minimalist vibe that should be “very functional”. Wood cabinets and tiled floors in a warm terra-cotta color provide subtle contrast. The master bedroom is washed in a cool blue to give it a “cheesy” aesthetic. The wicker and rattan bed and nightstand has a tropical feel, as does this brass palm tree lamp holder. “I often feel that my designs, and the spaces we create, evoke a transformational narrative,” Blakeney said. “But this is the first time we’ve been like, ‘Oh, we’re in a whole new biome. “We went with the idea that the bed was our island in this ocean to celebrate our love together.”
Of course, you’ll find plenty of patterns throughout the home from Jungalow Designs, like the Cha Cha wallpaper in Blakeney’s dressing room and the palm tree mirror from Jungalow’s partnership with Opalhouse. The bathroom is also filled with Blakeney designs featuring cosmic wallpaper and teak-encrusted doors.
The lanai with its bright skylight and tons of lush plants is home to a limestone table and set of four chairs owned by Blakeney’s ancestors. Underfoot, the Moroccan cement tile floor is a colorful addition. Continue outside until you reach the patio centered around a large olive tree. It’s where Blakeney meditates most mornings, but there’s also plenty of room for the family to entertain guests in the plush pink benches. Brick patio with lots of nooks to enjoy outside leads to the pool.
“It has the comfort I really like,” said Blakeney. ad. “And rotated around the flow of energy because of the way the yard is surrounded.”
