Kelly Wearstler, the Los Angeles-based interior (and fashion!) designer whose lacquered, maximalist interiors—like film noir double-dipped in rock 'n' roll gloss—are something of an obsession for shelter magazine editors, has by now vamped up enough Southern California manses to make her style easy to define and, perhaps, replicate. Using the Bel Air home featured in this month's Arch Digest as a guide, here's a step-by-step tutorial to bring Wearstler's "singularly bedazzling, high-chroma style" to any space:
1. It's important to get off on the right foot, preferably in the literal sense. To Wearstler, nothing says "fiercely glamourous" quite like gleaming, disarticulated body parts. This mildly weird, moderately awesome gold table, with feet at the base and hands gripping the glass top, is just the way to go. Hat tip to Pedro Friedeberg for this design.
2. Kelly Wearstler's dark Hollywood aesthetic revels in the luxury of black and gold, so punches of noir are a necessity—the more curious and opulent the better, so look for something like this naked, bearded, balletic sculpture, actually a 19th-century bronze.
3. Another thing Wearstler can't seem to get enough of? Light fixtures that look like deep-sea creatures, such as this anemone-like chandelier by Jean de Merry.
4. When possible, opt for monochromatic, geometric wall treatments—but don't let the loudness of the pattern scare you away from displaying chunky pieces of wall art.
5. Use color wisely, saving it for show-stopping pieces like this fuchsia, zebra-print sofa, custom made by Christopher Hyland.
6. Another gilded, dismembered hand? Yeah, keep 'em coming.
7. Puckering sofas, particularly ones that look vaguely like seashells, always exude a funky '70s vibe, which somehow manages to bridge her signature 1940s glamour and contemporary maximalism.
8. One can never have too many reflective surfaces, particularly in (duh) a dressing room. Here, the walls are done up in gold-leafed wood paneling inset with mirrors and brass.
9. Well, there's approximately a zero percent chance one could forget about the traditional "gardening glove + carrot" piece, but here's a friendly reminder to include one, all the same.
10. See tip No. 7.
11. Fruit bowls are so done. Do it the Wearstler way with a giant ceramic hand.
12.The regimented feel of these platonic solid lanterns by Blend Interiors work to ground an otherwise fairly whimsical space.
13.Here's another example of a lighting fixture that looks like it belongs in a deep-sea dive. It's a vintage find, according to AD.
14. Apparently if it looks like you've just won The Biggest Loser, you're doing it right.
15. The four-poster Paul Evans bedframe is utter Wearstler: chrome-covered and shiny enough to reflect bright pink lounge chairs and spackles of confetti.
· Kelly Wearstler Designs a Bold Bel Air Home [Architectural Digest]
· All Kelly Wearstler coverage [Curbed National]
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