Tour a Transformed LA Oasis Inspired by History and Travel

In 2017, interior designer Lisa Koch, who had recently finished decorating The Faena in Miami, met hotelier Jeff Klein at the Sunset Tower in Los Angeles. He hired her on the spot to freshen up the Art Deco landmark: “I was extremely drawn to Lisa because she wanted to respect the soul and listen to the history and bones of the building,” says Klein, who also owns notable properties like the San Vicente Bungalows and The Jane Hotel. Two years later, Klein and his husband, producer John Goldwyn, purchased a nearby 1937 property built in the style of a 19th-century French manor—and knew Koch could transform the interiors into an inviting and transporting oasis inspired by its original architectural blueprints.

Interior designer Lisa Koch sits in the curved breakfast room. “I found this French 1960s chandelier at Carlos de la Puente in New York and sent a picture of it to Jeff,” she says. “He replies yes, go ahead—so I brought it back to Los Angeles.” The house project took her almost five years to perfect.

“Jeff and I are quite aesthetically aligned,” Koch says. “We didn’t come into each room with a distinct vision but rather it unfolded very naturally.” With the help of architect Ward Jewell, nearly every inch of the house was overhauled, from the climbing rose-covered stucco exterior walls and dove gray shutters to intricate arched foyers and a walk-in walnut bar. A guest house was removed to maximize space for the gardens by landscape designer Lisa Zeder, and a large swimming pool was replaced with a smaller one at the rear of the property. Unstained French oak floors sourced from an old English country estate cover every room except the kitchen and gym, with each plank laid with uneven spacing to exude the sense they’ve settled, like the house, with time. “Our intention was to respect the integrity of the property so it didn’t feel like a 1970s house Halston could have lived in,” Klein says.

In the living room, pigmented plaster done by hand and applied paneling on the walls were inspired by the late-1930s architectural appeal of the original house. “We added thickness to the walls to allow for paneled casing around the French door and windows,” Koch says. Above the fireplace encased in an Italian marble mantle from Jamb hangs an inset brass-trimmed antique mirror that reflects light from the gardens. The painting on the far wall is by Jean Dubuffet, while the sofas are from Roman Thomas.

In the living room, dentil crown molding, pigmented plaster, and decorative paneling were added to convey the original 1930s architecture, while the walls were thickened to include detailed casings around the French doors. An inset brass-trimmed antique mirror sits above the Italian marble mantle by Jamb, while a Jean Dubuffet painting hangs beside the grand piano. Pocket doors lead into the library, where a chandelier that belonged to Lord Mountbatten vies with Rosie Uniacke periwinkle armchairs. “We had planned on making the walnut paneling dark and bought dozens of stain samples but in order to remove the cathedral wood grain patterns we had to bleach it out multiple times,” Koch explains. “But after we lightened it, it looked much better, so it was a happy accident.” Above the fireplace, a projector unfurls from the ceiling, allowing it to double as a screening room. A 1958 pen and ink watercolor by Jean Cocteau—the first piece the couple ever bought together—stands between shelves lined with antiquarian and art books. “John is a voracious reader and very particular about organizing his books,” Klein muses.