California Family Style- Amanda Pays & Corbin Bernsen

About a zillion years ago I tore out a spread of the home of Amanda Pays and Corbin Bernsen from House and Garden. It was one of my very favorite homes ever with it’s simple elegance. It was their first home and their children were babies. So it was fun to see their latest collaboration published this month along with their beautiful family all grown up.

C Magazine and Country Living both has spreads on their lovely family and the California home they have crafted together. I love that Corbin, (formerly on L.A. Law and now stars on USA networks, “Psych,”) was a carpenter before becoming an actor and still loves doing all their home renovations along with his wife. Amanda (remember her from Max Headroom?) owned Ireland-Pays design shop with designer Kathryn Ireland. Amanda left acting to concentrate on her family and has been doing interiors along with raising their four boys.

The House and Garden article and their original home which I believe they sold to Steve Martin. The mix of rustic beams, white walls and English chintz made it uniquely Californian and so fresh for the time. Aren’t they adorable here?

Amanda with her twins, Angus and Henry. They are now 21years old! Amanda looks the same though.

Kathryn Ireland wrote the article. I especially loved the yellow drapes pulled back and the floral sofa.

More great mixes here Bauer pottery and a simple table and chairs in the dining room.

The kitchen beams were amazing. I love this whole space. Yellow tile backsplash made this room so sunny. This was a gorgeous home and I can’t imagine selling it, but redoing homes is their hobby.

Now their new home in Valley Village, which is an area in North Hollywood… You can see some similarities remain. This is a much more modest home and more green. A trend we are all moving towards..

This home is a mix of family treasures, travel finds and salvaged items given new life. Amanda recovered this flea market sofa in Ikea linen fabric and it looks amazing. Flea markets and garage sales are where they like to hunt for home things. (C Magazine)

Another version of the room. Interesting to see how each magazine styled it differently. (Country Living)

The kitchen is salvaged wood, concrete counters and appliances from Sears. A very rustic-industrial mix here. Amanda painted the lemon picture. That’s a project we could all do. Loving the tile backsplash.

More views of the fabulous kitchen…

The hanging mugs and chicken wire behind the glass are two other favorites of mine. I noticed they had both in the original home’s kitchen.

The bathroom is painted like a wainscoting with two tones. I like how they let the Pennsylvania bluestone floor be the star here and it’s gorgeous!

They added rustic beams like this one in the bath.

The entry with their whippet. They wired that lantern to be a lamp. A great DIY project! Floors were painted Benjamin Moore’s Gray Timber Wolf.

The master bedroom. The lavenders look so soothing together. Beds here and below were from Room and Board. Sunset throw is from West Elm.

Two of the brothers share a loft for painting and sleeping. Corbin built this loft in a barn space for them. Their close family has all four of the boys ages 14, 24, and 21 year old twins still at home.

A salvaged rocker gives a spot to relax.

In the yard with their four boys. Corbin and his brother built the yard furniture. I’d like to get the French park ground cover look myself. It’s got to be greener than lawn and less work, more charm.

These photos, from the C Magazine spread, show how they converted the yard to all drought-tolerant natives like olive trees, lavender and agave plants. I love this look!

According to C Magazine, Amanda’s version of green living is recycling and restoring as much as possible..For a Hollywood family it’s admirable in a world of Kardashians and the like. It’s a goal that’s attainable for us all. This family is more successful than ever, has bigger size kids and actually downsized! Why spend more when you could spend less, live stylishly and reuse what is already out there? This family is my new inspiration. Live simply and live better!

Don’t forget about a Perfect Color contest! You still have until Sunday to enter to win a custom made piece of art. See my previous post or click here! I so could see one of Bonnie’s art pieces in Corbin and Amanda’s current home!

Kim

photos: C Magazine, CountryLiving.com, Home and Garden.