August 15, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
a QUIET CALIFORNIA RHYTHM
words Noah Mercer
photos Nils Timm
production Karine Monié
In Studio City, SLS Properties brings European minimalism and organic modernism into dialogue with the light and landscape of Southern California, shaping a home around material warmth, openness and restraint.
Tucked into the hills of Studio City, among mature trees and winding residential streets, this 548-square-metre home is closely connected to its Los Angeles setting. Designed and built by SLS Properties, the five-bedroom residence favours open spaces, tactile materials and an easy transition between inside and out.
For Shlomi Sfadia, founder of SLS Properties, the starting point was less about establishing a recognisable style than creating a particular atmosphere. European minimalism and organic modernism provided the framework, while the intimacy of boutique hospitality also informed the interiors.
“The design was inspired by a blend of European minimalism, organic modernism, and the quiet elegance of boutique hospitality spaces,” Sfadia says. “Rather than referencing a single style, the project focused on creating emotional resonance through materiality, proportion and restraint.”
The architecture is precise and the palette controlled, but the rooms are softened by texture, changing light and pieces that appear to have been collected over time.
CALIFORNIA, THROUGH A EUROPEAN LENS
Studio City is largely residential, with canyon landscapes, winding hillside streets and a longstanding connection to Los Angeles’ creative industries. These surroundings became an important part of the project.
“Set within a landscape of mature trees, winding hillside streets, and soft California light, the location strongly informed the overall mood of the project,” Sfadia explains. “The design embraces the indoor-outdoor lifestyle associated with Southern California, emphasizing natural materials, openness, and a strong connection to light and greenery throughout the home.”
The open-plan living spaces extend this connection, bringing daylight and greenery into the house rather than treating the landscape simply as a view. The result combines the ease of Californian living with a more restrained European sensibility.
In the living area, a sofa, coffee table and lounge chairs from RH sit alongside artwork by Creative Art Partners. The dining table and chairs are also from RH, paired with custom-designed lighting, while Zara Home barstools feature in the kitchen.
A TREE AT THE CENTRE
At the centre of the house, a curved sculptural staircase wraps around a mature interior tree, organising the plan across both levels.
“The layout was designed around a central architectural moment — a sculptural staircase wrapped around a mature interior tree, which acts as the heart of the residence both visually and spatially,” Sfadia says.
On the main floor, the living, dining and kitchen areas connect while retaining a degree of intimacy. Upstairs, the private spaces are arranged around the same central axis. The staircase and tree maintain a visual connection between the two floors, with natural light filtering through the space.
The combination also brings the project's different references together: the clarity of European minimalism, the softer forms and materials of organic modernism, and the light and greenery of Southern California.
MATERIALS SET THE MOOD
Hand-applied plaster, natural oak, heavy linen, travertine and limestone form a warm, earthy palette, selected for their tactile qualities and the way they change with the daylight.
“Natural textures, muted tones, and tactile finishes were used to evoke a sense of calm throughout the home,” says Sfadia. “Inspiration was also drawn from the surrounding landscape, particularly the way light shifts throughout the day and interacts with raw materials such as plaster, wood, and stone.”
Furniture and objects came from local artisans, custom fabricators, European suppliers and vintage dealers, mixing contemporary pieces with more collected finds. In the primary bedroom, a Four Hands bed is paired with RHnightstands and artwork by Creative Art Partners.
Developed over a year and a half, the house is ultimately an exercise in restraint: pared back, but still domestic; carefully composed, without feeling overly finished. Light, natural materials and the surrounding landscape do much of the work.
