House Tour: Susan Feldman of One Kings Lane

Filed under: Design, etc, House Tours

A fashion exec turned decor aficionado invites us into her California home.

Although she spent most of her career in fashion, Susan Feldman, co-founder of the online daily sample sale One Kings Lane, was always interested in home decor. "My kids would beg me to stop dragging them to home stores!" she says. When Feldman moved from the New York City apartment she shared with her husband and their three kids to a large, 1936 Hollywood Hills home -- the first real house Feldman had lived in since college -- she became fascinated with decorating it. "There is such a different sense and feel being in a home, rather than an apartment," she says. "I had so much fun thinking about entertaining and decorating all the different rooms."

However, shopping in Los Angeles proved to be a frustrating experience. "There are amazing stores in L.A., but you have to stop at so many different places to find what you're looking for, and spend countless hours hunting for accessories and furniture online," says Feldman. It was actually this experience, combined with observations of online fashion sample sales like Gilt Group, that got Feldman wondering if this business model could work for the home market.

In 2008, Feldman partnered up with Alison Gelb Pincus, whose background in marketing and branding was the perfect match to Feldman's extensive knowledge of retail, to start One Kings Lane. The members-only site (anyone can join!) showcases furniture and accessories for the home, with everything at least 50 percent off of the retail price."Everyone wins," says Feldman. "Brands get rid of overstock...and the customer gets fantastic, interesting, beautiful items for a great price."

Before she started One Kings Lane, Feldman was renovating and decorating her house in the more traditional way -- by going to lots of local shops, markets and integrating items from her old apartment. Here, a tour of the understated, glamorous and sophisticated house she calls home.

"We took out a marble floor in the entryway and replaced it with a dark, stained ebony wood," she says. The furniture and accessories came from a mix of places -- the teal console is from a local Asian marketplace, the chair is from a shop on Melrose Avenue, and the artwork is by none other than Feldman's father. "My father, Arthur Krakower, was such an inspiration," says Feldman. "He had a long career in retail and real estate but decided to follow his dream to study and make art. He got his MFA at 80!"



Feldman had help designing the living room from her friend Kenneth Brown, who is well known from his show "Redesign" on HGTV. "We also worked together to develop a line for QVC," she says. When it comes to color, Feldman's philosophy is that you must feel good and look good surrounded by it. "I love the colors in this room," says Feldman. "If you look good wearing certain shades, it makes sense to live within them." Her favorite piece in the room? The coffee table that she and Brown designed together.



Feldman adored her dining room in New York City, but the contemporary B&B Italia chairs that she loved so much didn't work in her California house. Instead, she went with linen and vintage fabric covered chairs found at a local shop. One contemporary piece that she absolutely could not part with from her NYC digs was the lighting fixture from Moss. "I was obsessed with that piece and had to have it," says Feldman. "It somehow works. The light from the sunroom hits the crystals in a really beautiful way." One unexpected purchase was the console. "We found it at a sidewalk sale. It was originally old country pine, but we refinished it so it worked well in the room."



"This is the room people gravitate towards when they come over," says Feldman. The relaxed vibe comes not only from the comfortable couches and warm colors but also from all of the personal items on the shelves and walls. "We've had a lot of exciting things happen in our family these past years. Weddings, graduations, you name it. We're very lucky and this wall reflects those achievements." Posters from her dad's art shows, photos of family and friends, and various newspaper articles cover what Feldman calls a "living wall." "This is where we come as a family to relax, watch TV and talk," she says.



Speaking of the dogs, check out the painting on top of the bureau. Susan's husband, Bob, is a huge dog lover so she commissioned artist Pia Ledy to paint a portrait of their two pups. Aww.



Feldman's love of neutrals continues in the bedroom, along with her philosophy that living with colors that make you look good is a necessity. "In the bedroom, more than any other room, you definitely need to look good!" she jokes. "The colors are relaxing and the neutral background makes switching up the bedding and pillows easy." The "Every Day I Love You" pillow from SugarBoo and drawings by her dad make this room comfortable and sweet.



Feldman's daughter's taste is reflected in Hollywood-regency style furniture, and her love of pink and bears is reflected in the accessories! To the left of her bed (hidden behind the pillow) is a signed photo of Audrey Hepburn. Feldman's great-uncle was a director and choreographer to the stars and gathered an amazing collection of photography throughout the years. When he died, he left the collection to Feldman and her family. Her daughter's fashionista style and Audrey Hepburn obsession made her the lucky recipient of the photograph.



For Feldman, one of the biggest differences between living in California and New York City is the space. "In New York, we were able to entertain a few friends at once," she says. "But in California, we can have 30 to 40 people over, and we can sit out together. You just bring over an extra table." They use the pool often, but Feldman admits, "The dogs use it more than we do!"

There are definite things Feldman misses about New York, notably the convenience. "You can't pop outside to the Korean deli for a snack," she says. But, she says, living in California is worth it.

Still smitten over this house tour? Come check out another top notch home from our design crush (and Martha Stewart's protogé) Kevin Sharkey! And scroll to the bottom for an amazing opportunity to win a personal color consultation with Kevin!

 

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