My Trails in a Rustic Canyon Lodge
Reclaimed barn wood floors, hand-weathered wainscoting, bent-twig furniture plus a abundance of cowhides welcome people to Hilarie Roope’s Los Angeles house, which she affectionately describes Camp Davis, known for her son. Her love of horses and ranch living could be understood in each square inch of the compound.
When Roope, a talent manager, initially bought the small 1965 ranch house, it was an underwhelming white box. Inspired by local watering hole Saddle Peak Lodge, she stumbled on a decade-long remodeling experience that resulted in a entire reimagining of every room.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Hilarie Roope and her teenage son, Davis; dogs Honey, Corduroy and Oakley; and horses Abiento and Fiery Moment
Location: Malibu Canyon, California
Size: 2,500 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That’s interesting: Roope’s house was temporarily transformed into Santa’s workshop to get a Target vacation commercial.
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Roope completely gutted both interior and exterior. “My goal was to make a sanctuary for my family, drawing inspiration in the Adirondack cottages of the East Coast,” she states.
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The living room is full of natural sunlight, thanks to the skylight Roope installed. She also draped a cowhide within the couch for a warm, casual look that is ideal for cuddling with her family’s three dogs. The cuddling was a requirement, Roope recalls. “The first year of remodeling, we lived without central heating and braved what was then a record-setting frigid winter,” she states. Roope layered another cowhide over a sea grass rug.
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“Before I bought the house, I peeked into the front window and watched the principal stone fireplace and wood ceilings, and knew I had something to work with,” Roope states. “I’ve remodeled half a dozen houses, and I’ve managed to make something out of nothing with them all. My opinion is that if a house passes inspection and has great bones, anything is achievable.”
She found that this set of fauteuil chairs at a Beverly Hills antiques store and reupholstered them in nubby linen.
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“My design actually depends on the house and the property surrounding it,” Roope states. “Finally, I feel as if I have an eclectic sensibility. I love to combine different elements together to create a feeling of warmth, a sense of peace, a place called home. I take my house very seriously, as I view it as a sanctuary from the outer world.”
The dramatic photo shown here was taken by a friend when traveling in Patagonia, and the horse figurines on the coffee table turned into a gift.
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Roope maintained her youth piano had her artisan friend Vinny Rickwood repaint it black out of its first ivory. He also hand painted the checkerboard flooring using a stencil, then distressed it for an aged look.
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The house has an open floor plan. The living room opens into the dining room, which flows into the rustic-style kitchen. A wall of French doors and windows offers panoramic views of this woodsy backyard. A bespoke twig sofa seat by Willow Lane is draped in Navajo blankets, cowhide pillows and faux fur throws.
Cowhide pillow: Overstock.com; dining table: Sundance
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A reproduction blue and white hutch from a local antiques dealer displays Roope’s dish and pottery set. Roope made the dining seat box cushions and had them manufactured by means of an upholsterer at a striped fabric that brings together all of the colors in the room.
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The dining area fireplace is inspired by a picture Roope located of a hand-hewn fireplace. “Artisans actually brought the stones for the fireplace out of a riverbed near San Diego and separately built it one stone at a time. I desired the fireplace to feel like it’d been there 100 decades. No prefab for me,” states Roope. “I think we captured that credibility.”
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Roope considers the giant log from the kitchen, one of her favorite features, since the touchstone of her rustic design. “You cannot imagine what it was like to find these guys haul up this in their old Ford pickup,” she recalls.
Pendant mild: Avalanche Ranch Lighting
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A utilitarian farmhouse sink paired with a vintage-style gooseneck faucet fits nicely into the rustic butcher block island.
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Designers Lane McClelland and Tom Robey of Willow Lane made the Chinking Room, known for its log and plaster wall Therapy. Previously the garage and now joined to the rest of the home with a two-sided fireplace, it acts as a family room and a occasional house office.
A faux deer trophy head protects the rafters, and massive wooden beams line the ceiling. The slipcovered couches within this area also game cowhide throws and cushions, representing Roope’s signature casual style.
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The porch chairs and Adirondack railing, made by Willow Lane, are made by hand of bent willow wood. “Although we are only eight minutes in the Malibu shore and only 45 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, it seems like we are living in an entirely different world,” states Roope.
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This waterfall is a recent addition to the scene, one that Roope, working with a gardener, made herself. The waterfall appears to be completely organic, as if the home grew up around it. “I focus on light, textures and all the elements which affect our senses,” she states. “I love the noise of water.”
A classic church pew serving as a outside seat is lined with chubby grain sofa cushions that bring the indoors outside.
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The master bedroom can be surrounded with the sounds of nature. Roope states, “I adore having my horses just outside my bedroom. I usually sleep yearlong with the door open, as I discover their snorting and neighing sounds really soothing.”
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A skylight washes the master bedroom in light and warmth. Roope stuck with a neutral colour palette of sea glass blues, tan and taupe here. Future plans for this bedroom include a lofted closet with a sliding barn door and library ladder, and a meditation/observation platform accessed by a spiral staircase to make the most of this view.
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Roope enlarged her master bath to twice its original size. The claw-foot tub was restored and repainted a matte black. Each of the storage pieces from the toilet are all antiques.
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Vintage-style honeycomb tiles pick up the dark accents in the room.
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Teenage son Davis’ room is outfitted in striped denim and russet bedding out of PBTeen, throw pillows and surfing posters. His horseback riding awards, clothing and backpacks are displayed on wall hooks.
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The guest area’s hanging bed features camp-style chic and frequently makes guests nostalgic for summers at the lake. The overhead attic with a ladder injects a lively character.
“I had a local carpenter make the mattress based on a photo I showed him. It was my design. We already had the help of the attic above, which was crucial, and my son’s youth monkey mattress, that I reused,” states Roope. “Adding a lot of layers of feather bedding causes it to be the coziest place to escape!”
Hanging Furniture for Swinging Bathrooms
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The entrance wall showcases the hand-aged wainscoting. Keepsakes out of Roope’s youth hobbies adorn a nature-inspired shelf.
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Artist Vinny Rickwood also helped Roope maintain her signature look going outside. “He’s an wonderful painter who can do anything from producing faux wood and thorough murals to painting old seats, where we collaborate,” Roope states. “Vinny was coming to Camp Davis for ten decades.” He painted the seat with this rear porch.
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Roope and Davis with one of the horses, Fiery Moment.
Roope clarifies that the Chumash Indians settled in the area long ago. “You can sense their energy among the creek beds and flows nestled in the hills,” she states. “The coyote calls during the night make me think of the Native Americans, and when I ride my horses on the paths, I am often reminded of what it should have been like for them to live within our area.”
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A Camp Davis hint hangs at the front entrance of the main pedestrian gate, inviting visitors into the rustic escape. In accordance with Roope, “My husband, Paul, knew how important it was for me to have this creative outlet. He encouraged my wacky vision and trusted me enough to play together with situations when I am sure others wouldn’t have.”
