Seller Story: Debbie Gruber, Los Angeles, CA

Match Made In Mail Room Heaven

“I met my husband in the mailroom of William Morris Agency. I was a literary agent and he was a talent agent. We both are born-and-raised New Yorkers, but we’ve had this home in Los Angeles for over 20 years.”

Little House In The Hamptons

“My father lived next door to his twin brother in the Hamptons in this perfect little beach shack. It felt like a boat on the water, complete with a view of the most amazing sunsets you’ve ever seen. Then when Hurricane Sandy hit, my little beach shack was swept away.”

The Early Bird Gets The Chinoiserie

“I’ve been collecting since before I moved into my current home. I would wake up at dawn to go to every flea market in Los Angeles. While I’m not a designer by trade, I’ve decorated homes of friends, and have traveled to France to source some of my most treasured pieces. I met an English gentleman who took me through L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and various places in Provence where I started buying things. I took two containers back from France to my home in Los Angeles and in The Hamptons!”

On Being A Modern Traditionalist

“My mother (an interior designer) is a modernist, so I grew up in a contemporary home, but now live in a 1937 traditional. It’s rare that someone my age has grown up in a contemporary home, so I’m sort of caught between having a modern sensibility but in so many ways am a traditionalist. My taste is eclectic that way.”

Where Does Hollywood Meet The Hamptons?

“I would like to consider myself a bit of a hipster, mixed with a conservative, preppy element. My fashion style reflects my design approach in that it’s a mix of traditional and modern. You know that scene in the movie Chinatown, ‘She’s my daughter, she’s my sister?’ It’s like that. A little bit of both.”

Her Favorite Finds

“I have two big paintings from Rachel Ashwell’s original Shabby Chic store. They feel so quintessential L.A. to me. I love those pieces. The French leather chair I brought back from France is one of my favorites – it’s from 1910 and is so classic and special.”

Room For Dogs

“Now you’ve touched on something very important. In my home, I have an entire room of dog art. I’m a dog lover, on the board of a local rescue group, and have been buying dog art at a New York auction that coincides with the Westminster Dog Show. I’m sort of obsessed with anything dog-related, so of course the dog etchings are really special to me.”

On Family-Friendly Interiors

“I entertain a ton. While I like to keep my house neat and beautiful, I believe every room, every dish, every piece of furniture should be used and loved by the entire family – including the dogs!”

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