Emma Roberts’s LA Home Is the Definition of Effortless Cool
Welcome, design obsessives and celebrity-home gawkers — let’s slip through the (figurative) blue door and traipse through Emma Roberts’s Los Angeles “grown-up dollhouse” à la Architectural Digest. Think less plastic figurines, more layered wallpapers, vintage finds, and restrained whimsy. I’m your guide — equal parts interior stylist, magazine editor, and nosy neighbor.
Pierce and Ward – Pierce & Ward
1 | First Impressions
Roberts describes her new home as “like a womb” — a place that feels protective, deeply personal, and lived-in. It’s a compelling metaphor — especially from someone who admits she “lived in 10 houses by the time [she was] 15.” Now, with her young son Rhodes in tow, she craved something that whispered “we belong here.”
The designers behind the magic? Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward of Pierce & Ward (an AD100 firm). Their first mandate: “We want a house to look like it’s been there for 50 years.”. Translation: nothing too precious, nothing too sterile — everything with a hint of history (even if it’s a cleverly styled new take).
The Entryway: Understated Gravity
Enter through a subtle palette shift: the designers swapped the stark white for “creamy ivory,” layering warmth right from the threshold. An Italian 1950s pendant, a Welsh spinning chair, a vintage pine accent table, and an antique Persian rug anchor the space in quiet gravitas.
It’s a clean but deeply textured introduction — the kind that says, “Yes, you’re in a celebrity home — but also one you can breathe in.”
Pierce and Ward – Pierce & Ward
2 | The Living Room: Quiet Maximalism, With Books
If Emma’s aesthetic credo is “cabinet of curiosities,” the living room is the grand stage.
At its center: a Capiz shell globe pendant lighting and a Bardot burl wood coffee table by RH.
A sofa in glazed linen (Rose Tarlow) pairs with custom club chairs by Pierce & Ward.
Art is not shy: photos of Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Debbie Harry, and limited-edition silkscreens punctuate the walls.
The old chicken-wire-fronted book cabinets were swapped for solid caning — meaning Emma can still shelve her cherished, mismatched paperbacks without needing to stage them.
It’s a fine balance: artistic personality meets elegant restraint.
Pierce and Ward – Pierce & Ward
3 | Powder Room & Bath Scenes: Intimacy, Up Close
Powder Room: A 19th-century pine chest is reborn as vanity, topped with Newport Brass fixtures, and wrapped in Arjumand’s “Floral Spread” wallpaper. It’s the kind of small space that yanks you inside — pattern, texture, and bead-your-tea-level detail in miniature.
Primary Bath: Roberts calls it her “happy place.” Between soaking with a book, getting Rhodes bathed, and maybe lighting a candle or two from the cleverly repurposed bar cart, this is a sanctuary. The millwork is custom, nodding to Old Hollywood touches while still inviting softness.
Pierce and Ward – Pierce & Ward
4 | Kitchen & Dining: High-Low, Game-Changer Islands
The kitchen, Roberts confesses, started out as the “something wasn’t quite right” room. The answer? An island. But here’s the kicker: it wasn’t custom — it came from Urban Outfitters. “High-low, baby,” is how she and Pierce & Ward joke about it.
Woven wood shades (from Hunter Douglas) soften the light, and the cabinetry was painted in Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan, with mullions in Cos Cob Stonewall (a dusty blue) to elevate the depth. The end result is one of those rare kitchens that feels both purposeful and poetic.
Pierce and Ward – Pierce & Ward
5 | The Primary Bedroom: Rose Mosaics & Comfortable Flair
In the master suite, the star of the show is John Derian’s Rose Mosaic Forest fabric, used for the bed upholstery and drapery. The effect? Subtle drama without loudness.
Vintage rugs, well-placed artwork, and warm lighting add to the appropriated charm. It’s feminine yet grounded — ultimately, Emma.
6 | Design Takeaways We Can Steal (Without Sweating a Hollywood Budget)
Let what you love lead, even if it’s a thrifted chair or a worn book. Roberts’s art and collectibles made it in.
Paint with memory in mind. Creamy neutrals + accent tones = a home that ages well.
Replace, don’t reinvent. Chicken-wire shelving? Replace with caning.
Use surprising sources. Sometimes your statement piece is an off-the-shelf find (hello, Urban Outfitters island).
Never discount the ceiling. Boldness overhead can feel playful without overwhelming the senses.
Epilogue: A House That Reads Like a Memoir
Emma Roberts’s LA abode doesn’t feel like a pause between movie sets. It feels like home — full of personality, evolving collections, and layered intention. It’s less about spotlighting and more about settling in.
-Juliette