AD was founded in Los Angeles more than 100 years ago, and the city and its fascinating denizens and architecture continue to exert a magnetic influence on the design world. As the entertainment industry roars back to life, it feels particularly celebratory to visit a delightful cast of characters in their own environments in this issue. Not all the homes are in the Golden State, but all the players are deeply rooted there and have paid their dues.
Referring to her glamorous Los Angeles hideout, cover star Sofía Vergara endearingly tells AD, “I still wake up every day thinking, I can’t believe this is my life.” Fashion moguls Jens and Emma Grede similarly liken their Malibu beach getaway to “paradise.” Actor Johnny Galecki shares his personal Shangri-la outside Nashville, intentionally far from the Hollywood glare, and young star Maude Apatow jokes that she has “peaked” now that she scored a charming apartment in Manhattan’s coveted West Village. Prolific producer Ryan Murphy unleashes his formidable creative vision on his latest passion project, a storied 1955 Richard Neutra house in Bel Air in which he has gleefully broken all the rules of midcentury decoration, and AD100 designer Michael S. Smith, an LA legend, reveals his grand new Madrid pied-à-terre. California dreaming around the world.
Amy Astley’s letter appears in AD’s March 2024 issue. Never miss an issue when you subscribe to AD.