Falling for a pristine midcentury home—and each other

Conventional wisdom cautions against working with relatives—let alone someone you are dating. But for Erik Allen and Leanne Ford conventional wisdom doesn’t seem to apply.

Allen is the co-founder and co-CEO of Buck Mason, a menswear company that produces modern takes on classic clothes. Ford is the founder and creative force behind Leanne Ford Interiors. When Allen asked her to work interior magic in his Echo Park rental, Ford created a place so appealing, she says: “If I didn’t know him and I walked into that place, I’d have a crush on him.”

Although they’d collaborated on Buck Mason stores, working on a personal home might seem like a risky move to outsiders. To Allen, it made perfect sense. “There is a lot of design synergy between us, and our tastes and aesthetics are perfectly in line,” he says. “Although people might think it would be weird to work with a woman you’d been dating a year, to me it would have been weird if I’d hired anyone else.”

Talking to them, it’s clear they have an easy relationship. The interior wasn’t as simple or straightforward. The midcentury duplex is in astoundingly original condition, which sounds great until you consider our midcentury-modern counterparts loved brightly colored formica in all forms. That design fetish manifests itself here in turquoise countertops and a red-tile floor.

For this neutrals-loving couple, there wasn’t a clear solution. “I asked her if we could do something to erase them,” says Allen. Ford’s response: Not so fast.

“I thought it best not to fight it. This is an older home, and the original elements add interest and personality,” she says. “I admit, those are not the colors I am usually drawn to. But the owners had been so careful with everything, and the kitchen was in great condition. I thought if we just painted the walls white—most of them were painted a color—then the counters, floors, and wood elements would shine.”

And thus the house started to live up to the Buck Mason slogan of “updated, modern American classics.”

With the background quieted, Ford made the very unconventional decision to move the refrigerator to the garage and install a jukebox and a mini fridge in its place.

“Erik and I love jukeboxes, and we like a bar that has a good one. He had always wanted one for his home, so I bought this as a surprise for him,” she says. “Now we have a new ritual. Whenever anyone visits, we ask them to pick the first song and we record their choice.”

The most popular songs are Maggie May by Rod Stewart and Miss You by The Rolling Stones.

Allen admits having a full-size refrigerator in the garage is not likely to be the next trend in kitchen design. “It wouldn’t work for everyone, but it works for me. I just don’t cook that much,” he says. “And it’s a lot of fun.”

Outside of the kitchen, the white background lets the warmth and texture of the natural wood ceilings, floors, and paneling shine. It also creates a simple and peaceful space. “I thought that the thing Erik needed the most was an oasis,” Ford says.

In the living area, there are more books and albums than there are bookshelves. Ford chose to devote the small shelf area to display objects, and arranged the books and records around the room’s perimeter. Getting rid of or paring down the tomes was not an option.

“One of the first things I noticed about him was his books, and they showed me he had a lot going on in his head, and that he lives an educated and conscious life,” Ford said. “Throughout the house, the books are elements that add texture and color, as well as being a true reflection of his style.”

The room is divided into a living and dining area. The dining room’s live-edge table sometimes doubles as a desk for Allen. The sofa represents the answer to his primary request. “I asked for a comfortable sofa. I’m not one to sit and relax, and I hoped that the right furniture would help,” he says. “It’s the most comfortable sofa I’ve ever sat on, but it hasn’t happened.”

Ford says the layout promotes socializing. “There’s no television, this is not a television house. Instead, the sofa and table have a relationship with the kitchen,” she says. “The coffee table is small, which is good for circulation and leaves plenty of room for dancing.”

Ford dressed the bedroom in Parachute linens (a local company) for a sophisticated look. The room opens up onto a deck, which is one of Allen’s favorite spaces.

Another favorite: The wood-paneled office. “Before Leanne transformed it, this was the space I liked the least,” he says. “Now, it’s a favorite.” Ford outfitted it with a vintage desk whose front acts as a bookshelf, as well as an oversize bulletin board that displays notes they’ve written to each other and inspiration photos.

Now that the project is complete, inquiring minds want to know: How has it affected their relationship? Both agree the process of designing a personal space has brought them closer together.

“I’m not surprised we are closer now that it’s done. It’s more surprising to me that we met and started dating in the first place,” Ford laughs. “This house was a mile marker in our relationship’s development, and it’s been fun to see it happen.”