This L.A. Home Blends Earthy Souvenirs With Chic Designer Pieces
When flea market finds meet timeless design.
Kyly Rabin knows a thing or two about long distance.
"After seven years of dating, I decided to move back to L.A. — following stints in Chicago and Washington D.C. to be with my now-husband," explains the Zak eyewear founder, when asked how the couple's Silver Lake home came to be.
"This was our first time living in the same place and living as a couple, it was important to us to find a communal space to kick off our next chapter together. We searched for a few months on the East Side and eventually found a special spot here."
Situated down a leafy cul-de-sac, away from prying eyes, Rabin's is the kind of L.A. home a young creative might dream about, should the City of Angels ever beckon. A boundless horizon line, enviably warm weather, and a seamless swimming pool, glittering in the Hollywood sunshine. The couple fill their home with a refreshing blend of high and low — flea market finds and splurgier investment pieces, like an Eames Lounge Chair. Rabin is the friend you might call first, if you needed a place to crash.
"We're actually walking distance from some neighborhood standbys, which is pretty rare in L.A.," Rabin begins. "There’s just something warm and welcoming about this space — it’s small but open with lots of indoor-outdoor areas. I feel most relaxed at home and I’m really grateful for that."
Inside, it's hard to fault the duo's approach to styling or decor. A dramatically veined, Carrara marble island and carefully carved out skylights stream with natural light, bouncing off a brass chandelier by Ian K. Fowler. The kitchen and dining areas — admittedly Rabin's favorite spaces — offer just the right amount of room for casual, carefree entertaining.
There's a thoughtfulness to Rabin's almost monochrome aesthetic, but it's careful not to try too hard. This is a designer that wants friends and family to feel at ease in her home, something she's remained conscious of throughout the styling process. There's a lived-in appeal, too, and plenty of accessible furniture. This a home that manages to channel 'design-forward' and 'casual California' simultaneously.
"I really dislike the feeling of walking into a room that feels like you can’t touch or sit on anything," Rabin explains. "A home should be welcoming, comfortable, and joyful. It’s both a place to recharge and kick start each day."
"The floor plan and design of our home really leans in to indoor-outdoor living," she continues.
"The accordion doors that lead out to our backyard space, directly off our living room, are open as much as possible — so we’re in a constant state of indoor and outdoor. The breeze, the natural light, the fresh air — the view — I love it all. Our set-up makes our home feel relaxed, while significantly increasing our square-footage. We host a fair amount, between the pool, jacuzzi, fire pit, and grill, so our outdoor space lends itself to lots of activities."
A trio of sleek Crate & Barrel loungers outstretch by the pool, beneath an oversized Teak Warehouse umbrella. An armchair — by Innit Designs — and custom outdoor pillows, complete the laidback aesthetic, complementing an otherwise uninterrupted view. This refined approach to casual living not only mirrors Rabin's own aesthetic, but that of her brand, Zak — a tight edit of minimal and hipster-approved eyewear.
"My personal style is inherently warm, neutral minimalism," explains Rabin. "These inclinations percolate my design decisions and my brand aesthetic. Our frame styles, like The Really Round, The Round, The Square, The Rectangle, The Cat, and The Pilot — are deliberately limited, making what could be a typically overwhelming process so much easier to navigate. We set out to create unfussy, timeless essentials. I take the same foundational approach when it comes to the look and feel of my home, as well as the products and brands I use and value."
With a newly minted brick-and-mortar location keeping her busy, Rabin admits her work from home days are increasingly few and far between. What began casually over the dinner table, has since grown into a steady business. As the daughter of a veteran optometrist, you could argue spectacles are in her DNA.
"The eyewear industry is so disjointed," Rabin admits. "We're trying to streamline a typically clunky process to provide a seamless one-stop-shop for all of our eye care and eyewear needs. We developed our own collection to holistically provide a high quality and affordable product for the modern consumer."
A thrifty blend of curated pieces sourced everywhere from the Rose Bowl Flea Market, to Lawson Fenning, Nickey Kehoe, and Tortoise General Store pepper Rabin's home. Understated Heath Ceramics and smoky glassware decorate the raw, open beechwood shelves in the kitchen and living spaces.
"A mix of high and low, new and old, comfy and tailored pretty much sums up my taste," she smiles. A linear bar cart by Roost is kitted out with all the necessary bits and pieces to mix a heady martini, including Tom Dixon barware and assorted vintage glasses from Rabin's own grandmother.
Black kitchen cabinets echo a line-up of bar stools by A+R, while a gallery wall of tender family moments and vintage photography in the dining space provides a conversation piece. Neutral wicker dining chairs by Hoffmann, sourced via Design Within Reach, decorate a casual dining table by Lawson Fenning. A caramel cow hide by HD Buttercup completes an ultimately organic aesthetic.
"The gallery wall is made up of mostly gifts from my Mom’s travels," adds Rabin. "It's a bunch of old photographs taken in Spain, Vietnam, Budapest, and London. There are photographs taken by friends in high school, too, giraffes at our wedding in South Africa, photographs taken by James Tyrrell, Brian Andreas, Andre Miripolsky, and Norman Mauskopf."
Throughout the bedroom spaces, earthy layers and repurposed, scuffed travel trunks decorate the floors. Old Pepsi crates sourced via Long Beach Flea Market and sinuous linen — designed locally by Matteo, complete a relaxed, tactile bedroom brief. In the guest room, a brightly colored vintage canvas by Los Angeles artist Andre Miripolsky splashes the white walls with color and reads "bound for N.Y.C." Vintage drums sourced during a trip to Cambodia and a sculptural chair by the late Robert Morris — a piece that once decorated Rabin's childhood home — give the space a warm, eclectic edge.
Rabin is quick to credit her mother as the driving force behind her considered approach to decor and styling, a skillset for handpicking and holding on to vintage pieces that she admits wasn't cultivated overnight.
"My Mom has a great eye and really distinct taste," the designer adds. "Growing up, our house was filled with really interesting art and unique design elements. I value being surrounded by art and furniture that is inspiring and timeless."
"My home is filled with memories," Rabin continues. "Art from my childhood home, photographs gifted from my Mom, flea market finds I discovered with friends. The personality in my space is personal — it's intimate. I like to think it's that feeling that makes a house a home."
