This LA Apartment Is a Veritable Time Machine to 1990s High Fashion and Dance Music

An experimental album by French electronic-music duo Daft Punk. A moment in the 1990s when Tom Ford made waves at the House of Gucci. These timeless cornerstones in music and fashion helped set the mood for Tiffany Howell’s latest West Hollywood project. “We wanted the home to feel like walking through the door transported you to a different place,” says the principal of AD PRO Directory firm Night Palm.

Enamored with the romance of transformation and the poetry of place, Howell approaches each new project with non-interior references, enabling a sensory palette to evoke emotion. “Her style makes you fall into a kind of trance,” says homeowner Chase Rogers, an agent at the Beverly Hills Estates, who has brokered deals for celebrities and athletes. “It’s elevated, warm, and captivating, like you’ve entered a different era.”

Rogers and Howell had immediate synergy, which allowed Howell more creative freedom. She gutted the condominium, keeping in mind that the client likes to entertain. Then she reimagined the space into something idiosyncratic, deviating from the building’s midcentury aesthetic. “I wanted to capture the sleekness of Tom Ford in the ’90s and pair that with a more organic Italian style from the ’60s and ’70s, with lots of attention to detail, like choosing a perfect, beautiful pair of cufflinks,” the designer says. As with jewelry, Howell accessorized the space with gems: In the living room, she placed a pair of mushroom Murano lamps and a rare 1970s Romeo Rega chrome-and-brass chess set.

The apartment, situated above Sunset Boulevard, has sweeping views of the LA skyline, which inspired a palette of amber, cream, olive, and blue with instances of black lacquer, leather, and curvy vintage lighting. “The gorgeous view of the cityscape is the real art piece,” Howell says. “Everything else I did was designed to frame it.” With big glass sliding doors, the balcony is the best spot to enjoy the view, so Howell installed tiles outdoors and a custom bench covered in performance velvet, creating a patio that seamlessly feels like an extension of the apartment while also adding livable square footage.