How To Steal Mandy Moore's Bright And Electric Home Style

Rising to fame in 1999, pop star and actress Mandy Moore bought her first home in 2002 — the same year she released her first starring role in "A Walk To Remember," according to Architectural Digest. Since she was only 18 years old at the time, the singer never felt comfortable bringing anyone to her former estate. "I lived there for 15 years, and even though the house went through several iterations, it never felt wholly mine", she stated. Many years later, all of that changed for the star, and her now husband, Taylor Goldsmith, via Parade. After spending a year searching for the estate, the couple decided on a 1950s-style home in the Pasadena hills of California designed by architect Harold B. Zook.

Most of the main structure of this home remains intact; however, additions and renovations were made in the 90s to spruce up the mid-century residence. In addition, when Moore and Goldsmith purchased the home, they wanted to keep the historic feel while making it modern at the same time. Moore stated, "We wanted to recapture the home's original spirit without delving into a slavish period restoration. We tried to imagine what Zook would have done if he were designing it today." That's when they decided to hire designer Sarah Sherman Samuel, Terremoto landscape designers, and architect Emily Farnham. From the open and wide space to brass tones, here is how you can steal Mandy Moore's bright and electric home style.

One of the many things Moore states she loves about the home is how open it is, per YouTube. However, the rooms aren't spread too far apart from one another either. Her living room sits adjacent to the formal dining room. While this room contains many pieces, such as chairs, tables, and a piano, there is still enough room to move around each of these items. Similarly, the dining room houses a large table directly in the center of the floor. Yet, you can still walk completely around this room with ease. In addition, the singer decided to have open-shelved cabinetry in the kitchen area to make the room feel more spacious.

When using this style as your own, you should do almost exactly what the "This Is Us" actress did. Place furniture within your desired room far apart so you can easily walk around them. Style by Emily Henderson states that for larger pieces, you should include up to 36 inches of space between each item. However, it's still best not to go less than 18 inches for smaller areas. She also adds to avoid placing sofas flush with the wall. If your room is small, it'll feel bigger if you place your sofa around 5 inches from the wall. When all else fails, it may be beneficial to downsize your pieces to gain more space in the room.

While you can see many open windows and sliding doorways throughout the home, one of the most prominent ways light is brought into the home is the skylight in the kitchen, via YouTube. Moore stated that this light was triangular-shaped when they first purchased the home. However, they decided to get a flat piece of glass so it would integrate better with the rest of the home. While uncommon, this home contains a spacious hallway with another skylight above it as well as floor-to-ceiling windows. Skylights aside, there are also floor-to-ceiling windows located in the family room that can be seen from the kitchen. The light from these windows illuminates both of these rooms at once.

Allowing natural light to flow through your home is one of the easiest and cheapest design ideas. All you have to do is open up your windows. Floor-to-ceiling windows are the best for this, but any size window will do. If your door contains a window, consider opening that up as well. If you live near neighbors, you may not be able to do this, but don't fret! eHow recommends installing sheer curtains, which are designed to let light flow through while giving you privacy at the same time. These come in many colors and designs, so you can find the right one that fits your aesthetic. If these don't work, you can also install window film.

When the "Candy" singer purchased the home, a large brass hood was included in the living room, via YouTube. However, it had a green hue due to aging, so Moore and her team shined it back to perfection. Playing on this, the singer opted to have more subtle brass tones throughout the home. The inlay of the floors throughout the home is a brass shade. In her living room resides two vintage-looking brass coffee tables. In the kitchen, the faucet and drawer handles are made of brass. The family room contains a wooden table with brass-tone legs. She even incorporated subtle décor of this shade to round it off.

While adding brass tones can be difficult for some, there are a few simple ways to do this. As Brabbu Design Forces points out, you can start by adding a small statement piece and working your way up. This can be anything from a centerpiece at your dining room table to a décor piece on your bookshelf. Once these smaller pieces are decided, consider adding one large piece, for now, such as an end table or bar stool. Now that you've seen how this metal reacts with your home's aesthetic, you can take off from here. Add in larger-sized items and scatter small pieces throughout many rooms and areas. Consider changing the bases of your lighting, like the chandelier or bedside lamps. Remember to have fun and play around with these pieces.

One of the most eye-catching aspects of Moore's estate is the bright and colorful pieces she has displays, via YouTube. The hallway in this home has a reading nook area that includes a bench with golden seating. Similarly, in the family are two yellow golden chairs with a table in between that contains a vase with pink flowers. Her bedroom features a custom-made bed with a forest green velvet headboard that acts as a wall. There are two dark blue chairs in the living room that coordinate with the pink curtains in this and the dining room. She even adds smaller colorful pieces, like pink dishware in the kitchen. 

Fortunately, adding colors that pop into your home is another customizable and fun task. Martha Stewart recommends diving into a DIY project with your current furniture so you can get exactly what you want. This can be as simple as painting an old table, desk, or chair. However, you may end up having to buy fabric pieces such as a sofa. While you can purchase colorful items from an array of furniture stores, thrift and antique shops may house some rare items. Don't forget to add colorful décor pieces too. Placing items on a shelf or table may be all it takes to add in some bright color. However, adding in flowers may also be ideal as you change these out as you please to switch things up.

Even though this room contains a very simple style, there are permanent elements that stand out more than the rest. For example, according to YouTube, the family room has a fireplace with a terrazzo bench attached. Moore's team decided to add pieces of aggregate to this area. The kitchen contains a lot of marble designs as well. Moore decided to install a kitchen island that she describes as a big chunk of stone in the middle of the floor. Yet, she didn't stop there. She also included this same design as a backsplash behind her stove and sink.

When adding in marble or similar designs, it's best not to over do it. As G.M.S. Werks points out, some places work far better than others. For example, just like Moore did, installing a marble design in the kitchen is one of the most essential places. This stone is known to be resistant to heat, making it a perfect placement around stoves and ovens. In addition, you can use this as a backsplash to your kitchen walls as it's also stain-resistant. On the other hand, placing this design in your master bathroom will also give it an elegant feel. If you want to create a focal point in your living room, surrounding your fireplace with this material is the perfect way to do it. If these choices aren't enough, consider adding marble to an accent wall in an elegantly styled room.