Diane Keaton’s Mastery Of The Monterey Aesthetic: Why Her 1999 Living Room Remains A Definitive Lesson In Artisanal Craftsmanship
Here's how the late, great actress introduced statement antique furniture into her Hollywood home
We've always admired the interior design choices of the wonderful Diane Keaton through the years. She had a brilliant knack of working with designers to create spaces that not only felt homely and comforting but also tapped into a real sense of authenticity and charm, particularly when it comes to styling antique furniture.
The Monterey Furniture in her Californian Wallace Neff Home from 1999 (shown below) is no exception. Created by Stephen Shadley (favored Californian designer of Hollywood stars, including Jennifer Aniston and Woody Allen), Diane Keaton's living room proves that you can never really go wrong when you put beautiful craftsmanship and artisanal pieces at the center of your design scheme.
Shop Artisanal Furniture Inspired by Diane Keaton's Living Room
This genuine 1930s Monterey Furniture Lounge Chair has been crafted from chunky alder wood with an iron frame and features the signature hand-painted floral panel on the back.
If you can't stretch to genuine Monterey Furniture, there are some modern styles that achieve a similar look, such as this mid-century chair with its sculptural wooden frame and reclining position.
In the typical California-made Monterey Furniture style, as seen in Diane Keaton's living room, this wooden sofa features a long table attachment, which extends from the arm and the iconic horseshoe mark on the leg.
Embrace the dark furniture look like Diane Keaton, with a wood-framed sofa like this one, which feels equally iconic and contemporary, while making a dramatic statement in a living room.
A tall vase in a contrasting shade like the jade green seen in Diane Keaton's living room is the ideal way to soften a scheme like this, bringing curved lines and a pastel hue to counteract the dark, linear furniture.
The carved legs on this dark wood coffee table reflect the artisan feel of the Monterey Furniture in Diane Keaton's living room, but with a softer edge, thanks to the curved silhouette.
While you may worry that the dark wood trend might make a room feel dark and small, this Monterey Furniture adds some ranch style to the house, an aesthetic that is naturally rich in depth, character, and timeless style, while the neutral walls lift the whole look. Dating back to the 1930s, Monterey Furniture is California-made (a nod from Diane Keaton to showcasing local artisan brands), and has a distinctly Western look that would feel perfectly in place in a traditional ranch.
Diane Keaton has planned the perfect living room layout, which feels intimate and unexpectedly cozy. The dark wood of the furniture is also reflected in the room's wooden beams, the block-style picture frame above the mantel, and the bold mantel itself, creating a real sense of belonging and intention. Meanwhile, the charming hand-painted detail on the back of the Monterey lounge chair (available at 1st Dibs) adds to the artisanal and storied feel, which softens the scheme.
Similarly, the planters and urns (I found a similar vase at Anthropologie) punctuate Diane's living room with an unexpectedly soft shade of green that draws the eye and helps to break up the deep brown of the furniture.
Diane Keaton's living room shows that decorating with antiques does not have to mean dark and dated, but can instead be a way to add instant character and authenticity to a space, which can, in turn, be brought up to date with some more contemporary colors and accessories.
