'It’s Like a Big White Box': How Este Haim Turned a Stark, Minimal Home Into a Masterclass in Texture, Objects, and Accessories

Este's LA home is a retreat of stunning silhouettes and thoughtful textures – plus, we found her exact pieces so you can recreate the look

Este Haim
(Image credit: Kevin Mazur via Getty Images for W Magazine)

There’s something about a white-painted room that invites experimentation. Though it may seem counterintuitive, with its pared-back simplicity suggesting restraint, a blank canvas is one of the most powerful tools in design. In such a space, silhouettes and textures are not competing for attention but are given the room to shine. If anyone understands this, it is Este Haim.

Este's California-casual apartment in her beloved Los Angeles was designed in collaboration with Lulu and Georgia, meaning it's a masterclass in cozy neutrals, integrated through curved furnishings and curated accessories.

Shop Este Haim's Home

Layering in interior design, especially in a neutral home like Este's, is the most powerful way to make a space feel alive. However, as she explains, these pieces don't detract from the peace of the soft white palette.

'When I come home, especially after something like a tour where I'm traveling all the time, I want to be able to come back to a space that is tranquil. I think my house is really comfy, especially my bedroom, which I think is the most important place for things to be comfy,' she says.

'I look forward to coming home after the studio, getting under the covers, getting into my bed, and watching a movie. There's a definite sense of tranquility and calm in my house. I think my house is fun. I think that it definitely doesn't take itself too seriously, and that's pretty reflective of me as well.'

Interior designers have long relied on the restful balance of a white living room or bedroom with striking curves and textures, and Este's home is yet another reminder of its power. With a subtle neutral as your starting point, you'll struggle to go wrong.


Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.