Before & After: Designer Orlando Soria Renovates His Very Own “Orcondo”

If anyone could rescue a dated 80s Los Angeles duplex, Homepolish West Coast Creative Director Orlando Soria is just the guy for the job — he’s one of the talents behind the well-known “New York-based interior design startup working to make interior design more accessible, transparent, and user-friendly.” Orlando’s boyfriend Edouard, a producer for film and television, has lived in their 1,600-square-foot condo for five years, and was originally drawn to its gorgeous light and expansive view of the Silver Lake neighborhood. (The reservoir at its center is currently emptied for infrastructural work, but the couple is looking forward to the day it’s once again filled with water.) Edouard always intended to renovate, but it wasn’t until Orlando pitched in his expertise that they got to work updating the worn finishes and highlighting interesting, period-specific features.

The unusual spatial arrangement proved a worthy foe, even for the experienced designer. “My goal with the whole project was to honor the original architecture while updating it and taking away some of its offenses,” Orlando shares. “Because this building was built so that each condo would have a full view of the reservoir, there are a lot of diagonal angles that were challenging to decorate around.” For example, the triangular living room required a unique furniture layout to function adequately for the couple’s needs. They rearranged the room five times before they settled on the present iteration.

With a deep and abiding love for art and objects, the renovated condo functions as a blank canvas for the couple’s collections of lovely things. Hardwood flooring throughout counterbalances the white walls and provides visual warmth. After eight months in the finished space, Orlando has found that the abundant light streaming through the living room’s double-height windows serves his photo shoots and creative endeavors well. The multipurpose TV loft can function as a bedroom or an office if need be, but also offers an intimate space in which to relax and watch TV. Proudest of all, Orlando worked his magic on the spiral staircase, turning its retro look into a graphic black sculpture within a home gallery of beautiful design. —Annie

Photography by Tessa Neustadt

from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2016/06/before-after-designer-orlando-soria-renovates-his-very-own-orcondo.html