Like many young parents, Ziggy and Orly Marley were running out of space when they started house hunting. Their Beverly Hills Mediterranean was perfect for the two of them, but “they had beautiful child after beautiful child, and the house was quickly too small,” says Reza Farahan, a close friend who helped them find their new home and designed its interior. Farahan found them a 10,000-square-foot Spanish Colonial in L.A.’s Toluca Lake district, twice the size of their former home and perfect for their four children.

 

Marley was sold by an indescribable notion that the home would be a welcoming place to raise his children, not its appearance. “It’s not about how it looks or how many bedrooms; it’s about how it feels,” adds Marley, whose new album More Family Time was released recently. “I liked the home’s vibe and spirit.” Marley also a good climate, Farahan says. “He asked me about the weather, because he’d never lived in the San Fernando Valley,” Farahan adds.

He to be sure the winds were as nice as on the other side of the hill, and I told him they were.” After the family bought the house, Farahan and his staff renovated every room in the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom house for seven months. Hand-scraped reclaimed-oak wood flooring, which they adored in their former home, was one of their top priorities. “Redoing the floors alone in a 10,000-square-foot house is a Herculean task, especially when they’re hand-scraped to give them that authentic Mediterranean vibe,” Farahan adds. But the work paid off: The honey-hued, textured planks give the space a cozy, sophisticated atmosphere. The major renovation undertaking was transforming the open-plan kitchen, dining room, and family area into a relaxing space for cooking, eating, and playing for the kids.

The family plants cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, and other veggies in the patio garden, and the kids assist cook. “I cook every day,” Marley explains. “As a Jamaican, I sometimes serve the kids steamed fish.” Farahan cleverly turned the former owners’ big wine cellar near the kitchen into a pantry. “Usually, it’s the other way around, but when you have four kids, the pantry is more important than the wine fridge,” Farahan laughs.

Image may contain Flooring Hardwood Furniture Chair Kitchen Island and Kitchen The kitchen was extended to accommodate a large cooking family. Custom-made breakfast table seats and bar stools and quartz countertops in a Calacatta book-matched design were used by Farahan. RH Modern pendant light, Harumi Takata Design flowers. Home decor had to be accessible for the kids, but Marley also it to reflect his double design beliefs. “My style is simple but royal,” he explains. Royal to me means lofty ceilings; I adore space and don’t want to feel cramped.” The home’s large square footage is regal, but Farahan understood Marley’s need for simplicity. “[At first], they sound like two things that are so complex and complicated and have nothing to do with each other,” Farahan explains. However, the designer knew what the pair would like because he knew them well. Ziggy is organic and straightforward. The house needed to make sense, not be overdone and complicated.” Farahan accomplished this with huge couches covered in tufted velvet, full slabs of marble quartz in the bathroom, and exquisite chandeliers to match the high ceilings. International Design Authority Enjoy 1 year of AD and 4 free goodies! Sign up now Marley loves the main bedroom, even though his family is active—there’s a basketball court in the rear. Farahan used bright whites to juxtapose the dark Postabello four-poster bed and exposed wood beams in the ceiling. “It has a balcony that I really like to use to start or finish the day,” Marley adds of the peaceful sanctuary. Im a vibe person.”