A Los Angeles Apartment Steeped in Old Hollywood Heritage

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As a screenwriter—her partner an architect—Alexandra Cadena is intimately acquainted with Hollywood's glamour. The city's cinematic magnetism drew her to a one-bedroom rental designed by Leland Bryant, the same architect behind the iconic Sunset Tower. "Charlie Chaplin used to live down the street," Cadena notes of the Studio City enclave. "Even our upstairs hall closet was once used as a dressing room for actresses." Such storied provenance was irresistible for Cadena, while her partner was captivated by the original fireplace. "There was something for both of us, both of our worlds," she recalls.

The kitchen in this 1930s unit arrives complete with an arched alcove and checkerboard floors. "I show love to the room by using it and cooking as much as I can," she explains. Having grown up in Venezuela, preparing an arepa or brewing a local coffee grounds Cadena in her heritage. Four floating shelves flanking the range hood keep everyday staples—flour, rice—within easy reach. With limited cabinetry, Cadena transformed an arched nook across from the oven into versatile storage: pots and pans suspend from a small rack, and her lime-green KitchenAid mixer occupies the counter. In summer, the expansive window creates a greenhouse warmth. "It's the hottest room in the apartment by far," Cadena says. "The oven stays off during the month of July." Colorful salads then rotate on repeat until autumn.

Descend a short flight of stairs and the living room reveals its 12-foot ceilings—a spatial generosity amplified by all-white walls and exposed beams. "It's the best place to curl up and read," says Cadena, who does so in a vintage woven lounge chair she vows she'll never part with—her first significant furniture investment. The console table behind the sofa, by contrast, is a recent addition. The couple required a surface for drinks and ever-growing reading stacks, and a super-slim, low-profile console answered the brief precisely.

Cadena's professional life orbits the silver screen, so the impulse to watch a film after work is rare. "That's why we keep the projector screen rolled up," she says. "To encourage conversation." On the occasional streaming evening, the Amazon-sourced screen unfurls seamlessly over the large mirror above the fireplace. (The couple's most recent movie night featured a Home Alone and Die Hard double feature at Christmas.)

Cadena preferred to let the space inform her instincts before acting, waiting a full year before introducing further design refinements. Now she finds herself in constant editing mode—replacing the circular coffee table with a longer black iteration that harmonizes with her Cesca dining chairs, and layering in greenery at every opportunity. "I let the plants add color for me," she says, laughing. The most recent addition: a black rounded planter from Sanso, a local ceramics studio.

Upstairs, the editing continues—Cadena recently coated the primary bedroom in a cool sage green. "I needed the space to be a bit more soothing, less stark," she explains. "But I still want to go darker." A taste for drama carries over from her professional world. Rather than adorning walls with prints or artwork, she prefers to let sunlight streak through sheer curtains, uninterrupted—a kinetic gallery of shadow and warmth.

Though they've recently renewed their lease, Cadena and her partner still have a roster of projects awaiting attention—refreshing the timeworn but beloved kitchen cabinets among them. For now, she contents herself with soaking in the Los Angeles sunshine from her front windows.

Kate McGregor covers everything related to the home, from design inspiration to IKEA hacks. She has been the market assistant at ELLE Decor where she focused on curating product for the print magazine's market pages.

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