6 min readThere’s a moment, when you step onto the front porch of a charming 1920s Ocean Park bungalow, where you can feel your mood instantly lift. Maybe it’s the warmth of the California sunshine; maybe it's the swaying palm trees that offer just enough privacy without blocking the parade of surfers strolling by past; maybe it's the riot of color visible through the windows, or the faint sound of the ocean a few blocks away. Most likely, though, it's all those things at once—and that's exactly how homeowner Cassandra Jenner envisioned it.
For designer Jenner, the home arrived at a pivotal moment: the end of her 20-year marriage. “I needed a creative outlet to pour myself into,” she says. “I wanted to shake off the sadness, celebrate my freedom, and create a home by the beach for my kids to enjoy.” That personal liberation was followed in kind by a design one—Jenner gutted the 1,500 square foot home, rethinking how it worked for her and her three children. “Space planning is actually my favorite part of design, so I enjoyed the challenge,” she adds. “We took advantage of every square inch of the house, including putting a washer and dryer and linen closet underneath the stairs and building out the attic crawl spaces for the kids to play in.”
The neighborhood itself was also part of the healing Rx. Jenner had lived on the Venice canals in her late teens and twenties, and returning to this stretch of Los Angeles felt like coming home to herself. “So much of this new chapter felt like rediscovering the person I have always been,” she says. She wanted the four-bedroom home to reflect her new lease on life, and the vibrant energy of Ocean Park—the kind of place where you can catch a wave, a Michelin star meal, or a neighbor as they head out for an afternoon walk. That sunshine-in-a-bottle vibe is carried through every room, from lemon-yellow trim and candy-colored wallpaper to a secret passage Jenner tucked behind the wardrobe in her son’s room.
In a city where reinvention is currency, Jenner’s home proves that sometimes, the most powerful transformations happen when you need them the most. “This house represents my unwillingness to let go of joy during one of the saddest times of my life,” adds Jenner. “It’s about celebrating life in all its color and vibrancy, and about reminding myself that I can create beauty and joy for my family, in even the hardest of times.”
FAST FACTS
Designer: Cassandra Jenner
Landscaper: Linda Yannetty
Stylist: Cate Geiger
Location: Los Angeles, CA
The Space: A four-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1920s bungalow across 1,500 square feet
KITCHEN
A sky blue ceiling nods to California’s undeniably perfect weather.
The biggest facelift happened in the kitchen, which Jenner reinvented in order to fit both her family and her cookware collection. “It’s a small kitchen, so we really needed to think about how we are going to store everything,” she adds. “I made a list of everything I keep in the kitchen and planned accordingly.”
In order to install a peninsula bar and a small breakfast nook, Jenner removed two walls, adding charming cane-front custom cabinetry, new appliances, and plenty of color. “I love citrusy colors that give me a bit of a pucker feeling when I look at them,” she adds of the Dutch door’s lime green hue.
In the adjoining dining room, a similar color scheme keeps the neighboring spaces feeling connected. “This room also doubles as my home office,” adds Jenner. “There’s a credenza with a printer and all my office supplies and fabrics stored in it, and I have a bulletin board on the adjacent wall for my inspiration boards.”
PORCH
A clever mirror helps the slim space feel larger.
“This is the best spot in the house!” Jenner says of the exterior porch, which overlooks the sidewalk for ideal people watching. Ceiling heaters on timers extend the usability year-round, while a barrier of tropical plants offers privacy.
PRIMARY BATHROOM
Chinosierie wallpaper brings the outdoors in.
“This ensuite master bath needed to tie into the bedroom, but I wanted it to have its own moment,” explains Jenner. To manage that, she switched up the wallpaper but kept a lot of the same materials, like lucite, brass, rattan, and a feminine palette of pinks. “The shape of the back of the custom backsplash even echoes the headboard, and the neutral leopard rug echoes the neutral striped bedspread,” she adds.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Furniture from Jenner’s former life got a facelift for her new retreat.
Just like Jenner revisited her youth with her home’s new locale, so too did her bedroom furniture. “I had the Chippendale fretwork side tables made in my early 20’s for my first apartment in Hollywood—the splurge for great quality was well worth it,” she adds.
The headboard also got an upgrade via new pebbled white leather, and the whole room got blanketed in a flurry of fluttering butterflies. “I’ve always had a strong connection with butterflies, and they represent that light and free feeling of the house,” Jenner says.
DAUGHTER’S BEDROOM
Celestial wallpaper covers every inch for a magical escape.
For her daughter Francesca’s room, Jenner relied on a favorite color of her own as a kid: ochre yellow. “I wanted her to open her eyes every morning surrounded by colors and shapes that bring energy and life,” Jenner says. “Teenagers can use some of that!”
DAUGHTER’S BEDROOM
Jenner disguised the wonky ceiling angles with a busy wallpaper.
Jenner’s daughter Bella calls this room home, and the small space required creative problem-solving to fit all the essentials while keeping it comfortable. “Since I wanted her to be able to host friends for sleepovers, I made sure there was enough clear floor space for the trundle bed to pull out,” Jenner says. “We wrapped the entire room in sweet wallpaper, which disguises the awkward ceiling lines and makes the space feel enveloping and charming.”
SON’S ROOM
A hidden fort is the perfect spot for sleepovers with friends.
In her son Luke’s room, Jenner relied on retro motifs and clever hacks—including a secret playroom under the roof’s eaves—to make it work for an active 8-year-old. “I wanted the space to feel beachy and kid-friendly now, but still cool enough for a teenager someday,” Jenner says. The wallpaper features Ferris wheels at the end of a pier, lifeguard towers, and surfers, echoing the nearby Santa Monica Pier and boardwalk. “It has a playful 1950’s touch that echoes the art style in my older daughter’s room,” she adds.
KIDS’ BATH
Scalloped tiles echo the shape of the waves.
One of the many puzzles Jenner had to iron out during the renovation was a dedicated kids’ bath, which previously didn’t exist upstairs. “I probably spent the most time figuring out how to add a bathroom upstairs, since the house only came with one bathroom,” she explains. “All three kids had to share it, so it had to be generous and thoughtfully laid out.”
A lockable pocket door divides the two sides of the bathroom; one side houses the more private activities, like the shower and toilet, while the other boasts two sinks and a generous countertop so the kids can share the space when getting ready. “No one can lock someone else out and start an argument!” Jenner laughs.
OUTDOOR SHOWER
Sprawling palms create an intimate enclave.
True to the spirit of California living, Jenner put a big emphasis on the home’s outdoor spaces, which include an expansive patio and outdoor shower for a quick rinse after the beach. “The landscaping was inspired by craftsman homes in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, where a lot of the front porches are surrounded by tall swaying palms,” she adds. “The design is about seizing the day, not taking yourself too seriously, and prioritizing activity and fun every day.”
About the Designer
Cassandra Jenner is a designer and single mom of three who specializes in restoring historic homes in vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. She focuses on thoughtful space planning and showcasing the character and energy of these unique communities through her design. Cassandra’s next venture is a working dude ranch on California’s Central Coast called Jenneration Ranch. Whether renovating a city bungalow, a simple white farmhouse in Ojai, or a working dude ranch, Jenner believes that great design includes thoughtfully planned, comfortable spaces that reflect the unique, authentic character of their surroundings.
