Diaz found a kindred spirit in Wearstler. “I blame my love of sparkly, shiny things on my Cuban roots,” says the Southern California–born actress, who points to the formative years she spent on the beach for her tomboyish ways. “But I also wanted a place that felt very homey, very tactile. Kelly is unparalleled when it comes to striking that mix.”
Living Room
In the living room of actress Cameron Diaz’s Manhattan apartment, which was designed by Kelly Wearstler, the swivel armchair by the window is by Milo Baughman, and the Murano-glass chandelier, cocktail table, and stools are vintage; the armchair is upholstered in a Clarence House fabric, and the wallcovering by de Gournay and rug by Mansour Modern are custom designs.
Dining Room
“The palette reflects Cameron herself—it’s innately sexy without being overly flashy,” says Wearstler, who considered Diaz more collaborator than client. “Cameron has excellent taste and understands how colors work together and why quality pieces make rooms special,” the designer adds. Indeed, there are few home cooks who would agree to the fearless combination of unsealed brass countertops and dramatic emerald-green cabinets in the kitchen.
The custom-made parchment-and-brass dining table is flanked by Vladimir Kagan armchairs covered in Groundworks linen by Kelly Wearstler, and the circa-1960s chandelier is Spanish; paintings by Fabrice Penaux hang on a wall of mirror tiles.
Kitchen
The kitchen may be her favorite daylight lair, but at dusk it’s the living room, when the space is at its most seductive and the custom rose-petal–color wallpaper and mirrored walls throw off the kind of light that makes everyone look like a movie star. “It’s a bit like living in a silk-lined jewelry box,” Diaz adds.
The kitchen’s backsplash, counters, and sink fittings are unlacquered brass, the brass-trimmed cabinetry is lacquered in a custom color, and the range is by Viking.
Living Room
In fact, Wearstler loves fashion and jewelry references—she has recently revamped her clothing and accessories lines to include leather, denim, jewelry, and clutches—and makes sure they show up in every room. Light fixtures of mottled glass and hammered metal punctuate rooms with the élan of showstopping earrings. In the lavish bathroom, an artful grid of bronze knobs is strung across a stretch of storage like beads on a necklace.
A Pierre Chareau–designed lamp on a circa-1960 chest by Drexel in the living room; the fireplace screen is by Charles Edwads, and the painting is by Hunt Slonem.
Master Bedroom
Silk linens and a ruched skirt and headboard dress the bed in the master bedroom, where a snow-white chair upholstered in plush mohair recalls 1970s fashion. In the hallway, the onyx hand-troweled plaster wallcovering has the look of a wonderfully weathered leather bag. And like the finest couture, the rooms are luxe from the inside out. Drawers are lined in raw black silk, the back sides of doors are clad in hammered metal, and the interiors of closets are covered in custom wallpaper or in vivid paint.
Master Bath
For both women, completing the project was bittersweet. “I learn new things with every client, but Cameron taught me to be more sensitive to the hand of fabrics and textiles,” Wearstler says. “She was so involved in every step, every choice, that I’m delighted by how well the place represents her.”
The master bath is sheathed in glass tiles by Ann Sacks, the parchment-covered vanity and mirrors are custom made, and the sink and fittings are by Waterworks.
Guest Bedroom
For Diaz’s part, if the acting thing doesn’t work out, she could see herself indulging her design passion professionally. “I’m really going to miss those four-hour-long meetings with Kelly. I got to look at, touch, and talk about beautiful things,” she says.
The guest room features a custom-made brass four-poster and parchment-covered nightstands, a 1960 Austrian ceiling fixture, and a vintage marble garden stool; the painting is by Riccardo Prosperi, and the silk rug is by the Rug Company.