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As a design writer, I feel lucky to get to peek inside some of Los Angeles’ most iconic homes.

This year, I visited many places, from Midcentury Modern landmarks by Edward Fickett and Raphael Soriano to humble apartments filled with Facebook Marketplace finds.

The rooms that stayed with me long after I left were not always the most luxurious or expensively furnished. Instead, they were the ones that made me smile and left a lasting impression of the person who lives there.

Here are the 14 rooms that resonated with me this year and the people who live in them who inspired me even more.

A colorful, sun-drenched kitchen in Mount Washington that connects to nature

(Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

Priced out of much of Los Angeles, architect Lindsay Sheron and her husband Daniel bought a vacant hillside lot in Mount Washington and proceeded to design and build their own home. Working over a three-year period, the couple served as general contractors and did much of the work themselves. The kitchen is a standout, featuring bright green custom kitchen cabinets painted Raw Tomatillo by Farrow & Ball, which add vitality to the single-wall layout. A custom metal hood by Practice Fabrication, powder-coated the color of a Pixie tangerine, adds a sense of fun.

“I wanted our house to feel really warm and bring nature inside,” says Lindsay, referring to the Western hemlock tongue and groove planks that she and Daniel installed on the walls and ceilings. “Wood does the heavy lifting in accomplishing that.”

Tour the custom built home here.

In Hollywood, a stunning living room that’s filled with second-hand furnishings

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Caitlin Villarreal felt giddy the first time she stepped inside the Whitley Heights rental, a storied 1926 Mediterranean-style penthouse with towering ceilings, hand-carved wooden beams and a pair of arched bookcases alongside an oversize fireplace.

“It had good energy,” Villarreal said of the 1,500-square-foot apartment she rents in a historic neighborhood where Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin and Bette Davis once lived. “It’s iconic just by standing tall year after year. It has floor-to-ceiling Old Hollywood windows that blow open unexpectedly just like in the movies. It doesn’t feel like a rental. It feels like a forever home.”

Tour the Hollywood penthouse here.

A Midcentury Modern dining room in Studio City that Raphael Soriano would approve of

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Architect Linda Brettler’s list of things she loves about her Raphael Soriano-designed home is long, even though the all-aluminum structure, which was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1997, was in desperate need of updating when she purchased it in 2021. “I like doing projects like this where I get to have my own hand and feel, but I’m still honoring what was here,” Brettler says. “I’m trying to create an idealized version of what the house would look like now.” In the dining room, a reproduction of a Millard Sheets painting, rendered by Cal Poly Pomona students on Tyvek, is mounted on a cork-lined wall. Above the painting, she has mounted a projector screen for movie nights and video games.

Tour the historic all-aluminum home here.

A modern West Hollywood living room decorated with pets in mind

(Kit Karzen / For The Times)

“My original inspiration was to match the furniture to the kitties so I don’t see their cat hair,” anesthesiologist Jeffrey Hamilton says of the West Hollywood condo he shares with his boyfriend David Poli, his cats Romulus and Remus and Poli’s Husky mix, Janeway. “The cats very much informed the color scheme. I find them so handsome; it felt like having matching furniture was practical.”

In the living room, Hamilton chose a camel-colored Curvo sofa in velvet by Goop for CB2, which he found on Facebook Marketplace. Similarly, the accompanying swivel chairs from HD Buttercup and the barstool seats in the kitchen are upholstered in Bengal and Husky-durable textiles that camouflage their rescues pet hair.

“Jeffrey likes to say that everything in his apartment is a rescue, including me,” says Poli jokingly.

Tour the West Hollywood condo here.

A surprising Silver Lake kitchen that doubles as a retro video store

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Rose fondly remembers the days when he worked at the independent video store I Luv Video in Austin, Texas.

Now an L.A.-based writer, director and producer, Rose, 41, recalls the Austin store’s eclectic assortment of cult oddities and world cinema.

Although he can no longer visit the video store, Rose doesn’t have to go far to rent these days, as he has brought a similar yet distinctive collection to the kitchen of his one-bedroom bungalow in Silver Lake.

Tour the Silver Lake apartment here.

Two college friends transform a Glassell Park living room (and garage) into an art-filled escape

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Antonio Adriano Puleo didn’t intend to renovate his traditional 1946 bungalow, but after consulting with architectural designer Ben Warwas, who told him he could transform the house into a “forever home,” the artist changed his plans.

“The living room wasn’t big enough, and it featured a huge red brick fireplace that had doors on either side of it, leading to the backyard,” said Warwas.

The living room of the main house is now open and airy, with custom cabinets and millwork by James Melinat that showcase the artwork Puleo made himself and the pieces he has collected for more than 30 years. The living room’s fireplace is gone, but the wooden mantle remains atop a console behind the sofa, graced with a series of colorful ceramic planters by Ashley Campbell and Brian Porray of Happy Hour Ceramics.

“Little tweaks totally transformed the house,” Warwas said.

Tour the house and ADU here.

A fabulous wet bar in a West Hollywood apartment that’s perfect for parties

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Growing up in a small town outside of Cleveland, Tyler Piña was fascinated by Los Angeles and the glamour of Hollywood.

“My dad grew up out here, and it’s where my parents met,” says the 33-year-old screenwriter. “I remember looking at old Polaroids of them in the ‘80s and seeing how much fun they had.”

His attraction to Los Angeles, however, was more than just nostalgia. “I was mesmerized by the landscapes and architecture,” he says.

Looking back, he can’t believe he realized his dream of moving to Los Angeles from San Francisco in 2018 and eventually renting a Midcentury Modern penthouse by Edward Fickett steps from the Sunset Strip.

“A Midcentury Modern penthouse on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, with a bar in the living room? I mean, does it get more iconic? I am, in no way, cool enough to live here,” says Piña.

Tour the Midcentury apartment here.

A bedroom in Beachwood Canyon is transformed into an art-filled office (and occasional guest room)

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

When Natalie Babcock and Samuel Gibson found a listing for a sunny apartment in Beachwood Canyon five years ago, they immediately fell for the two bedroom’s charming built-in bookshelves, faux fireplace, hardwood floors and formal dining room. Practical amenities such as an in-unit laundry and a garage, which are often elusive in Los Angeles rentals, didn’t hurt.

Today, however, the couple says they are most impressed by the sense of belonging they have found in the community just outside their 1928 Spanish fourplex. Here, where tourists and brides in wedding gowns often pose for photographs in the middle of the street in an effort to capture the Hollywood sign in the background, Babcock and Gibson have become part of a larger family. “Everyone knows our dogs’ names,” says Babcock.

The couple’s taste is vibrant, and the colorful interiors reflect their sense of fun and love of design. They painted one wall in Gibson’s office a dramatic Kelly green, which makes the white-trimmed windows and his extensive art collection pop.

“Art is one thing that I am always happy to spend money on,” Gibson says.

Tour the Beachwood Canyon apartment here.

A treasures-filled living room in Eagle Rock that’s a colorful showstopper

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Isa Beniston and Scotty Zaletel are romantics. Not just in their love for each other, which they are as vocal about three years in as budding high school crushes, but also in the way they describe the contents of their 412-square-foot one-bedroom apartment. They can recall the season they discovered each treasure — from fruit-shaped throw pillows to more than 30 animal portraits — and the cross streets of the flea markets from which they bought them. They gush about the time they’ve spent together in fabric stores and flooring supply shops as if they were dimly lighted restaurants primed for date night.

“We both just love stuff,” the two said in near-unison.

— Lina Abascal

Tour the 412-square foot apartment here.

A tricked-out garage/ADU in Venice that serves as an office, gym and family hub

(Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

“They’re fun,” architect Aejie Rhyu says of the creative couple Will Burroughs and Frith Dabkowski, as she walked by the undulating two-story ADU she helped them realize.

Rhyu’s assessment helps to explain the joy that permeates the family compound, from the pink Los Angeles Toile wallpaper in the bedroom (humorously adorned with illustrations of L.A.’s beloved mountain lion P-22, the La Brea Tar Pits and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) to the tricked-out garage on the first floor, which includes overhead bike storage, an espresso maker, a mini-fridge and a large flat-screen TV that allows Sydney-born Burroughs to watch Formula One car races and cricket games at 4 a.m. when his family is asleep.

Burroughs even installed a subwoofer speaker beneath the sofa to give the garage the feel of a movie theater during family movie nights. “Jack went flying off the couch when we watched ‘Top Gun,’ ” he said of their son, laughing.

Tour the two-story ADU with a rooftop deck here.

A serene guest room in Mid-Wilshire that’s a light-filled studio for a textile artist

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

After living in her two-bedroom apartment in Los Feliz for more than a decade, Debra Weiss encountered a problem experienced by many renters in Los Angeles: She was evicted.

When her son-in-law spotted a charming two-bedroom apartment near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Zillow, her initial reaction was, “I want this,” Weiss said of the fourplex.

The rental had high ceilings, oak floors, ample sunlight, an appealing fireplace, a garage and a washer and dryer.

In the guest room, a wall hanging composed of three separate weavings in a gingham check pattern is embroidered with a series of characters she based on her 5-year-old granddaughter’s drawings. “It’s about people coming together in chaos and supporting each other,” Weiss said.

Even though the process of having to move was stressful, Weiss is happy with her new home and neighborhood. “I take the Metro bus everywhere and hardly ever drive,” she said. “Everything worked out perfectly.”

Tour the sunny Mid-Wilshire fourplex here.

A ’70s-inspired speakeasy/lounge in Highland Park that’s hidden behind a bookcase

(Carianne Older / For The Times)

Standing beneath a glittering tiered chandelier in her pink “cloffice,” designer Dani Dazey shares the essence of her colorful style: “From the wallpaper to the artwork, my home is a reflection of me right now,” she explains. “It’s a personal and hip twist on traditional design.”

Rather than embrace rustic farmhouse style or minimalist Midcentury Modern design as is often the case in Los Angeles, Dazey has taken the Highland Park home she shares with husband Phillip Butler and given it an over-the-top maximalist spin.

The speakeasy lounge, accessible through a hidden door sliding bookcase, is a ‘70s-inspired sanctuary with a modular sofa, curtains and wallpaper in the same floral pattern.

Their home is proof, that our homes should make us happy by reflecting who we are. In Dazey’s case, that translates to bold color, lush textures and retro vibes.

Tour the Highland Park home here.

A memento-filled living room in Long Beach is an ode to ‘the people we love’

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A sense of fun permeates the rooms of Cecilia and Abraham Beltran’s colorful one-bedroom Midcentury apartment in Long Beach.

“We both have a deep passion for Midcentury design and color,” Cecilia shares.

The Beltrans’ apartment encapsulates their design sensibility and “above all, the people we love,” Cecilia says. There’s bold, Midcentury Modern-inspired furniture the couple found on Craigslist, tongue-in-cheek smiling pillows and the “Hole to Another Universe” wall decal by Blik, which can be removed when they move. Peppered throughout the space are mementos from their travels, such as the limited-edition art print “La Famille” purchased on a trip to London in 2023.

Ultimately, Cecilia says, she wants the apartment “to feel like us. I think we pulled it off.”

Tour the Long Beach apartment here.

In Reseda, an apartment where every antique tells a story

(Stephen Ross Goldstein / For The Times)

When Evelyn Bauer, 97, downsized from her four-bedroom home in Sherman Oaks to an apartment in Reseda in 2014, the longtime collector and antiques dealer was forced to relinquish many of her personal belongings.

“Collecting is my passion, my addiction, and I’m so happy to be afflicted with it,” says Bauer, whose two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at an independent living facility for seniors is filled with furnishings and decorative arts from her 65 years as a collector.

Step inside her living room, and the vast collection of antiques feels like entering the former Encino Antique Center, where she was once the proprietor during the 1990s. Each item has a story, a memory and a unique charm that she cherishes.

“There’s always room for one more gem,” she says.

Tour the Reseda apartment here.

The Ford Mustang was built in Detroit, introduced to the world in New York and, according to a new exhibit on the border of downtown and Boyle Heights, romanticized by Los Angeles.

Part advertisement, part history lesson and part playground, “American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience” uses theme park-inspired trappings to celebrate a work of mechanical artistry. The car — first introduced in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair as a sporty, compact coup with just a little bit of an edge — is given a hero’s treatment. Inside the warehouse-like Ace Mission Studios, “American Icon” tracks the Mustang’s evolution from the suburban garage to the race track, and uses projections and a 4D theater experience to transform what could have been a showroom experience into something built more for a video game.

With installations focused on the fabled, traffic-free, open road “freedom” that car manufacturers like to so often tout, there’s something quaintly old fashioned here. The Mustang is presented as a car for young couples on the go, optimistically envisioning an America when home and car ownership were a given.

Visitors watch an immersive 4D short film.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

The seats inside a 4D theater vibrate and feature water and scent effects.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

In that sense, it’s a car enthusiast’s fantasy. But can it inspire a new generation of car dreamers, especially at a time when some data indicates younger audiences may be holding off on a car purchase?

While no cars are for sale at “American Icon” — there is an assortment of specially branded Mustang merch, however, much of it nostalgically focused on 1964 — such an immersive endeavor makes sense, says researcher Jason Jordhamo, a marketing director for Polk Automotive Solutions from S&P Global Mobility. Enticing audiences today, he says, involves a more personal touch than a big TV ad spend or a sponsorship deal.

“It’s less time in the dealership,” Jordhamo says of reaching younger consumers, especially Gen Z. “Those traditional things have to be let go of.”

Jordhamo notes that new vehicle registration among those aged 18-34 has dipped about 2% in recent years. Anecdotally, he cites a multitude of factors, ranging from growing environmental consciousness — hybrids and electric vehicles are big with the age bracket — to the ease of rideshare, especially in major cities.

But there are other causes for concern. “There’s a lot of things that are challenging in that space,” Jordhamo says. “One is affordability, which is huge. The cost for purchasing a vehicle — the monthly costs — have gone up 30% since the beginning of this decade. And the average loan payment nationally has been over $750 all calendar year.”

With the “Pick Your Pony” interactive feature, guests can listen to different Mustang engine sounds.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Immersive experiences, which typically denote either some level of participation on the part of the guest or attempt to envelope the attendee in all-encompassing imagery, are common in Hollywood and often seen as a way of reaching a younger consumer weaned on interactive entertainment. They’ve been utilized heavily by studios such as Netflix for pop-ups themed to “Arcane,” “Squid Game” and more, but brands and personalities as varied as the Catholic Church, McDonald’s and even Mariah Carey have gotten in on the experiential action. Car companies, too, have dabbled, be it partnering with video game franchises such as “Gran Turismo” or “Rocket League” or, as Ford already does, offering real-life experiences such as off-roading in a Bronco at various U.S. locales.

“It’s more than just steel and rubber,” says Ford’s communications director Mike Levine when asked why Mustang was pegged for such an experience. “Mustang’s impact on America should be appreciated like an art exhibit.”

Seated before a crisply, powdered blue 1965 Mustang on a turntable, the exhibit’s first major room comes alive to simulate movement as the surrounding four walls use projections to place us on idealized versions of Venice Beach and Route 66. The glimmering rhythm of Martha and the Vandellas’ “Nowhere to Run” sets the tone as visions of cruise culture innocence aim to make us feel as if we’re on a ride through Southern California. All that’s missing to complete the mood is someone to deliver us a milkshake.

Several generations of Mustangs are projected behind a real vehicle.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

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Levine says Los Angeles rather than Detroit was chosen as the first of a planned many stops for “American Icon” in part due to the city’s iconography, pointing to historic drives such as Pacific Coast and Angeles Crest highways as scenic backdrops for our car-focused culture. While experiential marketing is all the buzz in recent years, Levine says this is the first installation of its kind for Ford.

“So far, so good,” said Enzo Sanchez, 22, when asked on a recent weekday if he was enjoying “American Icon,” which culminates in a 4D theater experience that serves as a mini motion simulator. Expect to get splashed with a drop of water as the smell of burning rubber fills the room. The mini film — about five minutes — has Mustang drivers saving a post-apocalyptic world from a rogue AI. “Terminator,” but if Mustangs came to the rescue.

Sanchez, named after famed racer and entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari, comes from a car enthusiast family. His father pointed to a wall dedicated to appearances of the Mustang in popular culture, and singled out a framed portrait of Johnny Mathis’ LP “Those Were the Days,” which features the automobile, and said he would have to track down a copy.

“It just transports you,” Sanchez says of his love of the Mustang, adding that he first became aware of “American Icon” on a recent trip to mid-Wilshire’s Petersen Automotive Museum, which helped curate the exhibition. Sanchez noticed one of its famed 1967 Mustangs, the so-called “Eleanor” from “Gone in 60 Seconds,” was absent, and when Sanchez inquired as to its whereabouts, he was told that it would be popping up at “American Icon.” The vehicle shares space with Mustangs from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Kick-Ass” and “Transformers” at the exhibition.

The Mustang, says Ford’s Levine, has been among the most popular movie vehicles, adding that “Gone in 60 Seconds” showcases the car as much as it does the city of Los Angeles. He, too, has seen the headlines that proclaim Gen Z is shifting away from car ownership. For now, he says, he isn’t concerned.

“I heard the same thing about millennials, who weren’t going to buy cars,” he says. “As a parent of two Gen Z children, they love cars. Their friends have cars. They want something they can enjoy.”

A rotating platform and video projections make a Ford Mustang look like it’s driving on a road.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

And as Ford bets on with “American Icon,” they want something they can experience.

“This is a different way to reach a Gen Z customer that is very much looking for or has seen engaging content online,” he says. “And when you come in to do that experience, it’s really every sense. When you do the 4D ride, it is every sense. You smell. You feel it. You hear it. You see it. And when you’re immersed on that level, you put the phone down.”

And that, of course, is an essential rule to enjoying the road.