Step Inside Candis Cayne’s Los Angeles Dream Home
by Grace Bonney
It can be hard to know where to start writing about someone when you admire them so much. So I’ll just dive in: I think the world of actress and author Candis Cayne. When I moved to New York City for college, her performances were the stuff of legends among my theater major roommates. Her name always seemed to be in the air and it was always mentioned with deep reverence and admiration. But it wasn’t until her appearance on I Am Cait that I got to learn more about her personal and political views. Her openness, honesty, vulnerability, and sheer joy for life immediately made me sit up, pay attention and join the legions of fans who admire her for not just her performance work, but her strong and unwavering voice.
As I followed along with Candis’ acting and activism work online, I happened upon an image of her kitchen renovation that stopped me in my tracks. Her Los Angeles home is a dreamy California oasis of sunlight, impeccable curved archways and stunning tile work. So I reached out to Candis and her design team, gamble + design, and to my delight, they kindly offered to share this incredible space with us today.
What strikes me so much about Candis’ home is the way in which natural light, historic details, the outdoors and her beautiful dogs, Sampson and Dalilah, are incorporated. Every space feels grand enough for a stylish LA party, but also welcoming enough that it’s clear that this space was brought together with love, comfort and real life in mind. Thank you to Candis for sharing your home with us today — and thank you for sharing your voice and your love of life with all of us online. xo, grace
Design work by gamble + design, photography by Echo and Earl
Candis in her sunny Los Angeles kitchen, designed by gamble +DESIGN. Candis has called this bright and airy 2,500-square-foot space home for four years. Originally built in 1927 by a female architect, Candis' home is a Tudor Revival style with a series of beautiful archways.
When Candis first discovered her home, she loved that it felt like “old Hollywood," with a mix of old and new. But it was rundown and the yard was, "a hot mess," Candis explains. After dealing with the basics (redoing the old knob and tube electrical, fixing plumbing issues, and removing thatched wall paper that had been hot glued on), Candis hired gamble +DESIGN to tackle her outdated 1970s kitchen.
The floors throughout Candis' home were stained a dark color to play off the light grey tile color and to again echo the "old Hollywood" feel that the home originally had.
Jeni Gamble of gamble + design explains that, “The tile pattern and light fixtures were chosen to marry two elements: Candis’ love of Moroccan motifs and a 1920s-era Paris metal element, which was also captured in the reclaimed metal doos used to go outside.”
To open up the space and let in more light, gamble +DESIGN created a door from the kitchen to the backyard. "I love that it creates a strong relationship between the amazing backyard and the kitchen," Candis shares.
Candis' backyard is a bright oasis in a bustling city. The stained glass windows bring a sense of time and history to the home, but mostly Candis likes that this space feels welcoming. "I'm most thankful that I found a home that inspires my friends and family, and where they can visit and feel at home."
Dalilah enjoys the sunny Los Angeles weather in the backyard.
Rock wall details in Candis' backyard, with an array of succulents and plants.
![The view from the backyard doors looking into the kitchen, with entryways into the dining room and sitting room. "I wanted the house to have a vintage/modern look, sort of old-meets-new. I wanted a 20s-era [opulence] but still with an accessible sty…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5c099e53eea036e004472e/1602104966388-JNZ2MWK1NO3BHLSV2QIN/candis-cayne-gambleplusdesign+home+renovation-11.jpg)
The view from the backyard doors looking into the kitchen, with entryways into the dining room and sitting room. "I wanted the house to have a vintage/modern look, sort of old-meets-new. I wanted a 20s-era [opulence] but still with an accessible style," Candis explains.
The doorway from the kitchen to the sitting room was cut to mimic the tile pattern on the kitchen walls. It also echoes the Moroccan feel the house's existing archways have.
Candis and Jeni Gamble of gamble +DESIGN in the home's sunny sitting room.
The view looking into Candis' dining room, which has a mix of modern, antique and vintage furniture.
A vintage chandelier hangs above a modern glass dining table, with a view into the upstairs living room.
Another grand archway (original to the home) leads into the sun-filled living room.
Candis' fireplace was painted a light bronze color to help hone in on the 1920s Hollywood feel.
Candis and her "fur babies," Sampson and Dalilah.
A stunning portrait of Candis hangs above the sofa in Candis' main living room.
![Candis says, “I think the most challenging thing [about this home renovation] was the stairs. There are so many stairs! I still need to do the upstairs master bed and bath, best room and guest bath - - which I’ll call on gamble + design for again.”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5c099e53eea036e004472e/1602105533636-C6BFU7UG0BF6NXF2KBWR/candis-cayne-gambleplusdesign+home+renovation-20.jpg)
Candis says, “I think the most challenging thing [about this home renovation] was the stairs. There are so many stairs! I still need to do the upstairs master bed and bath, best room and guest bath - - which I’ll call on gamble + design for again.”
The view that sold the house. Candis has a breathtaking view of the Los Angeles area from her home's tall windows.