yesterday’s post on one of my favorite photographers, mario testino, was all about his two new exhibits at boston’s museum of fine art and his brilliant photographs of the royal family over the years- a royal view! today i thought i’d follow up on the story with a peek into his fabulous home in los angeles- a private view!

earlier this year vogue magazine, editor hamish bowles, model natalia vodianova, with mario behind the camera, took us on a tour of his los angeles hacienda in the hollywood hills, actually not too far away from our house- see the story here. mario’s home away from home in la had been a bungalow at the chateau marmont for years, once he saw the 1933 spanish style house high in the hills covered in bougainvillea he knew it was time for a move!

after a year long renovation of lightening things, opening things up, revising the gardens, mario became his own decorator. the relaxed authenticity, attention to details and elements of cool feel very similar to his photography! it feels real, layered, lived in, most important to him, it felt like a house you’d find in his homeland of peru.

to make the tour a little more fun, i thought i’d throw in a few of my favorite mario testino photographs from his new book appropriately titled mario testino: private view. i love the relationship of his art with his home!

there really is no better photographer than mario- advertising, fashion, portraits and now, decorating! fashion, celebrities, royalty and now- a private view!