Anne Marie Crotty

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LAUREN PRESSEY

Where?

North Hermosa Beach Sand Section.

How long at this current home?

My husband bought a little bungalow in 2001. We got married and I moved here in 2003. We re-built on the same lot to accommodate our growing family in 2009.

Who else lives here?

My husband and my three kids, ages 12, 10 and 7.

How would you describe the style of your home?

Spanish Colonial Revival.

Did you employ any help with its interior design?

We did not have a designer. We copied a lot of details from a director’s house we like on La Brea.

A favorite room in the home?

My favorite room is probably our great room off the front porch. It’s where we live, laugh, eat and welcome people into our home.

Minimalism or the more the merrier?

Ha, I’m definitely more of a minimalist, but my husband still has his blue books from college! I love to throw things away.

Any special attachments to a piece of art in the home?

My husband has many talents, and one of them is painting. We have a few of his pieces in the house. He tends to criticize his work, but they’re my favorites.

How about furniture or other décor?

I love the peacock oval mirror we have hanging over our fireplace. My husband hunted it down and finally found it in a town 20 minutes away from my parents in Seattle. They picked it up for us and drove it down to California!

Neutrals or color for your preferred palette?

I like a neutral palette with some pattern and texture to make things interesting. Oh and indigo … I love indigo!

What will NEVER make its way into your home?

A TV in the bedroom.

Do you like to entertain at home or prefer to enjoy on your own?

We love to entertain … spontaneous summer nights after the beach are our favorite time to have casual get-togethers.

What keeps you living there?

The neighborhood. At one point we thought we’d have to sell our little bungalow and find something bigger. But we are so thankful we were able to stay in this amazing pocket of Hermosa! Our neighbors are the best. I think we have over 30 kids in two blocks down the street.

If you could change one thing about the home, what would it be?

If I had to do it again, I would have done a roof deck, but without doing a reverse floor plan we didn’t know how much we would use it.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

Seattle. It’s where I grew up, and all of my family is there. I’m thankful we get to visit so often.

What should every home have?

A welcoming smile. People that love you no matter what. And a stocked refrigerator for the kids and all of their friends!