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When actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband, producer Justin Mikita, decided to move from LA’s trendy Los Feliz to the leafy Encino hills, they envisioned a California home truly reflective of their aesthetic and evolving family life. The contemporary new-build house they landed on presented a 9,000-square-foot blank canvas. Walking through its bare white spaces, the design-fluent fathers saw past the developer “flip” finishes to envision a comfortably curated haven marrying West Coast ease with subtle and elevated refinements.
To execute their calm and cozy vision, Ferguson and Mikita brought in AD100 designer Mandy Cheng. “We wanted someone to push us in new directions but also embrace things we already loved,” Mikita explains. Cheng helped finesse the finishes to feel curated and collected over time, while also creating custom pieces catering to the growing family’s needs.
Now the home’s vast living spaces sing with hand-picked details: a meticulously designed sofa in green velvet, an armchair built big enough for two, and custom credenzas housing beloved books and objects. Art placement was precise and purposeful. “Displaying our meaningful art and collectibles was a priority,” Ferguson notes.
Throughout the thoughtfully arranged home, lovely juxtapositions surprise and satisfy. The existing crisp white walls have been warmed up with soft greens and blush tones. Striking black walls in the home office contrast a whimsical matchbook-motif wallpaper. And in the sprawling primary suite, Ferguson jokes about their custom extra-large mattress and bed (equaling a king and a half size)—“Justin and I got the giggles one night seeing how many rolls it took to reach each other,” he recalls. “It was, like, three and a half!”
Flexibility and function were top concerns for the couple, who have two young kids. “We wanted open flow but also cozy spots to unwind,” Ferguson explains. Priorities like durable indoor-outdoor fabrics and art hung safely out of reach guided design choices. Spaces especially cater to connection, from the grand room complete with a bar and piano to alfresco nooks primed for play and entertaining. Outdoor gardens even provide herbs and vegetables for cooking. The kitchen’s lengthy marble-topped island is a natural gathering spot. “It’s just where everyone ends up congregating,” says Mikita.
For whole-family hangs, the main floor’s seamless flow between kitchen, living room, and a sun-filled playroom works perfectly. “I think our three-year-old spends more time there than in his actual bedroom,” laughs Mikita. On movie nights they might find themselves nestled in the downstairs game room, dubbed an “upscale basement hangout” by Cheng. Here, a gold velvet sofa offers an inviting perch, while playful wallpaper again spans the ceiling.
A guest cottage caters to frequent visitors. The charming bunk room features graphic wallpaper and built-in beds swathed in playful stripes. Outdoor decks offer tamed wilderness vibes with rattan seating and a serene palette. “It’s an elevated campground feel,” says Ferguson.
Ultimately, Cheng explains, she was able to respond intuitively to the family’s life, to help shape a personal, usable, and accessible space. As she says, “My goal was to take the beautiful contemporary architecture and soften it. To make this feel a bit more intimate, a little bit more sophisticated, and a little less ‘bright and airy’ in the wrong ways.”
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