Brigette Lau wasn’t looking for a new house. But when a friend told her she’d seen an Atherton, California, place that reminded her of Lau, a female leader in the venture capital tech space, she had to take a look. Lau toured the 11,000-square-foot residence—a new, contemporary build by Pacific Peninsula Group—and was sold thanks to the creek running across the property and its overall feeling of tranquility. “I loved it. There was so much foliage, not a lot of traffic,” she says. “It’s such a beautiful home.”
Soon, the standard thoughts and stressors about buying a house began to enter Lau’s mind (she was also navigating being a newly divorced mother of three). “I knew a thousand things had to happen for me to get it and I don’t know how it happened, but I got it,” she says. “It was magical. It feels like it was meant to be.”
To take on the interiors, Lau called on Edel Legaspi of Legaspi Courts Design. The two had worked together nearly 10 years earlier, when Legaspi was the project manager for Lau’s Martis Camp vacation home, so they already had a familiar rapport. Recently reconnected, Legaspi was inspired by Lau’s desire for something fresh. “I wanted to give her a home that was a true reflection of her and [would] provide joy and comfort to her and her kids,” says Legaspi. “It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on who I am as a person and what I want as a space to live in,” adds Lau.
“When I walked her previous home, I didn’t see much of her personality,” Legaspi says. This new house, with its many windows and ample natural light, felt like “her new beginning,” the decorator adds. “When brainstorming the design…I created this narrative of Brigette and how her home can personify the various aspects of her femininity,” explains Legaspi, who found clues about Lau’s own taste in her closet, which brimmed with color and texture.
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As an avid supporter of the arts, Lau owns a collection of works by the likes of Kara Walker, Yayoi Kusama, Jacqueline Humphries, Mika Tajima, Tauba Auerbach, and Anicka Yi—to name a few. Legaspi therefore focused her design on how furniture and art could define each space. “We wanted the rooms to feel comfortable and not precious,” Legaspi notes. “The furniture selections ranged from organic, sculptural pieces to clean, modernist forms, all layered with soft textures and jewel-toned colors.” As for each piece of art on display, Lau chimes in: “You want it to complement and you want it to have its own personality.” Striking a similar note, Legaspi adds, “You don’t want everything to be a showstopper. I want someone to walk in and think, this is Brigette’s house.”
Though both women rave about every room in the house, it’s hard to pick favorites. Still, the descriptions of adored spaces, furnishings, and feelings share a theme: fun. From a hanging daybed in the primary bedroom (a Kardashian moment, Lau notes with a laugh) to a bold pink sculpture in the living room, Lau and Legaspi doubled down on mood-boosting elements. But overall, Legaspi adds, “[T]he spaces reflect Brigette’s femininity, strength, and multifaceted character as a mother and entrepreneur.”
The dining room walls weren’t initially painted purple, but something inspired Lau to take the bold plunge. “Edel knew what she was talking about,” says Lau, who adds, “I’m excited to start entertaining inside again.” The Kelly Lamb God’s Eye Table is surrounded by Gubi Beetle chairs upholstered in Knoll fabric and Holly Hunt leather trim detail. Hanging from the ceiling is a Gabriel Scott Luna Three Tier Chandelier that shines against the aubergine wall color, which is Wine Stain by Dunn Edwards.
