Required Reading: Interior Portraits by Photographer Leslie Williamson

Start typing to search...

If you follow SF-based photographer Leslie Williamson on Instagram, you know she’s rarely at home; she’s too busy flying around the world documenting the homes of midcentury artists, architects, and designers. Her first two books, Modern Originals and Handcrafted Modern, are classics that belong on the shelves of any design devotee.

In her third book, Interior Portraits: At Home with Cultural Pioneers and Creative Mavericks, Williamson takes us on a tour of California homes, from Robinson Jeffers’s seaside cabin and cottage and tower in Carmel to architect Charles Moore’s iconic Sea Ranch house.

What especially caught our eye: the home and studio of sculptor Alma Allen in Joshua Tree, filled with his finished and in-progress biomorphic wood and bronze sculptures. (Another favorite: Alice Waters’s Oakland garden; take a tour at Californians at Home: Intimate Portraits by Leslie Williamson on Gardenista.)

Photography courtesy of Leslie Williamson and Rizzoli.

alma allen exterior leslie williamson interior portraits — Above: “The home and studio that Alma designed and built curl around an enclosed central courtyard,” Williamson writes, “so the grouping of buildings feels a bit like a compound. Each structure is made of cinderblock, concrete, and wood with two large walls of sliding glass as the front entrance.”

alma allen interior portraits leslie williamson studio — Above: On display in Alma’s living space: sculptural carved works, some that function as furniture. “When I look at his pieces, I feel transported—no doubt to my imaginary lunar world of Alma,” Leslie writes.

alma allen kitchen leslie williamson interior portraits 2 2 — Above: “The living space is simple and essential—a combined kitchen and living room, a small utility area, and a bedroom with a master bath all opening out to the central courtyard,” Leslie writes.

alma allen leslie williamson interior portraits kitchen — Above: Beauty in imperfection: Note the irregularly positioned cabinet pulls in the kitchen.

alma allen leslie williamson interior portraits hallway — Above: “A bench in the small utility area leading to the bedroom has twin street-find sculptures basking in the sun,” Leslie writes.

alma allen interior portraits leslie williamson bedroom — Above: “After a while, I found myself trying to figure out what Alma did not make,” Williamson says of her time spent at Alma’s compound. Among the pieces from other designers she spotted: an Eileen Gray E1027 used as a bedside table in his bedroom.

a hardcover copy of interior portraits: at home with cultural pioneers and crea 15 — Above: A hardcover copy of *Interior Portraits: At Home with Cultural Pioneers and Creative Mavericks* (Rizzoli, 2018) is $34.43 from Amazon.

See more of Leslie’s work:

You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.

Remodeling 101

Remodeling Guides

Our Exclusives

Remodeling 101: A Guide to the Only 6 Wood Flooring Styles You Need to Know

Find a Firm

Regions Served

Browse by Field

Klopf Architecture

Get Inspired

The Cuban Mop: The Near Perfect Cleaning Tool You’ve Never Heard of (and How to Use It)

Shop Our Picks

Margaux Side Chairs

Design Travel

Popular Countries

Popular Cities

The Lisboans: Apartments in Portugal with Vintage Style, Breakfast Included

Our Story

Remodelista Book Ordering Information

Editorial Team