Cliff Fong likes change. In fact, the interior designer and Matt Blacke Inc. founder craves a fresh start every so often. He even admits to having a slight aversion to complacency, which is precisely why he decided to let Bonhams auction off nearly all the furniture and artworks in his 1953 ranch-style Los Angeles house.
“A lot of the material I’ve had for over 20 years and brought to three different homes,” explains Cliff, whose high-profile clients include Ryan Murphy and Ellen DeGeneres. “And I just felt it was time to do something a little different. I will always love these historically important design pieces…but I’m very careful not to become too comfortable with certain kinds of defaults. I would like to explore a different perspective.”
In the past, Cliff would have answered the itch for a scenery shift by moving to a new place, but he couldn’t seem to leave his current mid-century abode behind. Every time he toured another property, he realized it couldn’t live up to the quirky-yet-streamlined interiors and lush surrounds he already had. So he decided to purge the home’s contents instead.
While Cliff has already moved on to the next chapter of his house (the Bonhams auction took place last month), he recently took a trip down memory lane and reviewed its first iteration with us. Let’s take a look.
Photography by William Abranowicz (@wabranowicz) / Art + Commerce.
![before cliff purchased his \2,400 square foot la home in \20\16, it was owned b 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-001-733x887.jpg)
![cliff also added a series of built in shelves to accommodate his collection of 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-002-733x829.jpg)
![to create a sense of privacy and coziness, cliff used a jean prouvé sun sh 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-006-733x478.jpg)
![in the dining zone, cliff paired a charlotte perriand three legged table with a 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122wellopener-fong-001-733x975.jpg)
![one of cliff\2\17;s three dogs lounges on a charlotte perriand daybed. 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-004-733x951.jpg)
![even cliff\2\17;s bedroom, which he once decorated with art by gonzalo l 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-003-733x951.jpg)
![cliff didn\2\17;t sell the original le corbusier dresser in his closet, 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-008-733x951.jpg)
![the ornate black and gold secretary is another keeper. \2\20;that has be 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-007-733x952.jpg)
![the main reason cliff chose to stay in this house is the jungle like backyard h 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122toc-fong-001-733x951.jpg)
![cliff perches on the edge of his fish pool. 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/edc040122fong-005-733x951.jpg)
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