Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are no strangers to relocating. “We’re accustomed to it now. Teigen, the vivacious model, television personality, and home-cooking guru, says, “We’re always open to a new house or a change in our current residence.” “When she says ‘we,’ she means’she,'” interjects Legend, her megastar musician spouse, whose stellar résumé includes 12 Grammy Awards and an Oscar for best original song (in addition to an Emmy and a Tony). “However, it is accurate. We are not frightened of change,” he continues.
The couple’s propensity for purchasing multiple homes is not due to randomness alone. “Like chapters in a book, every house we’ve ever owned reflects where we were in life at the time,” Teigen asserts. “Our previous home was darker and more secluded, like a sanctuary,” continues Legend. “We were drawn to this location due to its airiness and buoyancy. We adore how spacious it feels and how connected it is to nature. “We wanted to create something magical, especially for the kids,” he says, referring to their seven-year-old daughter Luna, five-year-old son Miles, one-year-old daughter Esti, and their recently born son Wren, whose surrogate birth in June was announced on Teigen’s Instagram to the delight of legions of followers.
Enter AD100 talent Jake Arnold, the couple’s design collaborator, who renovated and reimagined their new Beverly Hills home after working on Legend’s recording studio and an office space for Chrissy Teigen’s food and cooking business, Cravings by Chrissy Teigen. “We hired Jake because we love his taste, but if it were up to him, there would likely be more earth tones,” explains Legend, alluding to the designer’s preference for warm, neutral palettes animated by strong, sculptural forms and luxurious textures. “We enjoy vibrant splashes of colour. Teigen explains, “We wanted to add a bit of funkiness to make it a little crazier.”
Arnold readily acknowledges that his clients prompted him to expand his aesthetic vocabulary into uncharted territory. “They like elements with a touch of glitz and fun, and they are drawn to the work of daring, modern artisans, which is not my usual style,” he admits. “However, Chrissy and John are the most hospitable and supportive individuals, and they had faith in me. My challenge was to apply my philosophy to this ultra-modern, brand-new home to make it inviting and habitable, a version of what I do that speaks directly to their personalities.”
Arnold replaced the existing staircase, which was a pointed, angular structure of glass and steel, with a sinuous, floating plaster staircase with an illuminated, brass rail. The designer explains, “I wanted to offset the rectilinear architecture with numerous rounded silhouettes.” The children have access to every room in the home, so everything must be informal and comfortable. The stairway’s voluptuous curves are echoed in a wide range of furnishings and built-ins within the conjoined living, dining, and kitchen space: a signature Nacho Carbonell freestanding light sculpture; a Jeff Zimmerman light branch that hangs above a gently rounded Joseph Dirand dining table; a crescent-shaped Pierre Yovanovitch oak sofa that rests on a plush, bionic mohair rug; and a radiused marble island and
In the lounge adjacent to the living room, rounded forms reappear in the serpentine lines of the multitiered custom bar of marble, stucco and brass; the space’s gilded de Gournay wallpaper; and, of course, Legend’s grand piano. A nearby powder room, clad almost entirely in rose-colored marble, is illuminated by Murano sconces adorned with sparkling glass florets and a dome-shaped pendant light. Teigen describes her husband’s preference for unapologetically beautiful lighting fixtures as “feminine.” “It’s a fact. I believe that every chandelier should be feminine and curvaceous. The musician affirms, “I’m also open to pink.”
Arnold initially designed the master suite to be as bright and airy as the rooms on the first floor. After it was completed, Teigen and Legend had one of their signature about-faces. Arnold explains, “For the second iteration, we went for something much more tranquil and moody, with rich, deep plaster walls, seagrass framed in walnut, and a patinated brass hood over the fireplace.” Instead of using the existing distinct bathrooms and closets, Teigen and Legend reorganised the floor plan and decided to share the amenities. “We prefer to be together, so the his-and-hers arrangement seemed unnecessary,” explains Legend. His wife elaborates: “We are not an old-fashioned Victorian couple that must dress separately and then present ourselves all dressed up.”
The children’s chambers are an Arnold’s imagination. Miles’s boy grotto is outfitted with a climbing wall, a custom Jeep-like bed parked on artificial turf, and camouflage netting curtains, whereas Luna’s refuge is a lavender fantasy complete with a tent ceiling and a ball pit stocked with pearlescent orbs. “We are aware that the accommodations will change as the children mature, but they are ideal for the time being. They resemble miniature dreamworlds, the designer asserts.
Indeed, life at Teigen/Legend appears quite ideal for both adults and children. Whether it’s a soiree for the Vanderpump Rules finale, a catered feast of hibachi delights, a bouncy-house blowout, or a classic pyjama party, there’s a constant flow of friends and family at the couple’s exceedingly hospitable homestead. “That’s the way we like it,” Teigen insists. “The doors are always open here.”