At Home with Rebecca Holopter in Mar Vista, California

This Mar Vista home tour visits a California guest house that balances creative work, vintage character and everyday comfort. Artist and producer Rebecca Holopter’s home, nicknamed the “Lady Cave,” is filled with collected art, practical furnishings and personal touches that make a compact backhouse feel individual and welcoming.

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Inside the Mar Vista Guest House

The backhouse belongs to Rebecca’s cousin, designer Eva Osborne, who contributed several of the home’s distinctive finds. Rebecca moved in after spending eight years in her previous apartment. The new setting became a source of inspiration for her painting and production work, as well as a comfortable home for her senior cat, Lucy.

Mar Vista sits just inland from Venice. Rebecca appreciates the neighborhood’s relaxed atmosphere and the convenience of having family close by. Time at home can include a visit from Eva’s dog, Paco, or an evening with family watching The Great British Baking Show.

A Work Area Designed for Collaboration

Rebecca’s favorite part of the house is its workstation. It provides a base for TeamRAD, the creative team she shares with longtime collaborators Verity Butler and Darby Kennerly. The three have worked together for six years on Soiled Doves, a supernatural western series described as a mix of Twin Peaks, Deadwood and three female leads.

A high table gives the team room to work together and can be used while sitting or standing. Rebecca also paints daily, so having enough open space for art-making is essential. For a home office that serves more than one purpose, a shared work surface and flexible seating can help accommodate both focused tasks and collaboration.

Vintage Details and Affordable Finds

Rebecca’s love of sequins shows in the shirts displayed in the entryway. She found them secondhand and rotates them with other pieces from her collection. The display turns clothing into decor while keeping a favorite collection visible.

She also uses inexpensive cactus-shaped glasses for hosting. Dollar-store finds, thrifted objects and affordable party supplies can add color and personality without requiring a large decorating budget. Choosing durable, low-cost glasses can also be a practical option when gatherings include dancing or lively entertaining.

Large-framed landscape paintings are another recurring feature. Rebecca collects them and is developing a series in which she paints cows over the landscapes; the bedroom artwork is part of that project. Reworking existing art is one way to give collected pieces a cohesive, personal direction.

Personal Inspiration in the Bedroom

To keep ideas in view, Rebecca made small vision-board collages based on inspiration boards she had organized by different areas of her life. She displays them on old clipboards found at thrift stores and in her grandmother’s basement. Clipboards make it easy to refresh a display without rebuilding the arrangement each time.

Illuminated RAD marquee letters were purchased for Rebecca’s production company. They bring a visible creative identity into the home while serving as a temporary alternative to the neon sign she hopes to have one day.

Making an Open Floor Plan Work

Rebecca describes adapting the backhouse into a living space as a fun challenge. Open layouts can make it difficult to define separate zones, but furniture placement, work surfaces and displays can help distinguish areas while preserving a natural flow. Before adding room dividers, consider whether a table, rug or storage piece can create enough separation without making the space feel closed in.

The kitchen includes a small blue match holder made from a jar Rebecca found at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena. She attached the striker from a matchbox to the bottom of the jar, and has also made similar holders from small jam jars. It is a simple example of turning a small found object into a useful, personal detail.

Key Ideas from This Mar Vista Home Tour

This Mar Vista home tour shows how a guest house can support creative work and comfortable living at the same time. A flexible shared workstation, secondhand decor, repurposed objects and easy-to-update inspiration boards help make the rooms feel useful and personal. When decorating a small or open-plan home, start with the activities each area needs to support, then choose pieces that can serve more than one purpose.