Laying low with Tamara Honey

Laying low with Tamara Honey

Laying low is a celebration of dogs and the ones that welcome them in. From beachside bungalows to architectural masterpieces, we are reminded that the presence of a dog can make a house a home.

LAY LO Talks to Tamara Honey

Tamara Honey is the founder of House of Honey. This creative design studio creates charmingly bold and invitingly livable interiors. She has a dog-friendly policy insider her Montecito studio and two dogs living in her Pasadena home. So we caught a rare glimpse of what life looks like with her four-legged animals at this mountain-top residence.

At a glance

Name: Pickles | Breed: Shih Tzu | Age: 7 yrs old
Name: Tortilla | Breed: Maltese | Age: 4.5 years

Tamara Honey Home Tour Laylo Pets

How would you describe Tortilla and Pickles' personalities?

Pickles is an emotionally attached old woman who comes everywhere with me. While we initially got her to be the "family dog," it was clear that she wasn't built to handle that kind of attention. Instead, she has become my fur baby.

Tortilla is a bit shy and indifferent. When we first got her, she was a little anxious, but she has slowly come out of her shell over the years.

Tamara Honey Home Tour Laylo Pets

Tell us about the first time you brought your dogs home?

It all started because our studio in South Pasadena was unfortunately near a local pet store (before they were banned). Over the years, I almost adopted 20 dogs because I felt so bad that they were subject to those conditions. During my lunch break, I would wander over to say hi to the animals, which eventually led to us adopting Pickles and Tortilla.

I'm not sure what it is about dogs, but I have an emotional and visceral reaction to them contagious. With an open dog policy in the office, we're quickly becoming outnumbered by our four-legged family members. I don't mind, though. They're family.

What sort of energy do Tortilla and Pickles bring to your home?

Tortilla and Pickles bring so much life to our home. We entertain a lot with friends (who also have dogs). When we hang out, everyone comes, including their pets!

As the kids got older, the dogs have definitely become a focus of ours. Even though they aren't very energetic, they still try to do everything with us.

Describe your dog's favorite spot to hang out and sleep at night.

We are guilty of letting the dogs sleep in our beds. From a very young age, Pickles slept with us. Tortilla is a bit more fickle. She'll start on the bed but then ends up on the floor right below our feet.

Tamara Honey Home Tour Laylo Pets

Describe your style.
My style is definitely eclectic. I like to create spaces that are a mix of old and new, vintage but contemporary. Like my personality, I design rooms that don't take themselves too seriously with whimsical and playful furnishings.


Describe your home.

Our home is located in an exceptional part of the Verdugo mountains. We fell in love with this home because of the views and because it was in excellent condition. As a designer, I loved that I could just roll up my sleeves and start designing.

Working with local designers was really important to create a well-curated but lived-in space for our family (fur babies included!).

The open floor plan and pool have become a central gathering place for friends and extended family. I wanted to encourage more of this, so I added playful details around the home that evoked a sense of play, like conversation starters, ping pong tables, and board games.

Despite loving the solitude up here, we do have to be cautious with the mountain lions. Unlike other places, you can't just let your dogs out at night. They constantly need supervision.

Tamara Honey Home Tour Laylo Pets

If dogs and owners supposedly "look the same," does this reflect in the home design as well?

I tend to think so! They are fluffy and easygoing, very much like our family is.


What factors do you consider when buying pet supplies?

As a designer, I'm a bit biased. We work so hard to create environments that feel so unique and special that there should never be eyesores created by your dog's stuff. Like any piece of furniture, the dog bed should genuinely feel like an extension of every room.

Despite pets being viewed as extended family, there does seem to be a second-tier design standard for them. It really shouldn't be so difficult to find pet products that are organic, sustainable, and beautiful.

Tamara Honey Home Tour Laylo Pets

What has been the hardest part of owning a dog when it comes to products and/or maintenance? Any tips?

Our dogs are an extension of the family, so nothing is off-limits. These are just a few tips I've accumulated throughout the years as we've added dogs to the family.

SheepSkin - An easy, affordable solution to protect your furniture from scratches or licking. Every six months I'll go to the same place in Venice and replace them.

Avoid high-end rugs - If you have a pet, I will avoid buying high-end rugs. Everyone from Anthropologie to West Elm offers more affordable versions of Moroccan rugs that allow you to live together with ease.

Don't be too precious - Your space can't just be for show. It has to be for life. Mixing high and low in pricing creates an area that isn't precious, saving you a lot of stress from protecting your home from your pets.

Tamara Honey Home Tour Laylo Pets

Pickles, Tortilla & Tamara’s “go-tos”
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"Despite pets being viewed as extended family, unfortunately, there is a second-tier design standard for them. I love that I finally found a bed that fits so well in our eclectic home."

  

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