Leah Cumming has an old soul when it comes to design.

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So much so that she could have moved into her Spanish home in Hancock Park a century ago—(the Los Angeles property was built around 1924)—and slotted right in. From the vintage Fortuny pendant she sourced to illuminate the dining table, to the Swedish armoire which houses stacks of large books, every piece tells a story. “I tend to be drawn more to European and old-world pieces,” admits Leah, who was exposed to antique hunting around Paris’ revered flea markets when she lived there as a teenager.

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These unique finds are complemented by the range of exquisite furniture authored under her own brand, Maison Madeleine (named in honor of her 101-year-old grandmother). Launched in 2022 as an expression of her style, Leah drew on her experience in creating custom pieces when working as an interior designer for Nicky Kehoe, Jenni Kayne, and Soho House. “That was the most fulfilling part of the job,” she says.

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With a little black book of local artisans to call on, her irresistible debut collection included a clam-inspired bar stool and a wavy dresser with more than a whiff of French je ne sais quoi. Fanatical about every detail, working with nearby makers allows her to be hands-on: “I’m testing everything, saying: ‘let's add an inch to this arm or let's make the seat on this a little deeper for sitting back and relaxing in.’ I can’t imagine prototyping with a manufacturer who isn’t down the road.”

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Being a furniture designer puts Leah in the enviable position of being able to create pieces with her own space in mind. When she got the keys to her charming bungalow in 2021, it was already blessed with original features such as arched doorways and dark-stained hardwood floors. She leaned into the curves and soft edges: “It’s important to work with the architecture that you have and not against it,” she explains (a wise reminder for any renovator, whatever the era of their house).

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The missing pieces of her jigsaw are manifested across a trio of new designs: joining the family is the Vosges sofa with its sinuous, sleigh-shaped arms; a scalloped ottoman broad and functional enough to moonlight as a tactile coffee table; and a nightstand inspired by the best-selling Midnight cabinet. A natural showroom for Maison Madeleine pieces, home is a place where Leah’s tastes have evolved through experimentation. Here, she shares what she has learned through designing her first home.

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Work with what you have (and have fun filling in the blanks)

Leah can’t take credit for the burlap-wrapped, wall-to-wall headboard in her bedroom, which she inherited from the previous owners. So she put her stamp on the space by creating a pair of nightstands—with a little input from The Expert co-founder Jake Arnold, who suggested she turn the Midnight Cabinet’s distinctive design into a bedside table. “I hadn't even thought of it,” she recalls. She tinkered with the composition, settling on a push-door function, along with an inner drawer for glasses and an adjustable shelf for books and bedtime comforts. It’s the perfect recipe for an uncluttered bedroom.

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Mix textures and metals

“I'm someone who wears silver and gold jewelry,” contextualizes Leah of her approach to accessorizing. With her decor, the rustic texture of a seagrass rug against the opulence of her velvet sofa, and the juxtaposition of a travertine console next to a black iron sculpture keeps the eye wandering and makes things interesting so that it doesn’t fall flat, she explains.

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If gravitating towards a limited palette of neutrals, then maxing out on different materials is especially key: “This is what creates contrast and depth.” Error and then trial is what led Leah to put up a sheet of raffia (the only wallcovering in the entire place) to make her wall of Portuguese plates stand out. “The alcove was white and it just didn’t look right. Raffia is subtle and works with the ceramics layered on top. And it looks beautiful against the Midnight cabinet,” she says.

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Find your accent color… and run with it

The designer was formerly so wedded to white that her friends were shocked when they were greeted by the Vosges sofa in sage green (also good to know: the model is available in the customer’s own material for ultimate personalization). But it makes sense: inspired by nature, “it’s not so daunting, and it feels organic and grounding,” explains Leah, who favors the richly accented grains of burl, oak, and reclaimed wood to bring Maison Madeleine pieces to life. Pops of green continue with a runner in the kitchen, the plate wall, and most dramatic of all—the painted ceiling in the dining room.

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Small details, big impact

A fresh lick of paint aside, Leah swears by swapping out fixtures to make a space feel unique, “especially as that clean, coastal-inspired Californian look is proving super popular right now.” Most impactful was changing the pendants above the kitchen island, and updating the hardware on the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. “It transformed the space and made it more my own taste,” she reflects. But the best fun can be had for free: “I’m constantly moving furniture around. Respond to how you live in a space and don’t be afraid to try new layouts.”

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