See inside Joe Karnes’ (from Fitz and the Tantrums) house
photo by Lisa Romerein

photo by Lisa Romerein

If there’s one category of home I love to peek into, it’s a musician’s home. I like to see how their creativity and musical style translates into a physical space. So when I heard about Joe Karnes and Samantha Scharff’s remodel in L.A., I knew I had to see how the bassist from Fitz and the Tantrums and his family live. (Haven’t heard of Fitz and the Tantrums? Start with Fool’s Gold.)

photo by Lisa Romerein

Their house, featured in our July issue, was remodeled with mostly salvage and repurposed materials, which was part of the draw for Joe and Sam. “Being able to reuse materials just makes sense. Resources are finite,” Joe says. L.A. design/build team ReInhabit opened up the midcentury home’s floorplan, rebuilt the kitchen island using salvaged cabinetry, and crafted furniture from reclaimed scaffolding.

photo by Lisa Romerein

Take a look at some of the shots that didn’t make the story (and make sure to tour the whole house).

photo by Lisa Romerein

The bathtub and cabinets are original to the house, but ReInhabit found installed vintage turquoise tile to take the bathroom back to its roots. “They knew it would be our daughter’s bathroom, so they designed it with her in mind,” says Sam. “We love how adorable it is, without looking too much like a kid’s bathroom.”

photo by Lisa Romerein

photo by Lisa Romerein

“The folks selling the house didn’t even present this space as value or a nice feature,” says Rudy Dvorak of ReInhabit. “In my mind, it was one of the most appealing elements of the entire property. That amazing, go-forever view of iconic Sunset Boulevard and the Hollywood sign.”

P.S. Don’t miss Rudy Dvorak’s list of what he looks for in fixer-uppers.

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