Remembering Diane keaton & her timeless style

ByLynne Greene Interiors

Diane Keaton is better known for her acting and fashion, but she has also developed a very distinctive and highly regarded approach to home design and architecture. Here’s a breakdown of her style, what makes it unique, and how you might draw inspiration from it.

Key Themes in Her Design

  1. Historic architecture + respect for original structure
    • Keaton has a track record of buying architecturally significant or historic homes (for example a Spanish Colonial Revival in Beverly Hills) and restoring them with care. Architectural Digest+2Architectural Digest+2
    • In one project, she restored a home designed by Lloyd?Wright (son of Frank Lloyd Wright) in Pacific Palisades. House Beautiful+1
    • She once said her approach to houses is akin to how she approached acting: “I follow my impulses just like I did with acting.” Fox Business
    • The idea: treat homes as more than decor — they’re stories, architecture, character.
  2. Mix of rustic, industrial and classic elements
    • In her book The?House?That?Pinterest?Built she describes how she collected inspiration via Pinterest and turned boards into real spaces. ELLE Decor+1
    • One of her homes features 75,000 hand-picked clay bricks, exposed materials (brick, plaster, beams) and a very tactile, layered feel. est living | exceptional living
    • The layering of textures and materials: brick, rough plaster, dark wood, weathered metals, industrial light fixtures.
  3. Strong personal palette & contrast
    • A recurring color palette: a lot of white/plaster walls, dark wood or black-stained furniture/doors, and accent pieces that pop. For example her Spanish revival bedroom uses very dark-stained furniture against white walls. Homes and Gardens
    • She’s been described as using the “black-and-white palette” as a base, then layering in warm texture and character. Good Housekeeping
    • She does not shy from bold elements: colorful tiles in the kitchen, vintage/industrial pieces, warmed things up with patina. Homes and Gardens
  4. Emphasis on “home-feel” but also style with intention
    • Although there are historic/architectural bones, the design isn’t purely museum-like. There is comfort, layering, and personal touches.
    • She writes about her kitchen in the “Pinterest house”: “Your kitchen doesn’t have to be practical… I knew it would not be reasonable.” ELLE Decor
    • So there is a deliberate decision not just to follow pure functionality but to honour a design vision.

Signature Design Elements & What to Notice

Here are specific design features that characterise her spaces, and which you might adopt or adapt:

  • Exposed brick, rough plaster walls, visible beams
    Her homes often have textured surfaces, which give a sense of history, warmth and depth.
  • Dark-wood or black-stained furniture, doors or frames
    This provides contrast to white walls, and gives a dramatic yet grounded effect.
  • Historic or revival architecture (Spanish Colonial, mid-century modern) serving as a base
    The building itself has architectural charm, then the interior design plays into and amplifies that.
  • Industrial or repurposed lighting and hardware
    For example vintage factory pendants, metal-work details, wire-mesh cabinets, layering of old/new.
  • Layered décor rather than minimalist
    While she uses a mostly neutral base, there are vintage finds, texture, colour accents (tiles, pottery, art) and layered moments that give richness.
  • Strong connection between indoor and outdoor
    Many of her homes are in California, with courtyards, patios, large windows, integration of outdoors. For example the Spanish Colonial revival with a courtyard. Architectural Digest+1

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