When stylist Brad Goreski puts together a red carpet look for one of his celebrity clients —who include Demi Moore and Coco Rocha —he abides by one rule: “Every outfit must have a ‘crowning glory’, be it the gown, a great piece of jewellery or an amazing pair of shoes.” It’s a styling sensibility that’s seen the author and former star of TV’s It’s a Brad, Brad World guide many A-listers to best-dressed lists and an approach he translates for his home with equally impressive results. “I like all of the rooms to have a pop of colour or a great piece of art,” he says of the mid-century-style LA abode he shares with his partner of 13 years, Emmy-nominated TV writer and producer Gary Janetti.
In 2012, the couple, who previously lived in the Hollywood Hills, relocated a 25-minute drive southwest to the cosmopolitan neighbourhood of Westwood. “Living up in the Hollywood Hills, you’re quite isolated; we both wanted to move somewhere that made LA more readily available to us,” says Goreski, 36. Just five minutes from Beverly Hills, it’s also within easy reach of LA Airport, a huge plus for Goreski, who regularly travels to New York for work and to see family in his native Canada. “Before we were an hour away—this is a major game changer.”
When the duo first saw the three-bedroom home, they were drawn to the cosy feel created by its previous owner, who’d resided there for 40 years. “There was an energy that made me want to be here,” says Goreski. “I immediately saw myself living in it. It’s very much a home that welcomes people into it.” Another drawcard? The two-level property didn’t need a major overhaul. “Buying a house and having to renovate it was way too much for us to handle.”
As such, they kept their renovations low-key, converting the downstairs maid’s quarters into a guest bedroom, laying hardwood flooring in the upstairs bedroom and painting the walls a crisp white to contrast with the dark wood. Aside from these tweaks, the home’s original layout remained, affording the pair their own wardrobes, bathrooms and offices. “I think this will ensure we’re together for at least another 10 years,” says Goreski, who can be found in his workspace carrying out his duties as the exclusive stylist for Kate Spade New York and updating his website, Mr. Brad Goreski.
In creating the home’s overall aesthetic, the couple worked together. “I have to give Gary credit for finetuning my taste. He introduced me to mid-century furniture, clean surfaces, interesting textures and playing with colour,” says Goreski, whose upbringing played its part, too. “I grew up going to auction sales with my grandparents so I have an appreciation for vintage pieces. I pepper that through the modernity of the house because we’re both warm people and I don’t want our living environment to be sterile.”
Such a scenario hardly seems possible, given it was Goreski’s bubbly personality (and signature preppy-chic ensembles) that saw him become the breakout star of The Rachel Zoe Project, which debuted in 2008 (he left the show in 2010). His love of fashion was as apparent to anyone who watched him play assistant to stylist Rachel Zoe as it is to those who tour his home. A former art history student at the University of Southern California, his favourite piece in the home is a print by photographer Roxanne Lowit that captures Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista in a bathtub in Paris. “The ’90s supermodel was one of the things that got me into fashion; I was obsessed.”
Inside Goreski’s wardrobe you’ll find “at least 175” pairs of shoes from the likes of Christian Louboutin and Giuseppe Zanotti, while the library is packed with more than 100 style and photography tomes, including a signed copy of Tom Ford. A much-loved tan leather armchair by French fashion house Hermès in the formal living room was secured via an eBay auction. “I [don’t usually] win anything!” he says. “It’s more of a showpiece. People have sat on it, making my heart sink; I just keep thinking about dark denim on leather.” 
Such high-stress moments call for instant zen, which Goreski finds in the kitchen. “I make cookies and banana cream pie.” He and Janetti also like to host dinner parties in their expansive dining room. These evenings usually finish around Janetti’s baby grand piano. “We’re both musical-theatre freaks,” says Goreski. “My client [actress] Rashida Jones came over and we played and sang until, like, two in the morning. Another time, [Modern Family’s] Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Beth Behrs from 2 Broke Girls sang together.”
Despite the celebrities stopping by, the only divas in this house are Penelope and Alice, the dogs the couple brought home from an animal shelter. “OMG. They’re literally the centre of our world —everything revolves around them,” jokes Goreski. The pampered pair spend their time reclining on the Louis XIV-style couch on the home’s second floor, visually “patrolling the yard” through the floor- to-ceiling windows. “They’re queen bees on their throne,” says Goreski. It’s his favourite spot, too, where he stops to enjoy the view of the home’s manicured garden, complete with sculptures and fountains. Taking his seat, he pauses to reflect. “I’m just so grateful that I get to live in such a beautiful space.”
