CLOSER TO HOME
Soap star Michael Damian walks Closer through his Frenchstyle dream home.
The former soap star’s family helped him turn a dud into a dream home
He lives in LA’s Westwood area, but walk into former The Young and the Restless heartthrob Michael Damian’s abode and you’ll find chic decor straight out of a Parisian salon. That wasn’t the case when Michael and his wife, Janeen, bought the home in 1998. “It was kind of a mess. It had wallpaper, green shag carpeting and a cement block that took over the entire yard. It needed updating…a lot!” Michael, 54, shares with Closer. “But the character of the house excited us. The moldings, arches, wood flooring and leaded glass windows you see are original.” It took three years to turn this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath Spanish Contemporary home into an elegant estate — but happily for Michael and Janeen, 55, they were living in France while the renovations were being done! “We
With his The Young and the Restless co-stars Doug Davidson and Lauralee Bell; his latest film, High Strung, is out on
DVD Aug. 2.
The arched window in the
formal living room features a striking stained
glass pane. Michael and Janeen
met in 1983 on a plane going to a Utah charity event. “Her dad was James Best from The Dukes
of Hazzard, but I thought he was her boyfriend!” Michael recalls with a laugh.
never like to be in a place when it’s being remodeled because it’s such a strain,” says Michael. “So my mother-in-law, Coco, redid it all while we were away. She’s amazing!”
Over the years, Coco kept Michael and Janeen up-to-date on their home’s progress by sending photos and discussing changes over the phone. The couple also shuttled back and forth between LA and France from time to time to get an up-close look at the renovations. And to thank Coco for all her hard work, they flew her to Paris where they shopped “for about a week” near the city’s Porte de Clignancourt Metro stop. “It’s 10 blocks of incredible antiques,” Michael shares. “It was a lot of fun.”
They shipped their finds — including artwork and other items — back to LA, where Coco worked with interior decorator Cynthia Marks on developing the coral and cream color scheme. “She just basically narrowed things down and we picked what we liked,” says Michael. “She was great.”
In 2001 they moved in and Michael — an accomplished singer who’s had eight Top 40
hits, including 1989’s “Rock On” — chose the formal living room to showcase his gorgeous grand piano. “My mother is a concert pianist,” he reveals. “So when the family is over, we all sing around the piano.”
When they want to relax, Michael, Janeen and Coco (who lives with them) watch movies in the den with their dog, Bella. “We try to watch one a day — it’s like homework for us,” he says, adding that Janeen produces his directorial efforts, including Michael’s latest film, High Strung.
“We also spend a lot of time in the garden — it’s quiet out there,” he shares. “We eat outside almost every night on the covered patio, and set up computers to work there, too.” On occasion, they’ll entertain with “inside-out parties,” where they cover the entire backyard with a tent and move furniture outdoors. “Of course, I have to do all the heavy lifting,” Michael quips.
At the end of the day, two upstairs terraces offer gorgeous views of the Hollywood Hills, a perfect way to unwind. “The place is just so comfortable,” he shares. “It really does feel like home.”
— Reporting by Steve Gidlow