Ideas wash over her
Actress-director Heather Graham relaxes in the tub while the creativity flows.
Heather Graham describes her claw-foot tub as a sacred space where creativity emerges.
“When I’m really relaxed in the bathtub, I get ideas,” said the actress, 48, who recently made her directorial and writing debut with the film “Half Magic.” “It’s almost when I’m not trying to think of them that they just come.”
Exotic cerulean and white tiles brighten the neutral-toned, minimally decorated bathroom in her 2,200-square-foot Hollywood Hills home, and a sweet and earthy aroma of fig candles — Ria Ray and Santa are favorite brands — permeates the air.
The three-bedroom home, which is partially hidden among lush trees and plants, provides a chance to escape from bustling city life.
“Here, I can pretend I’m in the country,” she said.
Why is the bathroom your favorite room?
I basically take a bath every day, and any excuse to be in a bathtub is amazing. I like to keep adding hot water so you get it really hot, almost too hot, until you feel like your whole body is pounding. I’m always cold, so I like sweating and drinking water and washing my hair in the bath.
How would you describe your aesthetic taste?
I go for world traveler. I like stuff
from different countries, like India. And I really love tiles, so I put them on the floor. They’re from this company called Granada Tile.
What was your goal when redecorating the bathroom?
This is a 1924 Spanish-style house, but throughout the years people had redone the kitchen and all the bathrooms. This bathroom was from the ’70s and really ugly with a weird intercom, so I wanted it to feel more like that 1920s Spanish L.A. vibe.
Did you have any help decorating?
My friend Gillian Lefkowitz, who is an interior designer. I would always go over to her house, and she had the coolest stuff of anyone I knew.
So I hired her to decorate my house, and she helped me redo the bathroom.
Do you have a design philosophy?
I want the space to feel relaxed, cozy and look good but not in a way that feels uncomfortable.
Lived-in and not uptight or perfect.
Why a claw-foot tub?
I like that it’s old-fashioned. Old meets new. I don’t even have a shower in there, ’cause I don’t really like them.
Any significance behind the green painting of the woman?
It’s by Irene Hardwicke. I love the idea of this beautiful woman on a leaf, like being connected to nature, which is why I think I like looking at trees a lot. It makes me feel really peaceful. Instead of looking at the city of L.A., I feel so much better when I’m looking at something green.