Mi Casa | Troy Pes & Zander Hodgson

Today we take a look inside a very Pampa-style home, the Californian abode of Troy Pes and Zander Hodgson. Their home in Laurel Canyon – called Casita Canyon – is a rich tapestry of colour and texture, inspired by the landscape of the California high desert and the riads of Marrakech. Below, we speak with them about their love of travel and design and take a tour of their impressive, cactus-laden, Moroccan-inspired terrace.

SHOP THE LOOK

1/ Puna Tapestry 2/ Monte Pom Pom Lumbar Cushion 3/ Monte Pom Pom Desert Cushion 4/ Mini Andes Textile 5/ Puna Floor Cushion 6/ Saguaro Fine Art Print

What does your home mean to you?

We call it our happy place where we come back to recharge, dream and centre. During lockdowns, it has been many things to us. It has been a dance floor, a Moroccan restaurant (since we couldn’t travel), and a safe space to meet friends.

Your home has a beautiful, eclectic, but curated feel to it. Can you describe your approach to designing your home?

It took us some time to get to where we are as our tastes and design style have evolved. Not until we went to Joshua Tree in the high desert did we really come to understand how to incorporate all the styles we loved in one place. We pride ourselves in taking the time to find that one special piece that makes us happy. We’re always editing down to make sure all our pieces have a purpose or heart to them.

What drew you to Pampa, and what is your favourite Pampa piece?

The calming earthy colours and naturally sourced materials were what originally drew us in. Pampa feels authentic. We were following Pampa for a while before we got to visit the store in Byron Bay, and when we did, the actual store blew us away. We loved the way everything was displayed.

Our first Pampa piece was the Puna rug, which is still our favourite today.

Your courtyard and cactus garden are what dreams are made of! Was that existing when you came across the house, or have you created it yourselves?

The first three years we lived in the house, we had no idea that the back area even existed as it was overtaken by an overgrown bougainvillea bush. Troy cut some down, and we gradually decided this was going to be the cactus oasis. Now all our friends love visiting because Troy and I have handpicked some cacti with character.

The courtyard we designed after visiting Marrakech, it was inspired by some of the riads and terraces we were welcomed into there. We painted the terrace and handpicked all the pillows and poufs on travels and sent things back home. Since Troy is a Xeriscape designer, he curated our cactus collection.

You’re working on a design project in Joshua Tree. Can you tell us a little bit about that? Do you have any other projects on the horizon?

Yes, this is our first design project. Luckily enough, it’s located in our favourite place. It’s exciting to design a house from scratch. We’re learning as we go. Normally Troy and I make all of the decisions, so it’s been inspiring to collaborate with a client.

We dream of building a design company together and sharing this new chapter with our followers on Instagram.

Troy you are Australian-Venezuelan and Zander, you are from the UK. How did you find yourselves living in LA?

Zander : I think we’re both very curious souls. After a certain point, we outgrew our lives at home and wanted to reinvent ourselves and discover more. I moved to California originally for acting, but after being here a while, I realised I wanted to stretch and grow more than anything, and it’s definitely been the place for that.

Troy: I was always drawn to the landscape, I visited a few times growing up, and it turns out my dream boy was here waiting for me.

Troy, you have Latin and Australian roots, much like Pampa itself, so we’re intrigued! Did you grow up in Australia? And how does your heritage impact your style and design choices?

As a child, I grew up in Venezuela, acting for soap operas, but I moved to Australia when I was a teenager and spent the rest of my years there looking for a better way of life that suited me.

It’s exciting to look back at a lot of my design choices and realise that even though I moved from my country and culture, it lives in me and through the pieces I’m attracted to authentically, from pottery to lifestyle.

Zander, have you always known you wanted to pursue a career in acting and is that your main passion?

I was always a very imaginative kid. I was also very sensitive. I loved watching people and trying to understand the world and my family. So it was always going to be something creative and connective for me. I really committed to acting when I decided to move to London and study the Meisner technique. I loved how it taught me so much about why we act the way we do and what drives us.

I’m still pursuing acting and now exploring painting more and have my first gallery show this weekend. My art is quite playful, like me, with loads of layers just like all of us.

You live in a beautiful part of LA. What are some of your favourite things to do in the neighbourhood?

We live in Laurel Canyon. We love that it still has this 70s nostalgic vibe to it. There’s a hippie coffee shop at the country canyon store that is perfect to walk to from our house for a morning coffee with the locals. If you look closely, you might spot Lana Del Rey.

You travel quite a bit, and your home reflects this. Where is the next place on your list now that the world is opening up again?

Morocco. It pulls us back with its mysteries. You feel like you’re travelling back in time there, and there is a cheeky pull that attracts new life and artistic types. We also made a lot of friends there and we would love to reconnect with them again in person.