California Boy Nathan Turner Entertains — and Shops 1stdibs

June 3, 2018“This is quite possibly my favorite kitchen that I have ever designed,” Nathan Turner says of the above space, which epitomizes the Central California style the designer and consummate host celebrates in his new book. Top: Here, Turner poses with his friends’ horse Achilles at their Malibu biodynamic farm, One Gun Ranch, before sitting down to a chic barbecue. All photos by Victoria Pearson

Nathan Turner comes by his California effortless-chic aesthetic honestly. Having grown up outside San Francisco and on a cattle ranch near Stockton, he’s spent the past 20 years in Los Angeles designing homes for such celebrities as Ione Skye, Amanda Peet and Eric Stonestreet.

Turner’s first love, however, was cooking, which he learned at the feet of his mother, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. He was considering a life in the culinary arts when in his early 20s a family friend asked him to accompany her on an antiques-buying trip to Europe. That experience not only informed his later designs but deepened his passion for food and for setting a relaxed, jovial table. “There was such a genuine warmth and welcomeness about the dealers there,” Turner says, recounting a story about an 80-year-old French woman who dealt antiques from her barn. She had amazing finds but wouldn’t allow any peeking before sitting down to a rustic spread of wine, bread and cheese. “I was lulled into something bigger than a settee,” he recalls. “It was a memorable experience with others over a simple, delicious meal.”

Soon after, he began cooking for friends and fellow decorators at the eponymous shop he opened in 2002. Whether offering homemade soup to customers who strolled in, hosting an impromptu sidewalk dinner or orchestrating a lavish Indian-themed bash, his mantra remained the same: “Play with various elements, create a layered table, and enjoy a fun meal for all.”

The designer has captured his favorite ways to do so in his recently released Nathan Turner’s I Love California (Abrams). Described as a love letter to his home state, it’s filled with charming, accessible table designs and West Coast comfort food classics like cioppino, ranch-style chili and Mexican chocolate cake. Each of the menus is inspired by a Cali locale close to Turner’s heart.

The book, whose text I had the good fortune to pen in collaboration with Turner, is a blend of travel journal, recipe scrapbook and entertaining primer celebrating California’s stunning landscapes and famously laid-back vibe. Winding slowly down the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), he presents an assortment of menu and entertaining ideas that are equal parts effortless and elevated: There’s a crab feast on Tomales Bay, an Italian grandmother’s kitchen supper in Martinez (home of John Muir), an upscale picnic amid the stunning vistas of Big Sur and a beachside taqueria party in Malibu — with much more fun and food in between.

Photographed by Ojai-based photographer Victoria Pearson (who better to capture that Golden State light?), the book is a feast for the eyes. The California casual menus have inspired backdrops that mirror what’s on the table. A winery in Napa is the setting for a “hippie luxe” lunch filled with the area’s bounty of fresh vegetables and local cheese. Farther south, Turner sets up a ranch-style barbecue at biodynamic farm One Gun Ranch, in Malibu. And in Carpinteria, a bohemian ladies’ lunch is served amid acres of rose bushes and citrus trees at Rose Story Farm.

Throughout, Turner’s self-effacing wit makes the journey seem like a road trip with friends you never want to end. And that’s just what he was going for. “I don’t care if you don’t make a single recipe,” he says. “If you just want to flip through it, that’s fine. On second thought, definitely make the chili.”

Northern California

Turner appreciates Northern California designs for their eclectic, adventurous spirit. Here, a space embodies what he learned about traditional antiques from San Francisco’s design elite, with organic, naturalistic touches and a few hits of bold colors and shapes.

George Smith full-scroll-arm, loose-back Signature sofa with feather-filled cushions, 2008

George Smith tufted-leather bench, 1980–89

Movimenty, late 20th century, by Marco Lorenzetto

Harbinger Gould cocktail table, 2015

Paul Hanson ebony and brass column lamp, 1950s

“A classic English sofa is a confident, timeless statement in any room.”

Martinez

Known for his love of blue and white, Turner throws a bit of red into the mix for a colorful Sicilian supper party. Inspired by his Italian great-grandmother Marion, he wanted the decor to match the passion of her cooking. Turner prefers a round table for smaller gatherings. “It feels cozier, and everyone can talk to each other.”

Victor Courtray French Basque side chairs, 1940s

Eruzione 8 de Febrero de 1850, 1850–59, unknown

Ineke Hans for Nodus red Check handloom-knotted rug, 2016

French trumeau mirror, 1790

Napoléon III tufted chauffeuses, 19th century

“I love the feel of old mirrors in a room, especially the soft glow they cast at night when you light some candles.”

Hope Valley

Spending much of his childhood on his maternal grandparents’ ranch near Stockton, California, Turner came to appreciate the rustic simplicity of worn wood, sisal, raw linens and white stoneware. “There’s a sense of history and classicism to it all.”

Petersen Antiques expandable farm table in reclaimed heart pine, new

American pillows in blue-and-white-striped ticking, 19th century

Provençal oversize striped and hand-embroidered jacquard napkins, 1960–70

The Bright Angle matte-white porcelain three-piece dinner set for eight, new

Rustic Belgian handcrafted ladder-back chair set, ca. 1890

“I am always on the hunt for great vintage linens. I love the worn look and feel of them.”

Big Sur

Turner’s father would often take his brothers and him when they were younger to Big Sur to watch the elephant seals on the beach. He still visits often but upgrades the usual sandwich-and-chips routine to an Asian-style picnic, complete with matcha Rice Krispies treats.

French large willow basket hamper, early 20th century

Welsh green-and-blue double blanket, 1970–79

Set of first-class folding ship’s chairs, ca. 1900

Naval officer’s marine binoculars, 1930

“I collect vintage blankets from the U.K. to use as throws, picnic blankets and upholstery fabric.”

Malibu

To create his signature free-spirited, Southern California look, Turner embraces a healthy mix of layers: new and old, solid and patterned, spunky and sophisticated. And, he claims, he “never met a blue-and-white pattern I didn’t like.”

French armchair rebuilt and reupholstered in Peter Dunham fabric, 19th century

Bob Kinzie large ceramic lamp, mid-20th century

Turkish tulu rug, ca. 1950

Alex Katz, Seagull, 2010

Peter Hvidt for France & Sons teak coffee or cocktail table, ca. 1950

“A little mid-century mixed in is very Californian.”

Rancho Santa Fe

Turner likes to punctuate interiors with elements of Spanish Colonial style, which figures prominently in Southern California. He says accessorizing a buffet table is much like finishing a room: “Think about color, pattern, texture and scale.”