Instinctive interior designer Brigette Romanek reboots NOWNESS’s flagship series with a tour of her capacious Mediterranean-style villa in Laurel Canyon, California. As a former soul singer, Romanek, and her award-winning music director husband, Mark Romanek, make the perfect residents for this home steeped in music history.

When Romanek and her husband bought the 1959 building (the original ‘20s house burned down during a fire that swept the entire area) from legendary music producer Rick Rubin, they knew they would become custodians of a musical legacy that stretches back five decades.

Simply known as “The Mansion,” the Romanek residence was previously used as a recording studio and bohemian artist refuge for many rock ‘n’ roll legends; Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N’ Roses, Jay-Z, Lorde, Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, System of a Down and many others have all recorded what some would argue is their best work there. Furthermore, during Laurel Canyon’s creative mecca heyday, many Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees such as Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, also passed through the doors of the Spanish revival home.

Magic permeates this historic building, from the secret passageways to the bell tower, the classic balustrades to the arched windows. Romanek, who designed the interiors with her signature eclectic flair, honored the history of the building by preserving its imperfections, which come through in the patinas and missing moldings.

As the five-bedroom, 10-bathroom mansion has been home to multiple personalities over the years—American actor Errol Flynn was the earliest resident back in the 1930s—consequently, each room has a contrasting vibe. The library is filled with photography and design books. The wood-paneled den is redolent of a smoking room found in an English hunting lodge. Also, the neoclassical entrance hall is decked with reclaimed chessboard marble tiles from a French château, adding an air of understated opulence.

The Romaneks, however, still manage to put their signature mark on their rock ’n’ roll mansion-turned-family home. In the snug den, a litter of Mark Romanek’s Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards take pride of place along a shelf. Hung art speaks to the soul of the family, as a Malick Sidibé print in one room communes with a Keith Haring sketch in another.

In what used to be the recording studio, but is now the central living room, ceiling-height trees continue to reinforce a sense of endless expanse: Romanek describes her design sensibilities as “Gap-meets-Gucci.” Those who are fans of her fresh, contemporary approach can see more of her design choices in the homes of Beyonce, Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow, all of whom are clients of Romanek’s design firm.

Decidedly luxurious while still meeting the needs of family life, The Mansion in Laurel combines opulence with minimalism, restraint with eccentricity, and Spanish flair with Californian cool.