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"Millions of TV viewers know Sophina Brown as &amp;quot;Nikki Betancourt,&amp;quot; NUMB3RS L.A. street-smart cop who doesn&amp;#039;t hesitate to break a few rules to get the job done. In real life, Brown recently found her day-job training an asset when decorating her first home: a narrow, three-story walk-up condo with exposed metal pipes, rubber and concrete floors\u2014and walls painted varying shades of purple by its previous owner. Brown quickly realized that saving this space from the fashion police would require some out-of-the-box thinking. She called designer Matthew Lanphier (mjlid.com) for help.  Although its interior was in an aesthetically disastrous state, the home&amp;#039;s vertical, loft-style design captivated Brown and Lanphier. &amp;quot;I was attracted to the space initially because it feels very &amp;#039;city&amp;#039;\u2014very New York and urban,&amp;quot; says Brown, a native New Yorker. Lanphier notes that this type of architecture is part of a new West Coast trend taking hold for practical purposes. &amp;quot;West Hollywood has evolved into a progressive, chic urban village surrounded by the repetitive sprawl of L.A.&amp;quot; It has lots of designer shops, boutique hotels, a pulsating nightlife and the famous Sunset Strip. &amp;quot;However, this is a very dense neighborhood,&amp;quot; he adds, &amp;quot;so the only way to make room for all the young actors, bohemians and creative types gravitating here is to replace the typical two-level stucco apartments from the 1960s, with taller modern loft buildings like this.&amp;quot;  The Goal: A Soft Modern Home Lanphier was able to build his decorative game plan based on a handful of directives from his client. Brown had an East Coast modernist aesthetic: tailored and sophisticated with a fresh vibe. Yet, she wanted her home to feel cozy and feminine without going overboard with girly touches.  The color palette came out of the closet, literally. &amp;quot;I raided Sophina&amp;#039;s closet to get a feel for her favorites,&amp;quot; explains Lanphier. &amp;quot;She&amp;#039;s drawn to a very distinct palette of neutrals in browns and golds and accessorizes with jewelry and shoes in jewel tones like turquoise and fuchsia.&amp;quot; Brown&amp;#039;s only request? Avoid red\u2014her least favorite hue. Because the actress had decided to start fresh, she was moving only career memorabilia and some cherished personal accessories. This enabled Lanphier to avoid the sometimes-sticky situation of how to incorporate furniture from a previous home into the new. Adding Architectural Interest  To highlight the condo&amp;#039;s clean lines, contrasting colors were used dramatically, yet, sparingly. Walls are predominantly white except for a three-story high cube that runs up the center of the condo. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s wrapped in a dark brown woven sea grass which creates the appearance of a tall, vertical column,&amp;quot; says Lanphier. This infuses a layer of texture onto each floor and provides a richly hued contrast to surrounding walls, as it draws the eye upward. Its color and texture also bridges cold industrial elements like exposed piping and vents with the soft modern upholstery.  The guest bedroom is the only space adorned in color from top to bottom. &amp;quot;Because the guest room isn&amp;#039;t part of the main loft and has boundaries (walls that aren&amp;#039;t open to other rooms), I felt we could get away with a dramatic color,&amp;quot; says Lanphier. Walls and ceilings are a gem-like teal, which make a bold, confident statement and turns the room into a special sanctuary. &amp;quot;It reminds me of a little jewel box.&amp;quot;   Softening the Industrial Edge  On the first level, existing concrete flooring was refinished and now resembles luxe suede. Soft wool carpet in a chocolate hue replaced masculine rubber flooring. To detract from metal piping that snakes along the master bedroom ceiling, oversized wall art was hung on the sea grass-cube wall to pull the eye inward.  Creating the Feel of a Larger Condo  Although the home measures just 1,500 square feet, its open floor plan, towering ceilings, and furnishings make it feel larger. Carefully chosen for scale, furniture is lower to the ground than expected. This creates the illusion of even taller room heights.  Lighting also plays an essential role. The two-story window wall fills the condo with natural light. There are pull-down shades on each window: one opaque, the other translucent. They filter daylight sun and grant privacy at night. &amp;quot;Evenly displaced lighting\u2014a combination of ceiling lights on dimmers, plus reading, table, and task lamps\u2014make the condo as radiant and moody at night as during the day,&amp;quot; says Lanphier.  The client is no fan of clutter so accessories are edited and grouped for impact. Ample display and storage space is provided via low bookcases, leaning shelves and simple wall ledges. An extension to the master bedroom closet was required to accommodate the actress&amp;#039; wardrobe.  Making a Small Footprint Work for Lots of Guests  Brown loves to entertain and host family so choosing double-duty furniture was high on the list. &amp;quot;Matthew looked for pieces that were beautiful, yet practical,&amp;quot; says Brown. &amp;quot;Every piece has a purpose, is adaptable and easy to move. I can pull chairs or stools back and forth from different rooms for guests, and everything coordinates together.&amp;quot; To increase sleeping options, the living and guest bedroom sofas work as beds. A loft sleeping area was built atop the guest bedroom sofa repurposing otherwise unused space overhead.  The third floor rooftop terrace also converts into a screening room under the stars utilizing a large canvas that&amp;#039;s tied from wall-to-wall.  At the End of the Day &amp;quot;Every time I come home and have a moment to myself, I smile at the things that are there,&amp;quot; says Brown. &amp;quot;Matthew has created a great backdrop for my treasures and possessions. I&amp;#039;m surrounded by the things that mean the most to me and people immediately know that this is my house because it accurately reflects my personality.&amp;quot; Fashion police sent elsewhere and case closed.  Click here to see Sophina Brown&amp;#039;s amazing Loft Makeover!  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<http://www.elledecor.com/celebrity-style/celebrity-homes/a3984/sophina-browns-west-hollywood-home-a-62297/>