Widely regarded as a leading exponent of classic California style, Rose Tarlow has accrued a cult following since the 1976 opening of her Los Angeles antiques store, the forerunner of her popular eponymous design shop on Melrose Avenue. For her uncluttered, predominantly neutral-hued rooms, Tarlow favors items with visible texture and age. “I like the juxtaposition of very pure and simple things with rarefied pieces,” she says. “Even a bowl or basket has to have phenomenal quality or patina.” Her Melrose House collections feature ingenious re-creations of old-world furniture as well as textiles, rugs, lighting, mirrors, and other accessories. Tarlow has composed assured and understated interiors for David Geffen and Barbara Walters, and she’s currently working on two homes for Oprah Winfrey. Her 2001 book, The Private House (Clarkson Potter), is an indispensible guide to her timeless style. rosetarloom