
Inside An Ob/Gyn’s Beyond Dreamy L.A. Home
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Photographed by Maria Del Rio
If you’re a peruser of interior blogs, chances are you’ve seen the home of our latest Mother Stories subject. In fact, it was on one of these sites (shout-out to Domaine Home!) that we first spied her dreamy nursery, designed by Amber Interiors. After hunting down the mother behind the nursery, we found out it belonged to Ob/Gyn doc and new mama Jessica Rastegar and her now 9-month-old son, Wolf. Here, we put a face behind the boho-chic home seen across the Interweb, and learn about how a woman who’s spent much of her career counseling expecting women and mothers suddenly became one. Get ready to Pin!
- "About a year and a half. Our home is located in what has always been our dream neighborhood, a canyon near the beach filled with trees, infused with a special light, where you can hear the sound of frogs at night, and, historically, where many artists and writers live. It's where my husband went to elementary school and where we were engaged. We lucked out and purchased our home off market and then spent several months doing renovations to make the home more suitable for a family and our lifestyle."
- "Rustic boho chic meets modern treehouse. Relaxed, comfy, nothing too precious."
- "I love colorful prints and fabrics that suggest a history, so I especially love all of our pillows, rugs, and throws, particularly in our banquet area off the kitchen and in our bedroom. Amber, our incredible interior designer, sourced many of the fabrics for pillows and the rugs, and most are vintage. I also love the vintage chairs and chaise in our bedroom. The bedside sconces are from Atelier de Troupe and I love the subtle gold underside that contrasts with the matte black."
- "I like to stick to neutral furniture pieces and add accents with interest, such as a mix of colorful patterned pillows or fireplace tiles. I strive to create a home that feels inviting and lived in. My husband grew up with an interior designer for a mom, so he also has clear ideas about design and what he likes and dislikes. Working with Amber helped us refine where our decorating style overlaps!"
- The aforementioned fireplace.
- "Yes! Although Amber is amazing and I'm not surprised that her designs are being featured everywhere. It's been fun to stumble across our home on Pinterest or the design blogs and see that it's serving as inspiration to others in creating their own dream spaces." Jessica wears a Rag & Bone top, Anine Bing sweater, Citizen of Humanity jeans, and Michael Kors slip-ons.
- "As an Ob/Gyn, becoming a parent has made me appreciate the value of my work to an even greater extent. But I try more and more to define a separation between work and home life, so that I can be as fully present and attentive to my son when I'm with him as possible."
- "It's always a tricky balancing act, particularly as my work can extend into any hour of the day or night. I try to get in some snuggles in the mornings and do my best to be home for his bath and bedtime routine, even if that means catching up on charting into the evening after he he goes down. Luckily, my husband is a wonderful help and he truly enjoys spending time with our son."
- "I feel privileged to work with women of all ages, empowering them with knowledge about their bodies, pregnancies, gynecological issues, and being inspired by them in return! It's the long-term connections and bonds you foster with your patients in OB/Gyn that drew me to this field of medicine. That and the life-affirming and celebratory nature of birth. I also like that my work can differ from day to day, whether it's seeing patients in the office, doing small procedures, surgeries, or deliveries. It keeps you on your toes and there is never a dull moment!"
- "I was born and raised in L.A., Santa Monica specifically. I left for college in Northern California, lived in San Francisco for a few years afterwards, and went to medical school in Ohio. I returned for my Ob/Gyn residency at Cedars-Sinai six years ago and have enjoyed getting re-aquatinted with L.A. as an adult!"
- "The sunshine, the proximity to the ocean, and ability to spend time outdoors daily. Plus, the general relaxed vibe. And most importantly, our families are here."
- "Never say never (although probably not)! I loved living in San Francisco in my twenties and still have a number of dear friends who live there. And every now and then I imagine living somewhere incredibly peaceful, like Maine (I have never even been)! But L.A. is home, where our family lives, and we have really enjoyed returning to our roots, raising our son where we both grew up, so we plan to stay."
- "We take walks on Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica, maybe visit the beach or Rustic Canyon Park, stop by the Brentwood Country Mart for lunch, and head to a farmers market on the weekend if we have the time." Jessica wears an Equipment top, Alice + Olivia skirt, and Sam Edelman booties. Wolf wears Zara clothing, and a bandana from Etsy.
- "Brentwood Country Mart is always packed with kiddos and has a lot of good eating options, but the best is the original Reddi Chick where both my husband and I grew up eating rotisserie chicken. Wolf just had his first taste of chicken there the other week! There's also a toy store and cute kids clothing store. I also like The Acorn Store for handmade wooden toys, and Trico Field for unique, quality kids clothing. For baby basics I rely on Giggle, The Pump Station, and Right Start."
- "Life is richer, and I feel a deeper sense of purpose. It's amazing how your love for your baby continues to grow and evolve as your baby does. But it's easy to feel pulled in so many different directions and to feel the pressure of finding the perfect balance. I haven't found it yet and will probably continue to work on that forever!"
- "It's a cliche, but that it truly does take a village! And I have a whole new appreciation for the work of stay-at-home moms."
- "It was an interesting and eye-opening shift. Being an OB/Gyn was a bit of a double edged sword when it came to my own pregnancy. I was equipped with a great deal of knowledge—at times almost too much! But going through it myself, I appreciated that many of the things women want to know more about are practical and quality of life issues during pregnancy, whether it's comfortable sleeping positions or what to do about some new ache or pain. And then when I suffered a pregnancy complication and had to be on bedrest for six weeks, I could really relate to and appreciate the sacrifices women make for their children on an even deeper level. Now, I think that my own personal experience brings even more excitement to working with expectant mothers, as I can really grasp what they're about to experience and how much life opens up with a new baby. Not to mention I have a more solid understanding of and empathy for the challenges faced in the postpartum period with all the new adjustments that occur both physically and emotionally."
- "Nurturing this innocent being and discovering who he is while re-discovering the world through his eyes."
- "The influences of the outside world, whether the threat of wars or school bullies. In the face of all the mayhem, I hope I can do my best to teach my son how to be true to himself and to stay safe!"
- "Don't be afraid to ask for or hire help! It's exhausting giving birth and being a new mom and it is completely essential to have time to replenish yourself in order to be the best version of a mom you can be. That, and don't be too hard on yourself if things don't work out exactly as planned, whether in regards to your birth experience or breastfeeding or whatever you imagine a particular way."
- "Wolf is named after my maternal great-grandfather, who was the first relative to come to the U.S. from Eastern Europe. Wolf was a common name amongst Yiddish speaking Jews at the time.”
- "Watching this special little boy change and develop by the day, to get to witness his transformation into who he will be, and to help nurture that along the way."
- "Waking up and snuggling with him in his rocking chair and feeding him a bottle. Playing around the house or reading books, nap time, then taking a long walk where I can hear him belly laughing at everything from the leaves to new faces. Having lunch somewhere outdoors. Another nap. More playtime. Bath time, a massage, more snuggles, bedtime."
- "I love that he is feisty and strong-willed but has such a sweet, gentle soul. He loves to be around people, loves to learn about the world, loves to laugh. He comes from a long line of strong, determined men and I see them in him!"
- "My mother passed away when I was a year old, so I don't have memories of her. But I know that she loved being a mom and worked hard to have me. I love being Wolf's mom and try to trust my maternal instincts as much as possible."
- "I'd have to say our bedroom suite is my favorite room in the house. We were able to decorate a bit more 'adult' here and it feels like a mini sanctuary, a place to escape and unwind. I love reading in our sitting area that opens to our backyard. The windows let in tons of light and you get glimpses of trees and flowers all around. One of my favorite things to do to relax is taking a bath looking out onto the lush greenery of the hillside."
- "I like Cricket's Circle and blog. I found it really helpful in choosing baby items and I like reading about a day in the life of real moms. Also for fashion/home, I read Refinery 29, Domaine Home, and Style Me Pretty. I am also into cooking blogs like Smitten Kitchen and Food52."
- "Classic and feminine, with a slight edge."
- "I definitely gravitate more towards comfort pieces! But it's nice to look forward to a date night or event to freshen up and pick something more special.”
- "It's rustic and modern, a room that anyone can enjoy spending time in. In fact, I think my husband wanted to move in when it was finished!"
- "The crib is Dwell Studio, rocker is Anthropologie, changing table is an old vintage dresser with a changing pad on top, the wolf picture is Sharon Montrose, and the mobile is the Futura-Mobile in natural from the MoMA store, created by a Danish artist named Christian Flensted."
- We spy some Yarnbombed antlers!
- "Jeans, a tank top, and cardigan (layers are essential with babies, I've come to learn!). Plus, easy to throw on shoes like sandals or slip-on sneakers. My staples are dark gray jeans, Equipment cashmere, a waffle-knit sweater, Mykita sunglasses, and the Phillip Lim Pashli bag, which can double as a work and diaper bag." Jessica wears a Velvet jumpsuit and Anine Bing sandals. Wolf wears Zara.
- A last nursery peek.
- "Rebecca Taylor (feminine with an edge), Equipment for work classics that can transition to night, Rag & Bone, and Loeffler Randall shoes. For basics I like Splendid and Velvet because the fabrics are so soft and comfy.”
- "I love these Freshly Picked baby moccasins a friend recently turned me onto. For myself, on the 'want' list are an Ulla Johnson floral print dress for lounging this summer and these Loeffler Randall booties.”
- "I have definitely done the bulk of my shopping online for years as I've worked such odd hours in medical school, residency, and now as a practicing physician. Shopbop is my go-to site. When I do get a chance to shop in person it feels like a real treat, but has to be way more focused now than before since time is so precious now!"
- And we're out!
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