When Tony Cavalero — best known as Keefe from HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones — and his wife Annie bought a 1939 Paul R. Williams house in the Hollywood Hills, they inherited more than a property: they inherited decades of Los Angeles cultural history. The couple has slowly reshaped the six-bedroom Spanish-style home, blending period restoration with personal collectibles to create a living space that nods to Hollywood’s past while reflecting their own tastes.
A house with a story
The home, designed by renowned architect Paul R. Williams, has passed through several notable chapters: early Hollywood tenants, a late-’60s commune and ashram that attracted musicians, and multiple renovations that left the interior trapped in a very different decade. Tony and Annie bought the house in 2016, drawn as much by its provenance as by the feel of the place.
They say the house struck them at once. Despite outdated finishes — think heavy dark kitchen cabinetry and a boxy jacuzzi that dominated the primary bathroom — the couple felt the property’s original character beneath the 1990s updates.
Renovation: careful, collaborative, personal
Rather than strip the home of its history, the Cavaleros worked with designer Amber McDermitt of Spruce Your Space to revive its original spirit. McDermitt drew the theater’s floor plan by hand, and the project became a close collaboration between designer and homeowners.
Annie, a jewelry designer, layered the house with family artifacts and curated objects: crystal clusters her grandfather sourced and a chandelier that belonged to a late uncle hang in key spaces, anchoring new interventions in personal history. Tony notes that the house is as much Annie’s handiwork as his — every choice carries lineage and intention.
- Architectural pedigree: 1939 Paul R. Williams design in the Hollywood Hills
- Main renovations: Restoring Hollywood Regency elements while updating modern essentials
- Signature rooms: A deliberately moody media room, a rethought kitchen, and a remodeled primary bathroom
- Personal touches: Family heirlooms and curated geological finds displayed throughout
Notably, the downstairs media room remains deliberately dark and atmospheric — a space Tony jokes his on-screen persona would prefer. But the couple’s intent was not to create a themed home; it was to honor the house’s bones and tell their own story within it. “Nothing is random,” Annie explains; each item and finish is chosen with context and history in mind.
What this says about Los Angeles preservation
The Cavaleros’ project is part of a broader pattern: homeowners in Los Angeles increasingly favor restoration over replacement, especially when properties carry architectural significance. Reviving a Paul R. Williams residence is not simply an aesthetic choice; it’s a preservation act that keeps an important chapter of the city’s built environment visible.
For fans of The Righteous Gemstones, the house also provides a rare intersection of on-screen persona and real-life surroundings. Elements that echo the show — like the treehouse motif from a recent season — illustrate how creative work and daily life can influence each other for performing artists.
Ultimately, Tony and Annie didn’t fall for the home because of a renovation plan; they fell for the place the moment they entered. Their restoration has been gradual and careful, intended to highlight the property’s past while making it function for a contemporary household.
The result is a home that sits comfortably between eras: a historic Hollywood address preserved and personalized, and a reminder that the city’s architectural stories continue to evolve in private hands as much as they do on screen.
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A champion of quality and authenticity, Emily delves into Australian-made products and their impact on global markets. With a focus on sustainability, she helps readers understand why these goods are leading the trade world.
