The Zappa Nest, perched above the historic Zappa House in the Hollywood Hills, is a richly atmospheric guest house designed as a creative retreat for visiting musicians. While the project bridges music history and mid-century design, its defining feature is the vivid, immersive use of Tonester Paints. The color-driven transformation gives the home its emotional identity, setting the tone for every room and guiding the renovation from the earliest concept. The project also marks a significant milestone for the brand: the first and only bespoke exterior paint project ever created by Tonester.

A mix of custom Tonester shades, specifically created for the Zappa Nest, and select colors from Tonester's existing collection shaped the project's entire visual language. These custom and signature hues were chosen for their emotional resonance, depth, and ability to shift with natural light. They anchor each room with a distinct atmosphere, creating continuity throughout the home while emphasizing the interiors' expressive character.

Originally part of the compound built by American guitarist Frank Zappa in the 1970s, the Nest has been revived by owner Chris Behlau in collaboration with mid-century specialist and gallerist Lars Triesch, founder of Original in Berlin. Triesch was given complete freedom to craft a space that would inspire artists during their recording sessions. His central decision was to shape the interiors through color. Tonester's saturated pigments and layered tonalities served as the starting point for the entire design language, shaping furniture selection, material pairings, and the spatial rhythm of the house.

A Tonester hue anchors each room selected for its emotional resonance, enhanced by one of Tony's go-to pro tips: never leave the ceiling white. By extending color overhead, or choosing a contrasting ceiling shade, the palette wraps the space in an embracing, atmospheric vibe that heightens mood and energy.

"A white ceiling cuts the room in half,"
says Tony Piloseno, Tonester Founder & CEO. "Color on the ceiling brings everything together. It wraps you, it balances the light, and it gives the room a vibe you can actually feel."

These choices amplify natural light, create visual flow between communal and intimate spaces, and define the home's expressive personality. Against this backdrop, sculptural mid-century furnishings and collectible design pieces gain a new dimension, as the architecture shifts from neutral container to an active, energized environment that supports creativity, introspection, and experimentation.

By leading with Tonester's richly saturated colors and full-room approach, including the ceiling, the project reframes a historic property through a contemporary expressive lens. The Zappa Nest becomes not only a tribute to Zappa's legacy, but also a forward-looking creative haven, where color, design, and music converge to inspire a new generation of artists. And with Tonester's first-ever bespoke exterior space, equally reflective of this spirit, the home's creative vibrancy begins even before you step inside.