You may recognize Peter Porte from his work on soap operas like “Days of Our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless,” or you might be more familiar with his Hallmark movies, like “The Love Heist.”
However, despite being known for his drama- and romance-filled gigs, when it came to designing his Los Angeles home, he took inspiration from a very different kind of story.
GettyThere’s no doubt that “Porte resembles a Disney prince who wandered offscreen,” Architectural Digest (AD) points out. “But when designer Charlie Barstein asked the actor his vision for the 1920s LA home he shares with his husband, banking executive Jacob Villere, Porte had an answer that was decidedly better than Cinderella’s castle.”
Peter’s Home Boasts a Pirate Aesthetic and a Patrick Swayze Past
When it came to the style of Porte’s home, he told AD that he wanted the same kind of vibe that would suit none other than a classic Disney villain, “Peter Pan” pirate Captain Hook.
“I want velvet, navy, and lace,” Porte said while describing what he asked for from Barstein.
As for the designer, Barstein was totally on board. He told AD, “I felt very lucky that someone was willing to go this bold with color. I’d just come off a project where everything was white. And no shade to white, but you hope that someone trusts you as a designer to go for it.”
As for Villere, a New Orleans native, he appreciated how the aesthetic felt familiar to where he came from, saying, “I loved it.”
Getty“When the couple purchased the home in 2020, it was a duplex, and at a century old, it reflected ‘all these different decades kind of patchwork-quilted together,’ says Porte,” per AD. “But between the Spanish-style charm and sweeping view of Los Angeles, they saw plenty of potential.”
AD also mentions that “[t]he house’s history didn’t hurt either.” That’s because the late “Patrick Swayze was a tenant in the 1970s.” Villere noted, “He wrote about it in his memoir.”
From a Space Suited for Parties to a Secret Door in a Bookshelf
AD tells Porte’s fans that “[a]side from creating space for swashbuckling, the couple’s top priority for the renovation was to turn the house back into a single-family home that was fit for epic entertaining.”
“We have a lot of dinner parties and game nights,” said Porte. Also bringing up the fact that they like to throw themed parties that have, in the past, included an emoji night and one focused on “The White Lotus,” the actor admitted, “I don’t know why we haven’t done pirates yet.”
On top of creating a dwelling that boasts stylish storybook-worthy touches and soirée-suitable spaces, AD notes that “not an ounce of whimsy was sacrificed in maintaining sophistication throughout the home.” For instance, “Porte now enters his office—swathed in navy blue—through a secret door hidden in a bookshelf.”
He told AD, “If you’re already going to bring a place down to the studs, why wouldn’t you add a secret door? It would just be a wasted opportunity not to, right?”
