A Paint Pro Shares Her Favorites for Keeping a Colorful, Happy Home

Natalie Ebel and her husband, Caleb, know how daunting picking a paint color can be. After staring down their share of blank canvases, the couple founded Backdrop, a direct-to-consumer paint and lifestyle brand that helps anyone plagued by the paradox of choice home in on that perfect hue. 

As they see it, paint is an impactful too for self-expression, but also an easy and inexpensive way to transform any room—or an entire residence. Here, Natalie peels back the curtain to reveal her own processes and shares a few of her favorite things from her home in Los Angeles, California.

"The overwhelming amount of choices for white paint was one of the reasons that my husband, Caleb, and I launched Backdrop. We found ourselves searching through hundreds when decorating our first daughter’s nursery, and we knew there had to be a better way. Backdrop has a very edited palette of just five whites, each with memorable character. Our entire home—interior and exterior—is painted in Supermoon, a pure white with no undertones. White is one of the trickiest colors and I think we really nailed this one. It’s our best seller."

"I’m obsessed with Ghia and always have a bottle on the shelf. It’s not too sweet and goes perfect with a splash of sparkling water. The flavors are complex and it’s alcohol free, so there’s no guilt but it still feels special and luxurious. I love the ritual of making a cocktail with it; it’s become my treat at the end of a long day."

"We don’t have any storage in our home other than our very small bedroom closets. Because of this things can get cluttered quickly. I recently bought a bunch of these Hay storage boxes and they immediately made me feel organized. They are stackable and come in a gorgeous array of colors so they always look chic no matter where they are around the house."

"Music is always playing in our house and is a big inspiration for everything we do at Backdrop. (We even have a library of custom painting playlists to match your mood or color.) A Sonos can be found in every room of our home, and the system is portable for when we want to bring the music outside. This is my go-to playlist while cooking or sipping on Ghia."

"We used to drink a lot of Topo Chico, like, a lot. But going through multiple glass bottles a day is not sustainable nor economical so we bought this Aarke about a year ago for all our carbonation needs. It has a beautiful, sleek design you’ll want to display on your countertop. We can’t live without it and have one at home and at our Downtown L.A. studio."

"When we moved from New York City to Los Angeles a few years ago we wanted to fully reset with all of our furniture. We wanted pieces that were timeless and would last, so our go-to place has been Midcentury LA. David, the owner, is fantastic. He has such incredible knowledge and sources the most unique pieces from all over the world."

"For instant mood boosters around the home, I like to shop at Coming Soon, my favorite design store in New York. I recently picked up these colorful resin coasters by Gaetano Pesce. They are great conversation starters when throwing a dinner part. And, my children can’t break them, so that’s a bonus."

"This portable lamp is arguably the best purchase I’ve made in the past year. My husband and I fight over who gets to use it. I bring it outside at night, carry it room to room, and use it for mood lighting when I need to work late at night."

"I am such a huge fan of Charlap Hyman & Herrero’s work. The firm’s immersive interiors are worlds unto themselves, and always have a sense of humor, irreverence, and playfulness. The collection of rugs for Schumacher is no exception. This one is inspired by Alexander Calder’s tapestries and made of a natural fiber that gives it an incredible texture that plays off reptile scales. We have one as a runner in our kitchen—it gives the space such personality and always makes me smile."

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