"I didn’t think it was going to be a relationship," Soll reflects, looking back on the unexpected romance. Instead, he credits their deeply shared passions and creative outlooks as the ultimate catalysts that drew them together. "We always found a throughline with design," he notes.
Today, the couple shares a charming 1925 Craftsman house nestled in the historic and bohemian enclave of Laurel Canyon. Spanning roughly 1,400 square feet, the home serves as a physical manifestation of their contrasting yet complementary aesthetics. Soll took the creative lead in decorating the space, blending his signature approach with Burns’s vast, eclectic collection of vintage art, furniture, and unique sculptural pieces.
Burns is widely known for his enduring creative partnership as a stylist and collaborator with musician Lenny Kravitz, whom he has worked alongside for the past 15 years. Kravitz, intimately familiar with Burns’s artistic eye, expresses profound admiration for what the couple has managed to build together within the canyon walls.
"The mix of Rodney’s early- to midcentury style mixed with ethnic expression next to Harrison’s bold minimalist modern approach seamlessly blend together," Kravitz tells Architectural Digest, praising the harmonious integration of their distinct artistic vocabularies. He adds further high praise for Burns’s broader creative ethos, noting, "What I love about Rodney is that he is limitless in his concepts and always thinks outside of the box. His visual vocabulary enables him to mix a vast stew of eras and genres. He pays tribute to our ancestors and uplifts new innovators. Always soulful, expressive, and elegant." For his part, Burns frequently emphasizes how deeply intertwined his creative processes are, famously observing that building an outfit and building a room are, in his opinion, fundamentally the same thing.
Yet, uniting two distinct creative minds—and two entirely different approaches to space and accumulation—was not without its theatrical negotiations. Soll happily describes himself as leaning toward a clean, bold minimalism, while Burns proudly avows that he is "a maximalist to the umpteenth power." The delicate dance of balancing these opposing forces produced both moments of intense creative friction and delightful, story-filled compromises throughout the house.
Consider, for instance, the dramatic foyer, which quickly became one of the most fiercely debated areas to style. The space features an extensive collection of masks and vintage paintings, alongside a towering Sergio Bustamante giraffe bust that immediately greets anyone walking through the front door. The giraffe, however, was the subject of legendary domestic debate.
"The giraffe was one of our biggest fights in decorating this house," Burns explains, defending his prized possession. "I was determined to have that giraffe live some place in this house because he’s just fantastic, and the scale of him, and the rarity of him." Soll, on the other hand, points out the practical hazards of the positioning, noting that the front door swings directly into its path. "You just have to be careful," Soll concedes with a laugh.
The styling of the foyer also involved navigating the sheer volume of Burns’s extensive archives. At one point during the process, overwhelmed by the volume of artifacts, Burns suggested placing all of his beloved masks into storage for a future home or passing them along to his boutique, Church. Soll swiftly dissented, laying down the law with a definitive, "No, let’s put them everywhere."
That spirit of collaboration and surprise extends to other sentimental pieces throughout the home. Above the living room fireplace hangs a striking piece of nail art with a particularly endearing backstory. The couple originally spotted the piece at a vintage shop in Santa Monica, where Burns immediately fell in love with it—only to regret not purchasing it on the spot. When he finally returned to the shop to acquire it, the piece was already marked as sold, broken-hearted to have missed his chance. Unbeknownst to him, Soll had already covertly purchased the artwork as a secret Valentine’s Day surprise.
The living room itself is a masterclass in high-low contrast and texture, showcasing Burns’s exuberant maximalism anchored by Soll’s structural eye. The space features two distinct seating arrangements: a Joseph D’Urso for Knoll sofa reupholstered in a daring leopard-print fabric, and a sinuous, leather De Sede Terrazza sofa. Soll is quick to point out that the leopard-print sofa features a deliberate block of solid leather upholstery, noting, "I just think it would have been too maximalist to do a full Scalamandrè sofa."
The floor is grounded by the Antilocarpa style wall-to-wall carpeting sourced from Stark, while a trio of fiberglass shell art pieces was procured through Kelly Wearstler. Behind the main sofa hangs a deeply significant piece of art: a manipulated canvas garment bag created by Roosevelt "Rip" Woods, noted historically as the first Black artist to hold a solo show at the Phoenix Art Museum. The room is further populated by brass sculptures, including a Maison Jansen palm tree and a Sergio Bustamante monkey, alongside bronze figures sourced from an estate sale in Arizona.
Operating as renters naturally imposed certain structural limitations on what the couple could physically alter within the 1925 Craftsman structure, but they managed to make their mark through calculated risks. Soll successfully secured permission from their landladies to completely retile a bathroom and install a fresh vanity. The installation of the doe-patterned wall-to-wall carpeting in the living room, however, was a classic "ask for forgiveness" maneuver. While the choice required numerous evening conversations and dining table debates between the couple before installation, their landladies ultimately ended up adoring the finished look.
The home’s inherent bohemian architecture adds an extra layer of quirky character to the interior design. The primary bedroom, for instance, is not a clean, perfect square. Instead, its angular geometry naturally dictates the layout, making the stainless steel bed from TTMM appear as though it is placed on a deliberate diagonal, when in reality it is simply honoring the unique architectural lines of the room. The bedroom further blends contrasting eras and textiles, featuring Paul Evans "Cityscape" nightstands, striped bedding, and antique bronze table lamps outfitted with custom African mud cloth shades.
In the office, a vintage 1970s textile tapestry discovered by Burns serves as a focal point that Soll has grown deeply attached to. Remembering the early days of their courtship, Soll admits, "I used to go to Rodney’s apartment when we first started dating, and I would be like, ‘Oh my God! Like, if we break up, I’m never gonna be able to find this tapestry.’"
Meanwhile, the dining room showcases a Sergio Bustamante table set deliberately on a diagonal angle. While it makes a striking visual statement paired with Paul Evans chairs, a Tom Greene chandelier from Church Boutique, and a Chinese Art Deco rug sourced from Ariana Rugs, Soll reveals there was a very practical, domestic motivation behind the angled placement. The adjustment was entirely necessary to clear enough floor space for their large dog, whom Soll affectionately jokes about regarding the room’s clearances.
Outdoors, the Laurel Canyon property features a funky backyard that serves as a bricolage of inherited stonework, lush greenery, and vintage pottery, complete with a detached shed that functions as Burns’s outdoor auxiliary closet.
Over time, through patient tinkering and mutual adjustment, the couple has successfully merged their distinct creative wavelengths. Soll summarizes their overarching design philosophy as a hybrid concept carrying a distinct Afrocentric theme infused with a timeless, relaxed Ralph Lauren sensibility. Reflecting on the journey of shaping their shared sanctuary, Burns acknowledges the profound creative influence his partner has had on him. "[Soll] has made me be able to take a pause and then also make me a little less attached to some of the things that I’ve collected," Burns reflects, "and given me an opportunity to maybe show a little bit more restraint."
With nearly every corner of the house perfected, only a single domestic detail remains unresolved on their shared interior design checklist. The couple is still searching for the ideal blanket basket to complete the space—though, as Soll notes with a smile, they still haven’t managed to find one that they both completely agree upon.
