Designing with Intention: Annie Meyers-Shyer on Craft, Hosting, and This Oak House

Some homes feel like stories waiting to be told. This Oak House, Annie Meyers-Shyer’s loving restoration of a historic Los Angeles residence is one of them. Thoughtful, unhurried, and deeply personal, the project captures Annie’s belief that beauty lies in the details: the curve of a cabinet knob, the quiet gleam of hand-painted trim, the dialogue between old and new.

Some homes feel like stories waiting to be told. This Oak House, Annie Meyers-Shyer’s loving restoration of a historic Los Angeles residence is one of them. Thoughtful, unhurried, and deeply personal, the project captures Annie’s belief that beauty lies in the details: the curve of a cabinet knob, the quiet gleam of hand-painted trim, the dialogue between old and new.

Annie’s creative life has always bridged worlds. Raised by filmmakers Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer, she absorbed early lessons on the power of environment and narrative. After college she moved to New York, where she worked as an accessories editor at Harper’s Bazaar before joining the public relations team at Chanel, experiences that sharpened her eye and cultivated a discipline in style. 

When Annie, her husband Robby Koch, and their children settled into the house, once owned by her mother-in-law, she began chronicling the renovation on Instagram under the handle @thisoakhouse. What began as a modest way to share progress with friends became a luminous design diary watched by hundreds of thousands, desperate for her design and lifestyle advice.

She then enlisted designer Mike Moser to help realize her vision, bringing in a trusted collaborator to turn concepts into enduring form. Together, they’ve negotiated the tension between honoring original architectural intent and making the home work for modern family life. (Original profiles and moldings were even traced and matched with custom knives, for example.) 

Now, through this feature, Annie opens a window, not just into the nuts and bolts of her process, but into the story behind the vision. You’ll discover how a childhood steeped in film aesthetics, a background in fashion and brand storytelling, and a love for home all converged to create a project of care, intention, and narrative depth.Here, Annie reflects on her inspirations, her process, and the philosophies that shaped This Oak House into something timeless.

Homeworthy: How would you describe your personal sense of style when it comes to design and who or what has shaped it?

Annie Meyers-Shyer: My sense of style has been shaped by my experiences. My career in fashion, my travels, and my childhood have all influenced how I see things.

HW: Your home was originally designed by architect Gerard Colcord in the 1940s. How did you balance preserving its history with making it work for a young family’s daily life?

AMS: We were very intentional about keeping the details intact. The moldings, the profiles…everything that gave the house its character. We actually took profiles off the original walls and had new knives made so we could replicate them. At the same time, we updated the flow of the house. The segmented rooms were opened up to better suit our family’s daily life.

HW: What was the most surprising or emotionally charged decision you made during the remodel?

AMS: Taking down a tree was unexpectedly emotional. For most of the renovation I felt confident, even if I was nervous about certain choices. But I always returned to my guiding principle: will I love this decision forever?

HW: With the renovation is there anything you wish you could do over and if so, why?

AMS: I wish I hadn’t done a gravel driveway, and I wish I had added a sink to the BBQ area. But honestly, both feel pretty inconsequential in the bigger picture.

HW: Whose opinions do you trust most when you need help making a decision?

AMS: My mom. Full stop.

HW: Do you like to collect anything?

AMS: Yes! Pottery, silver boxes, vases. So many things.

HW: What can you not resist when browsing a flea market?

AMS: Anything rattan.

HW: What tips would you share with homeowners about managing creative decision fatigue during a long renovation?

AMS: Every detail matters, so take your time. Don’t rush decisions or let anyone pressure you into giving an answer “ASAP.” I’d rather make a thoughtful choice than regret a hasty one.

HW: What’s the first thing you do when you come home from a trip?

AMS: Shower.

HW: What do you like to bring to someone’s home as a hostess gift?

AMS: A cookbook and a hand-carved wooden kitchen utensil.

HW: A favorite gift you’ve ever received for your home?

AMS: A ping pong table!

HW: Favorite vacation spot or hotel?

AMS: Capri

HW: Flowers you love to have in your house?

AMS: Always a single bloom, whatever is in season.

HW: Favorite candle to burn at home?

AMS: Spirituelle by Mad et Len.

HW: Do you have an at-home uniform?

AMS: Sweatpants and a t-shirt.

HW: Has your idea of “home” evolved now that you’ve actually arrived in the one you envisioned?

AMS: Not really. Home has always been a sanctuary for me, whether it was my first studio apartment in New York or the home I live in now. There’s nowhere I’d rather be, and nowhere I feel more myself.

HW: Would you ever take on another renovation project?!

AMS: Yes! I’m manifesting a house on Martha’s Vineyard in 2027!!