Actress Cassidy Freeman’s kitchen celebrates family, friends | My Favorite Room

Actress Cassidy Freeman’s colorful, cozy kitchen is the heart and hearth of her Santa Monica apartment, a space that celebrates her family and friends — both in art and in person.

The 893-square-foot apartment has been Freeman’s Los Angeles home base for 13 years — she also has a home in New Mexico — and the marigold yellow kitchen features special pieces by loved ones, such as a red-hued portrait of her grandfather, Lee Freeman Sr., painted by her uncle, James Freeman.

“My uncle is an artist and musician and thought I would really enjoy it, and I do. It’s a little moody, but it reminds me of my family,” said Freeman, 37, known for her roles in HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones” and A&E’s “Longmire.”

Another piece, by her friend Lyn StClair, captures Freeman’s last day with her horse Woodchip, whom she had to put down four years ago in Montana.

“He had a beautiful last day where we fed him all of these apples and carrots, and cut some of his tail hair so we could make dream catchers. And Lyn, being an artist, just pulls the canvas out of her truck and starts painting it really fast and gave it to me,” Freeman said.

The compact but breathable kitchen features open shelving with eclectic Southwestern-style pottery and kitchenware, including a pot with “Stardust” written across it, a gift from her late mother that now houses succulents.

“I used to have a lot of dreams and she told me to write them down and put them in there,” Freeman said.

Why is your kitchen your favorite room?

It’s probably where I spend the most time. I love cooking when I feel stressed out. I love the monotony or meditativeness of chopping and layering things when making a soup or stew. My parents both worked a lot and the kitchen was a place where we all came together and still did meals together. I think that’s why it’s an important place for me.

What a fantastic stove.

This stove is made to look vintage but it’s not, and I wanted one that was really functional but wouldn’t be dangerous at all. Heartland is the company that makes them and they’re incredible. I love the bold blue color, and I needed something small to fit in a compact kitchen.

I love the use of paint color.

The blue patio almost feels like the ocean when I sit out there, and being so close to the water it feels good. The blue against the deep green in the backyard is really pleasing. And marigold is a really happy color and great for the kitchen.

Does the kitchen serve any other purpose besides cooking?

I travel a lot for work and live in a lot of different places, so the idea of having a really big home just doesn’t work for me. Since I don’t have a dining room, it’s in my kitchen. I don’t know that I could ever live in a home where the kitchen was separate from the people you invited over to enjoy that meal. I love being able to stand here and talk to my friend that’s drinking a cup of tea or eating something that we’ve made. It all feels very together. If a friend comes over to vent or brainstorm a project, this is the room we do it in with beverages, food and an open door.

Favorite memory?

There was a Christmas when we all decided to stay here because my sister-in-law was too pregnant to travel — we usually go to Montana. I had never spent Christmas in Los Angeles and I was nervous because I didn’t think it would feel like Christmas. I battled anxiety and fear around having a different Christmas and baked so much weird shortbread, Christmas cookies and fruit bars and had Christmas music blasting out of my speakers. I remember FaceTiming my friends that were in Montana ... then I sent all the cookies to all my friends.