My Houzz: A Marin County Home That Feels Like a Tropical Getaway
Bright saturated hues and playful decor give this Northern California home a vacation vibe
“I wanted to have the feeling of being on vacation,” is how entrepreneur and artist Bibby Gignilliat describes her strategy for decorating her new home. With a color palette of greens, pinks and cool blues, Gignilliat transformed her home into a tropical paradise, with a turquoise surfboard that sits on one wall as the finishing touch. Now her home makes her feel like she is living minutes from the beach.
Gignilliat saw the living room furniture assembled in a showroom before she found the house. “I wanted to find a home for this furniture and was happy to find the right space so I could purchase it,” she says.
White chair: Calypso St. Barth; Big Dipper floor lamp: CB2
White chair: Calypso St. Barth; Big Dipper floor lamp: CB2
The rooms were painted in neutral shades of beige when Gignilliat purchased the house. She wanted to add color, but it wasn’t an instant transformation. “It took some time to visualize the color and what would work together,” she says.
Paintings: Bibby Art
Paintings: Bibby Art
“Color feeds my soul,” Gignilliat says. “The colors I picked are healthy and full of joy.” They also work well together, as they are grounded by the bright white on the walls, trim and ceiling.
X-benches and Channing console: Jonathan Adler
X-benches and Channing console: Jonathan Adler
The color infusion continues with this painted chest topped with contrasting flowers.
Green Mexican chest: The Gardener; painting: Bibby Art
Green Mexican chest: The Gardener; painting: Bibby Art
The original kitchen was dark, so Gignilliat added a skylight along with a dose of color.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Raspberry Glaze (walls), Super White PM-1 (ceiling) and Pale Sea Mist (hall)
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Raspberry Glaze (walls), Super White PM-1 (ceiling) and Pale Sea Mist (hall)
The blackboard above the stove was left by the previous owner. Gignilliat uses it to write out menus for her dinner parties.
“I am passionate about color and not afraid to experiment with it,” Gignilliat says. That can be seen in the bright pink she used in the kitchen.
There was not much counter space, so Gignilliat brought in a rolling cart with a butcher block surface. The window pane mirror helps to reflect the light back into the kitchen.
Green ceramic drawer pulls add to the whimsy of the small kitchen.
Gignlliat rested a reminder of her personal motto on the dining room ledge. “I only want to do things that scream yes!” she says.
Painting: Katy Kuhn
Painting: Katy Kuhn
She brought this coat rack made with antique doorknobs from her previous home in the city.
She converted her second bedroom into a TV room and home office, picking out two shades of blue to match the custom surfboard mounted on the wall. “I wanted the feeling of being on vacation every time I drove into my driveway,” Gignilliat says.
Sofa: Danner, Jonathan Adler; surfboard: Proof Lab Surf Shop; pouf: Design Within Reach; rug: West Elm; painting: Katy Kuhn; ceiling paint: Pool Blue, Benjamin Moore
Sofa: Danner, Jonathan Adler; surfboard: Proof Lab Surf Shop; pouf: Design Within Reach; rug: West Elm; painting: Katy Kuhn; ceiling paint: Pool Blue, Benjamin Moore
A friend who is knowledgeable about feng shui told Gignilliat that you should never put your back toward the door, and suggested placing a mirror on the wall in front of the desk.
Desk: Blu Dot, via Zinc Details; red five-bin storage tower: The Container Store; curtains: The Shade Store; mirror: antique from flea market
Desk: Blu Dot, via Zinc Details; red five-bin storage tower: The Container Store; curtains: The Shade Store; mirror: antique from flea market
Gignilliat wanted to use darker and soothing colors for the bedroom, so she picked a dark gray that looks purple in some kinds of light.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Granite AF-660 (walls), Fiji (ceiling) and Super White PM-1 (trim); paintings: Bibby Art; duvet cover and pillows: Kerry Cassill: faux-fur throw: Calypso St. Barth
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Granite AF-660 (walls), Fiji (ceiling) and Super White PM-1 (trim); paintings: Bibby Art; duvet cover and pillows: Kerry Cassill: faux-fur throw: Calypso St. Barth
One of Gignilliat’s cats, Stinker, likes to sleep on a chair by the back door.
Mrs. Godfrey chair, Nixon baby alpaca throw and leather Moroccan pouf: Jonathan Adler
Mrs. Godfrey chair, Nixon baby alpaca throw and leather Moroccan pouf: Jonathan Adler
A large mirror was turned sideways and hung to run parallel to the dresser. It adds daylight to the bedroom by reflecting the light coming through the room’s sliding doors.
Dresser: Overstock
Dresser: Overstock
Although Gignilliat had already been planning to renovate her bathroom, the date was pushed forward due to a water leak. “I had seen the blue tiles in Bon Appétit magazine, and I designed my bathroom with them in mind,” she says.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Tucker Orange (walls) and Super White PM-1 (ceiling); painting: Sharon Paster; tub and faucet: Badeloft; blue floor tiles: Echo, Granada Tile
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Tucker Orange (walls) and Super White PM-1 (ceiling); painting: Sharon Paster; tub and faucet: Badeloft; blue floor tiles: Echo, Granada Tile
The dramatic blue Echo tiles used for the bathroom floor are teamed with orange walls and a bright white tub. The painting on the wall ties them all together.
A marble-topped dual-sink vanity finishes the space.
Astor mirror and Piedmont countertop and console: Pottery Barn
Astor mirror and Piedmont countertop and console: Pottery Barn
Gignilliat relaxes in her sun-drenched living room.
Painting: Bibby Art; Haines chair: Jonathan Adler
See more of this home
Painting: Bibby Art; Haines chair: Jonathan Adler
See more of this home
Who lives here: Bibby Gignilliat and her cats, Quince, Leah and Stinker
Location: Mill Valley, California
Size: 1,075 square feet (100 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1902
Gignilliat wanted to make some changes in her lifestyle, and it started with relocating to Marin. “When I moved from San Francisco to Marin, I wanted a place that was less formal than my Victorian and more whimsical. I wanted to feel like I was on vacation,” Gignilliat says.
In her new living room, a molded rhino head, a turquoise chair and plenty of modern art add the required touch of playfulness.
Sofa and coffee table: Calypso St. Barth; paintings: Bibby Art; paint by Benjamin Moore: Split Pea (walls) and Super White PM-1 (ceiling)