Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Soft Touch for a New House in Marin County
A family of readers wanted a home with clean lines, comfortable textures and cozy spots for hunkering in
The family room opens to both the kitchen and the backyard. A large sectional allows the family of four to stretch out and watch movies together. A custom walnut table with open storage filled with books matches the dimensions of the sectional’s back. The designers added extra built-in storage for the family’s books around the fireplace.
Fireplace: Spark Modern
Fireplace: Spark Modern
The room’s only real patterns are found in the Holland & Sherry buffalo-check print on the thick custom draperies and in the intricate cutouts in the copper coffee table. These elements add a bit of interest and finish to the space.
The home’s open kitchen features white Shaker-style cabinets, honed black granite countertops and a custom hood covered in shiplap. The three globe pendants above the large island have frosted bottoms to diffuse the light.
The dining room called for a little more pattern, which the design team achieved primarily through the rug selection. Rug purveyor Tai Ping created a custom palette of soft blues and grays with a pop of charcoal. A mix of chairs from Ironies and Gubi sets off the crisp, modern Ralph Pucci light fixture and coordinating white draperies.
The living room fireplace surround and built-in bookcases are covered in shiplap. The homeowners are avid art collectors and were delighted by the abstract Ian Kimmerly painting that Hohla brought in from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Jonathan Browning’s sculptural light fixture crowns the two sofas and custom leather ottoman with sliding walnut tray. The bronze drink tables next to the sofas are from Coup D’Etat.
Carpet: Stark; draperies: Holland & Sherry
Carpet: Stark; draperies: Holland & Sherry
“Clean and pulled-back” is how Hohla describes this restrained master bedroom. Fitzgerald Upholstery constructed a custom headboard of worsted wool fabric panels nestled into a cerused oak frame with integral floating nightstands. Other standout design elements include the Krisma throw pillow for a pop of pattern and the chunky knit blanket for texture. The Jiun Ho brass and leather bench provides yet another surface for books.
Bedside lamps: Fuse Lighting
Bedside lamps: Fuse Lighting
Sleeping in a completely dark room was essential to the couple, so the designers layered sheers under blackout-lined drapery fabric. Not pictured is a valance they added later to eliminate light creep at the top of the window.
Across from the bed is custom oak cabinetry designed to house still more books and a TV that pops out on demand. In front of the cabinets are versatile swivel chairs from A. Rudin and a custom ottoman from New York’s Van den Akker, featuring a walnut base with rivet details. Vanessa Marsh photos, also from Dolby Chadwick Gallery, are propped atop the cabinet.
Across from the bed is custom oak cabinetry designed to house still more books and a TV that pops out on demand. In front of the cabinets are versatile swivel chairs from A. Rudin and a custom ottoman from New York’s Van den Akker, featuring a walnut base with rivet details. Vanessa Marsh photos, also from Dolby Chadwick Gallery, are propped atop the cabinet.
One wing of the upstairs is dedicated to the couple’s two preteen daughters. Each girl has a bedroom and an adjoining playroom. This room, informally known as the music room, was designed as a hangout space for one of the daughters to practice guitar and watch TV. A ladder takes her to a high reading loft embedded in one of the home’s many peaked ceilings.
The peaked ceiling created an ideal opportunity to add wallpaper. When it comes to using wallpaper, Hohla recommends full commitment: “If you’re going to do wallpaper, don’t skimp. Why fall in love with a paper and just limit it to one wall?” She acknowledges that some walls call for a singular wallpaper accent, but peaked ceilings call for more. “It looks so much more finished” when you paper the soffits and upper walls, she says.
The peaked ceiling created an ideal opportunity to add wallpaper. When it comes to using wallpaper, Hohla recommends full commitment: “If you’re going to do wallpaper, don’t skimp. Why fall in love with a paper and just limit it to one wall?” She acknowledges that some walls call for a singular wallpaper accent, but peaked ceilings call for more. “It looks so much more finished” when you paper the soffits and upper walls, she says.
The same budding musician chose wallpaper for her bedroom as well. The kids were fully involved in all the design decisions for their rooms. The team went through about 10 different rounds of material selection with them; in many ways, they were the most discerning clients in the house, the designers say.
This little girl loves teal and fell in love with the wallpaper’s color. The taller wall at the head of the bed presented another ideal playground for wallpaper, while the rest of the room was kept white. Both girls have very “adult” taste and are sensitive to texture. Each requested soft textiles; here, a blue-gray cashmere bed blanket delivers warmth and softness under the crisp, white duvet.
This little girl loves teal and fell in love with the wallpaper’s color. The taller wall at the head of the bed presented another ideal playground for wallpaper, while the rest of the room was kept white. Both girls have very “adult” taste and are sensitive to texture. Each requested soft textiles; here, a blue-gray cashmere bed blanket delivers warmth and softness under the crisp, white duvet.
The other daughter’s room, across the hall, reflects the same inclination toward soft texture and color. Unlike her sister, she didn’t want pattern on the wall, so the team used it in the carpet instead. The upholstered headboard covered in pink, magenta and navy stripes complements the lavender grasscloth wallpaper.
Builder: Westwind Construction
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Builder: Westwind Construction
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Marin County, California
Size: About 5,500 square feet (about 511 square meters)
Designers: Kelly Hohla and Celeste Barnes-Bremer of Kelly Hohla Interiors
and ZAK Architecture
Sometimes simple and understated can be an even greater challenge than mixing tons of patterns and colors within a space. That’s what designers Kelly Hohla and Celeste Barnes-Bremer say they discovered when their longtime clients tapped them to finish the interior of their newly built home in a style vastly different from the design firm’s colorful signature. The family of four wanted clean, modern lines with an emphasis on soft and comfortable textures and spaces ideal for enjoying their favorite pastime: curling up with a good book. Every detail of this home is thoughtfully curated and considered.
The home’s exterior is covered in cedar shingles. Large sliding glass doors lead to a fenced-in backyard with an in-ground swimming pool and hot tub.