Sunnyhills

I was excited to work with this young couple and their two spirited small children as they relocated from the city to the East Bay while looking for space and a place to plant roots. Their gorgeous, Mediterranean-style house in the Crocker Highland neighborhood of Oakland features intricate wood and tile details that set the tone as you walk in. My client’s style is informed by modern and mid-century furniture, and I was inspired by the prospect of combining the clean lines of contemporary design with the sense of craftedness that comes from the lived-in aesthetic of an old Mediterranean house.

The large, high-ceilinged living room could easily have felt severe or cold. We wanted to create a warm, welcoming feel with comfortable furniture to fit the gorgeous space while keeping things unpretentious and kid-friendly. So we put the accent on, making the room feel casual and inviting with a set of camel-colored leather sofas, lots of pillows, and bright accents like oversized art over the mantle. We sourced African baskets and colorful accessories and ceramics to brighten the dark built-in bookcases. A highlight is the cozy reading corner, with a chair large enough “to fit a kid on your knees” for afternoon tea and stories. We also added a bright pink throw, just for the fun of it!

We embraced the Mediterranean aesthetic by including organic furniture pieces, like the Graphic Sideboard from local fave store SOBU, with its carved doors reminiscent of Northern Africa. We also added bright accents with colorful and geometric Turkish kilim rugs and a mix of African mud cloth, Peruvian frazada, and Moroccan cactus silk pillows.

And, of course, we added lots of plants to bring the outside in!