Grand Ave

I worked with this lively young family to create an easy-to-live-in, rustic-modern home. I started with a completely fresh slate as my clients had just purchased their new house. The only pieces of furniture that they decided to keep from their previous house were a leather sofa and a beautifully handcrafted buffet made by a relative—and lots of artwork.

The eclectic buffet presented an interesting challenge due to its unique size and style, but I was happy to make it work by incorporating it into the space. I was fond of it and wanted to showcase it by finding the perfect spot in the living room. I anchored the rest of the room around it so that everything revolved around its wood and metal elements, from the coffee table to the sofa console, to the metal sconces and ceiling fixture, to the custom bench and coat hooks in the entry, and all the way to the metal chairs in the dining room. My goal was to ensure that the many pieces and elements gently complement one another throughout the house.

As a mother of two, I know what it’s like to have spirited young children, so I made sure to allow for a very open floor plan with ample space for kids to run around and be an active part of home life. To ensure that the home felt communal and supportive of family time, I added the playroom right off of the living room rather than hiding it away in a back room. I designed the playroom to tie into the general theme of the home so that it’s aesthetically pleasant and functional at the same time.

For the rest of the home, I focused on adding warmth and texture with wood and leather and natural, organic, simple lines accented with accessories and textiles featuring detailed geometric patterns to honor the family's Mexican heritage and love of travel.