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A Modern & Warm California Family Home
When designer Emily Brownell first met her clients while designing their condo by the beach, they were a small family about to have their first child. A few years later, the family reached out to Emily again for help with their new, larger space. With another baby on the way, they were looking for more square footage and warmth to accommodate their growing family in a newly purchased builder-designed home.
Emily and her team got to work to help her clients bring the space to life while elevating the finishes, incorporating previously purchased pieces, and designing with durability and functionality in mind.
Design: Gilded Earth Interiors | Photography: Charlotte Lea
Elevating Builder-Designed Finishes
As with many builder-designed homes, Emily and her clients didn’t have the chance to customize many of the home’s details while it was in construction. Still, they wanted to do everything they could to infuse personality into the space and fill it with details that set it apart from everything you see on Instagram. When Emily came onto the project, most of the significant finishes were already selected — so she focused on intentionally choosing elevated lighting pieces for each room to make an impact.
Scale makes a big difference when it comes to stand-out lighting selections, and we love how Emily opted for larger lights in the kitchen to draw the eye up and make an impact. While it may seem counter-intuitive, larger lighting can often make your space look bigger and more grand, and this space is a perfect example of how to use the trick to your advantage.
Designing For a Growing Family
Because the homeowners will be living in this home with their two young kids, designing with practicality and durability was top of mind for Emily. Luckily, with so many great options for fabrics and pieces, they were able to create the space around the family’s needs rather than waiting to make it feel complete. Emily opted for durable and livable upholstery options by choosing performance fabrics, linens, and vintage materials that wear well over time.
An upholstered ottoman in lieu of a coffee table and furniture with soft edges make living room playtime doable.
Incorporating Previously Purchased Pieces
While it seems glamorous to purchase completely new furniture and decor with each home, incorporating what you already have is key for designing more sustainably and within a budget. Having sourced pieces for the clients previously in their smaller condo meant repurposing as much as they could in this space.
They gave new life to the client’s current pieces by re-evaluating their use cases and styling them with new lighting, artwork, and decor. In the dining room, Emily brought the client’s previous dining table and chairs to life with a sculptural gold light and leaned abstract art.
Scroll through to see more from this project and shop the look below!
BY: Jasmyne Muir
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