A Once-Neutral Family Home Takes On New Warmth in California

When a family in San Carlos reached out to Ashley Macuga of Collected Interiors about their home, the project was personal. The homeowners—friends of the designer—had been considering selling their 2,500-square-foot house, unsure whether it could ever feel like the place they truly wanted to call home. It offered a clean foundation but little personality, with a developer-led remodel that leaned heavily on an all-white builder kitchen and plenty of gray walls. It was “pretty and pleasant,” but it didn’t quite reflect the family living there.

After touring dozens of other homes and finding that none lived up to the potential of their own, the family shifted direction. “Rather than walking away, we shifted our focus,” says Ashley. “What if the dream home they were searching for was actually the one they already owned?” That change in perspective set the tone for the project.

Design: Collected Interiors | Photography: Jessica Brydson

A Smart Solution to a Tricky Divide

One of the project’s defining challenges came down to a single architectural problem: how to separate the dining and family rooms without cutting them off from one another. A pony wall sat awkwardly between the two, doing little to define the spaces and even less to support how the family actually lived. Rather than removing it entirely, the wall was reworked into an interior window with divided panes—an elegant workaround that preserved light, sightlines, and flow. “The new feature also serves as a subtle noise barrier—allowing the kids to watch a show in the family room while parents linger over conversation in the dining room,” Ashley explains.

The Kitchen Reworked for Everyday Use

The kitchen began as many spec kitchens do: clean, neutral, and short on storage where it mattered most. A built-in desk took up valuable space but offered little in return, quickly becoming a drop zone rather than a workspace. Its replacement, a custom white oak pantry, immediately shifted the room’s function, giving the family a place for snacks, staples, and the rhythms of daily life.

Kitchen cabinetry pairs Benjamin Moore Simply White (a designer-approved white paint) on the perimeter with Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent on the island.

The kitchen is finished with a sculptural plaster hood, open oak shelving, and warm brass accents.

Where the Family Comes Together

In the dining room, the fireplace was given new importance, extended upward, and finished in stone to anchor the space visually. Woven pendants soften the structure, balancing the room’s architectural weight with texture and warmth. Just beyond, the family room is designed for comfort and flexibility, with window seats that invite reading, lounging, and quiet moments throughout the day.

Rooms That Carry Memory

The boys’ room reflects both who they are now and where they come from. Patterned wallpaper emphasizes the shape of the ceiling, while layered bedding in blues and plaids keeps the room relaxed and durable. Sports memorabilia collected by their late grandfather is woven throughout the space, grounding it in family history and nostalgia. Elsewhere in the home, personal details come through in quieter ways, from the patterned office to a powder room anchored by meaningful artwork.

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