Inside a New Northern California Home Rich With History

Unlike most projects, this Northern California residence wasn’t designed with a specific buyer in mind. Instead, Nicole Salceda of Eye for Pretty used the blank slate as a chance to push her creativity, imagining her ideal homeowner from the very beginning. “It allowed me to stretch my creativity,” she says. The finished home feels warm, layered, and settled, as though it’s been loved for years, despite being newly built.

Design: Nicole Salceda of Eye For Pretty | Photography: Jessica Brydson

A Kitchen Framed by Vaulted Ceilings and Warm Wood

The kitchen immediately establishes the mood for the rest of the home, balancing crisp architectural lines with a soft, welcoming palette. Oversized lantern pendants draw the eye toward the vaulted ceiling and exposed beams, while a warm wood island grounds the space with open shelving, brass hardware, and a beautifully veined stone countertop. 

Just beyond, a built-in bar adds what Nicole describes as a “gathered, hospitality-driven energy,” pairing marble, warm wood, and understated brass details. Even the pantry was treated as a design moment, concealed behind slim black-framed steel pocket doors from Rustica Hardware that improve flow while allowing the space to feel open or tucked away as needed.

Checkerboard Floors and Other Old-World Touches

The powder room is proof that small spaces can have the biggest personality. Moody walls painted in Urbane Bronze by Sherwin-Williams) set the tone, with checkerboard floors and a scalloped marble backsplash that add the perfect amount of playfulness to a bathroom. Those same layered details continue throughout the home too.

In the entryway, a rough-cut stone accent wall introduces warmth and texture, while a deep wood console and leather-hung mirror create a welcoming first impression. Curated artwork, earthenware pottery, and thoughtfully selected lighting sprinkled throughout the home reinforce the home’s old-world influences.

A Formula Worth Repeating

The living room reflects what Nicole calls her signature formula: “stone, wood, linen, and light.” A plaster-toned stone fireplace anchors one end of the room, while custom millwork and exposed beams bring warmth without making the space feel heavy. The real magic, though, comes from the layers. A vaulted tongue-and-groove ceiling, soft upholstery, a vintage-inspired rug, and an antique bench all work together to create a room that feels relaxed and effortlessly collected.

One of Nicole’s favorite finishing touches is a remarkably realistic faux black olive tree. It adds height, texture, and just enough greenery to soften the home’s stone and wood, bringing a sense of life to the room—without the maintenance.

A Marble-Wrapped Retreat

The primary bathroom is one of the calmest spaces in the home. A marble-wrapped soaking tub, warm brass fixtures, and soft cafe curtains create a room that feels equal parts refined and relaxed. It’s proof that luxury doesn’t have to announce itself, and a fitting final note for a home that was never meant to feel brand new. From the checkerboard floors to the exposed beams and layers of stone and wood, Nicole designed every room to feel as though it had been there all along.

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