Neighborhood: Cory Merrill
Photographer: Kylie Fitts
Stylist: Den Styling

This young family of SoCal transplants was seeking a main-floor remodel that would better reflect their vibrant energy and love of entertaining. Structurally, this meant reimagining a more open, functional flow from the existing awkward, closed-in floor plan. Aesthetically, we sought to blend the lived-in elegance of Spanish-style California homes with a distinctive, artistic approach to the interior decor. The design centered around an uncluttered kitchen outfitted in warm wood and stone, with seamless access to the backyard. Adjoining dining / living spaces—including a mud room, craft room and media room—offered opportunities to expand the palette with pops of color and pattern, capturing the bolder side of the clients’ personalities. Since the family chose to live in the home during construction, new ideas and necessary pivots often evolved on-site with the contractor. This meant that real-time communication, close collaboration, trust and flexibility were key to our approach. As the process unfolded, a synergistic creativity with our clients came to inform the artistic balance of the home, where both timeless neutrals and distinctive design choices live elegantly side-by-side.