Design house: Sophisticated, Mediterranean-inspired home in California, designed by Julie Rootes
Beautiful fabrics and finishes stand up to the demands of real life.
A careful blend of pattern and colour make this Kentfield, Californian home a delight of the senses.
The project was a remodel facilitated by Chambers + Chambers Architects and theinterior designer was carried out by Julie Rootes.
Known for her determined attention to detail, Julie personalises interiors with memorable colours, textures, and custom moments.
See ourDesign house: Luxury, seaside home in California, designed by Kelie Grosso of Maison Luxe
The entire floor plan was revamped to allow for better living spaces, to simplify the private bedrooms and to update the home overall.
Julie talks us through her design project below.
THE PROPERTY
'We coined the home "Sophisticated Mediterranean" because we wanted to keep the Mediterranean architectural integrity of the home while still giving it an elevated face-lift,' says Julie.
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The homeowner recently purchased the home with the intention of raising her only daughter here through her high school years.'
KITCHEN
'We opened up the kitchen/dining area to capitalise on its entertaining capabilities and maximize its incredible Mount Tamalpais views and natural light.'
Entertaining was always at the forefront, and, in typical Marin fashion, making the most of the indoor outdoor living was key. The homeowner is an avid cook and gardener and I think those elements really spoke to her when we were re-designing this space.
We intentionally used neutral Farrow & Ball paint colours as a backdrop to the beautiful exterior greenery and plantings.
The entrance hall is stamped with limestone flooring that is carried through to the kitchen to enhance the Mediterranean feel of the home. Custom overhead light fixtures and sconces used throughout the home really add to the unique character of the space throughout.
We integrated custom rift sawn white oak kitchen cabinetry with metal inlays in the kitchen with open shelving stamped with hand painted Tabarka tiles. The countertops are Taj Mahal natural quartzite and speak to the natural elements outdoors with steel doors that completely open out to the view.
The butlers pantry is one of the stars with is custom Galbraith & Paul wallcovering, blue cabinetry, custom lighting and mirrored backsplash.
LIVING ROOM
HALL
BEDROOM
HOME OFFICE
BATHROOM
The master bath is outfitted in travertine that is bookmatched in the shower and in the vanity with a sunken tub to take the day in. A custom floating vanity and hardware paired with handmade tiles from Waterworks and custom lighting from Urban Electric set the stage amidst a vintage rug.
See ourDesign house: an Upper East Side home in New York, designed by Joan Enger of J. Patryce Design
This was such a fun project to work on because the homeowner really valued pushing the envelope and implementing unique custom design elements throughout the home.
Photography/ Paul Dyer
Interior design/ Julie Rootes
Architecture/ Chambers + Chambers Architects
Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.
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