Envisioning a home where their children could run around barefoot, where she could cook gourmet meals in a state-of-the-art kitchen and where they could entertain friends and relatives in a casual yet elegant environment, our young clients set out to build their family's dream home on the coast of Southern California. A referral from one of our previous clients, this couple came to us with a very clear vision of what they wanted: an industrial modern home that would seamlessly balance her love of antiques with his affinity for more contemporary-looking pieces all the while being a family-friendly space where their kids could roam free. No small task but my design team and I were eager to design a home for them that reconciled stylish living with the realities of having a growing family.

As huge fans of reclaimed wood long before it became a widespread trend, our clients wanted this to be the foundation of the design. We paired this rustic and organic element with a restrained color palette to create a home that is clean-lined and modern but at the same time warm and welcoming. This juxtaposition of style continued throughout the home when we combined an extraordinary elegant Italian chandelier with a rustic farm-style dining table and then inserted cleverly placed shells and beach relics throughout the home in a nod to its coastal locale. Despite the utilitarian needs of the residence, we made sure that family treasures were given pride of place. By transforming personal photographs into triptych panels of wall art and incorporating much-loved family heirlooms into the design, my team and I were able to keep the balance of old and new, and by doing so we were able to create a home that our clients and their family can love, live, and laugh in together for many years to come.