My Houzz: Cheerful Color and Patterns in a Virginia Family Home

House at a Glance
Who lives here: Brian and Kate Dreyer and their 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Size: 2,362 square feet (219 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms

Kate Dreyer is a fan of decorating with color. “I have always loved mixing colors and patterns ever since I rented my first apartment after college,” she says. “Over the years, though, I’ve become more and more comfortable with mixing and matching and choosing things that I truly love, as opposed to following trends or being overly concerned about new pieces matching other things in our home.” Kate, who works in public relations and is a home design enthusiast, and her husband, Brian, have personalized their family’s Fairfax, Virginia, home for the past four years with a bright and happy, kid-friendly color palette.

Luckily their house, built in 1985, did not require major cosmetic changes when they moved in — the basics, including the hardwood floors, “were mostly intact,” Kate says. “However, the paint colors and fixtures weren’t really our taste. Every wall was some shade of tan, and there were some traditional, ornate details — like a giant crystal chandelier in the dining room, complete with an over-the-top ceiling medallion — that didn’t align with our style.”

Today a modern-looking chandelier looks right at home in the formal dining room. Kate bought a set of Ikea Henriksdal chairs on Craigslist and added custom floral covers from Etsy’s RockinCushions.

Lucy pendant light: Robert Abbey; dining table: Arhaus

Having children has influenced Kate’s decorating style. “I believe it’s absolutely possible to have a beautiful, stylish home that works well for a young family,” she says. “However, I do think it takes a bit more strategizing and effort when you have sticky fingers and active toddlers to consider.”

For instance, their 2-year-old son would often reach up to touch the television, so they decided to mount it to the wall. Since this space lacks built-ins, they added two matching Pottery Barn Kids media cabinets for storage. “The gallery wall includes photos of grandparents and extended family members as a way for the kids to still stay connected to them,” Kate says.

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“Any artwork or mementos of Italy are meaningful to us,” Kate says. The framed Amalfi print is significant to the couple since it’s one of the places they went on their honeymoon.

The main-level formal living room is now a colorful playroom for the kids and is one of Kate’s favorite spaces in the house. “We’re in here every day: The kids eat their breakfast at the table you see here — and decorate the floor with Cheerios, but that’s another story. My daughter does craft projects at her desk, and we’re always doing a puzzle or playing superheroes or reading a book,” she says.

Parker table and chairs: discontinued, Crate & Barrel; Raskog utility cart: Ikea; Rocky Bluffs wall paint: Valspar

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The graphic rug is made up of interchangeable Flor carpet tiles for a kid-friendly look that warms up the hardwood floors. “As soon as I stumbled upon this one, I bought it. That was my first playroom purchase upon moving in, and then I built the rest of the room around that,” Kate says.

Open wall shelves above a desk keep art and crafting supplies within reach for the couple’s 6-year-old daughter.

The daughter’s room features a rainbow of colors, starting with the lime green walls.

Kate painted the frame of the Ikea Poäng armchair bright pink (Drama Queen by Amy Howard) and added a custom furry cushion from RockinCushions.

Pom Pom comforter set in pink: Target; Jenny Lind collection nightstand in teal: Crate & Barrel; Apple Slice wall paint: Valspar

Preppy madras curtains adorn the windows, and a kid-size chair anchors a little reading corner. Kate painted birch spice racks from Ikea bright green and mounted them as bookshelves.

Before. “The laundry room was brown, brown and more brown when we moved in, with some boring cabinets,” Kate says.

With two young kids, she found herself spending a lot of time in this space and wanted it to feel more inviting.

After. Since the existing cabinets were in good shape, Kate was able to do some colorful DIY updates all under $200 to personalize the space. “I spend so much time there, I needed it to feel a little happier,” she says. “Now it’s so much better. I noticed my attitude changes towards a room if I put time and effort into it, and I love that it’s brighter and has a little bit of personality.”

Kate primed and painted the bottom cabinets with chalk paint in a sunny hue. Removable wallpaper in a gray trellis pattern lines the backs of the upper cabinets, and peel-and-stick vinyl flooring covers the existing linoleum.

English Yellow chalk paint: Annie Sloan; Grand Trellis peel-and-stick wallpaper in gray: NuWallpaper

Kate likes the look of slate countertops but didn’t want to replace the existing ones. As an easy DIY solution, she painted the existing cabinets with 2 quarts of chalkboard paint (Coal by Valspar) for a similar look. She also added a shower tension rod between the cabinets to hang-dry clothing.

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Photo by Suite P Studio

The master bedroom walls used to be a pea green color, but Kate wanted a more neutral gray. “We didn’t design this space until years after moving in. It was actually a room we would often close the door to when giving visitors a house tour,” she says. Now that she has painted the walls and added personal elements, like the gallery wall above their bed with wedding photos and other meaningful artwork, she’s pleased with the couple’s retreat-like space.

Olive Gray wall paint: Valspar; Hemnes bed: Ikea; Starburst round wall mirror: Crate & Barrel; Banana Leaf pillow covers: Olivia’s Smile Decor; Monaco art print: Rifle Paper; Windham side tables in teal and natural handwoven decorative basket: Target

The couple found their house after losing a bid on a place nearby and learning that this property would be on the market. “We literally raced over to see it and put in an offer on the same day, prompting the then-owners to cancel their open house planned for the upcoming weekend,” Kate says. “Fast-forward to today, and it’s clear that we landed in the best spot possible for our family. Everyone in our neighborhood is just the coolest — really kind and friendly, and always willing to help one another when needed. We’re lucky.”

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