It may surprise you that not every home we work on needs to be renovated. Some just need some new and exciting furnishings, paint, and personality to feel fresh and joyful. The living room and dining area I’m sharing with you today is a perfect example. 

This design reveal is a lovely new build we recently furnished in Walnut Creek. Once our client (let’s call her Sarah*) had wrapped things up with her builder, she was ready to add some of her own fun-loving character and personality with furnishings. When we came on board, the house was a blank, white canvas eager for some colors and textures. First step… creating a plan.

*name changed

Design Goals

When I first walked into the house, I could see the home was built and laid out beautifully. The open space and the white walls gave the space an airy contemporary look that had so much potential for color and texture.

As there were no major renovations needed, it was only a matter of bringing a fusion of colors and fabrics into the home. Our main design goal was to create a functional space for Sarah and put her unique stamp on it.

A Bright & Colorful Living Room

Before: Hello, Blank Canvas...

There was nothing wrong with the original living room, it just needed some life and a cohesive design. It had a lot of space for us to work with, is open and fairly bright, and there’s a nice natural light source. This living room is actually an open concept space that extends into the kitchen and dining areas… but you’ll see more of that later on.

During: The Inspiration Piece

We found this colorful fabric first, and Sarah fell in love with it. Remember when I told you we always have an inspiration piece for our design projects? This is it. We decided to use this fabric as beautiful drapery, and the rest of the design followed from there...

After: Joyful Living Room

What a difference, right?? The window treatments bring so much life and movement to this room now, and you can see how we pulled out individual colors from the fabric and used them in other places. The aquamarine upholstered chair and throw. The amethyst pillow and abstract art. The colorful, yet still light, area rug.

We also swapped the leather sofa for this modern sectional in a soft gray, which keeps the room feeling bright.  

If there is one thing I've learned in my years of being an interior designer it’s that no matter your design goals and preferences, art is essential to a space. It adds energy, unifies the other colors in the room, increases the visual proportions of the space, not to mention it's a total conversation piece. This abstract painting is doing everything right in this room.

Interesting story about it actually... I found it in Nicaragua during one of our family trips a while back. I brought it back home with us but wasn’t sure where to hang it. In the meantime, I sent it off to the framers. 

Well, the day that I went to pick it up, we happened to be in the middle of Sarah’s project. I walked in, saw the painting again, and it hit me — this painting was destined for Sarah’s living room. I offered it to her, and she loved it! (They say we pick art, but sometimes... I think art picks us.)

The Ultimate Dining Room

Before: Another Open Space Ready to Be Transformed

The house had a beautiful open dining are with a lot of potential. Sarah hoped to use it to dine, entertain family and friends, work occasionally, and simply have a good time. I hear that.

After: A Fun & Eclectic Dining Space

Okay, you can’t completely see the dining area in its full glory just yet, but here’s a peek at how this space looks at a glance. Perfectly cohesive, with each zone defined. Pops of color that work together perfectly (inspired by those window treatments). And a neon light that draws us in for a closer look…

As soon as I walked into this space, the first thing I thought of was designing built-in cabinets and shelves. I knew that they would bring more dimension to the dining area while keeping it functional. To create visual depth and make the space seem deeper and larger, we added a moody teal wallpaper to the background. It also helps the neon pink pop! And speaking of...

The coup de grâce and undeniable main focus in this dining space... the neon sign. Sarah was very involved in the design process and did have a few ideas here and there about what she wanted her home to look like. One thing she was sure about from the start was this neon sign. We used touches of pink in the decor to help it naturally blend in… and stand out.

We also added a little counter space and — wait for it — a wine fridge. Let’s be clear about something... when in doubt, always get a wine fridge!

We wanted the shelves to grab the most attention (and help the wall recede), so we left the other decor fairly subdued. White matting and frames, white chairs, and a dark table don’t distract from the rest of the design. But colorful touches are spread throughout, with upholstered navy seating, framed photography from Sarah’s travels, and decor.

In the original design, we had this small defined space to the right. It felt a little aimless, so we decided to turn it into a nook! We navy grasscloth wallpaper to the background to give it more depth, plus a dash of drama (why not??) and a feminine touch with this fluffy mauve stool.

Principal Bedroom Design

The original principal bedroom was… you guessed it… another white box. Like the living spaces, we wanted to give it some life and personality, but we needed to keep it a bit more relaxing than energizing. Who needs that before bed? Not me.

A combination of bright blue and soothing sea tones keeps this space friendly yet dreamy. We custom designed this upholstered headboard and the chair. Did you notice the touch of flamingo pink in the chair's pattern? It's a near-perfect match to our neon light in the dining area! That’s design harmony.

Technically, this fabric boasts a different kind of bird (peacocks!), but I call it like I see it. ;) And let’s zoom in on these gorgeous curtains. This pattern is divine!

Powder Room Peek

Last but not least, this powder just off the dining area got a fresh update with this cheeky wallpaper (that I can’t get enough of). Who wouldn’t want to spend time here?

All in all, Sarah LOVED the design we came up with and how everything turned out. From the colors we used, to the textures, fabrics, and wall art, it feels incredibly personal to them. When she walks into her home, the design tells her story, functions well for her lifestyle, and inspires joyful living day in and day out.

If you're ready to live in spaces that bring relaxation, joy, and color to your home, what are you waiting for? Let’s create something together.