Spread tidings of joy
When Stephanie Zeigler and her husband, Eric, purchased an old farmhouse in Mill Valley, California, it was dark, with small rooms and colored walls. A full-time mom to 4-year-old Grey and 2-year-old Bo, Stephanie has a background in architecture and wanted to open up and brighten the home. During the holidays, when Stephanie's evergreen decorations and seasonal colors highlight the home's inviting spaces, the transformation is particularly vivid.
Stephanie opted for major changes that would adapt the home to her family's informal lifestyle. To connect the kitchen, dining, living, and entry spaces, she removed walls and one of the two first-floor bathrooms. "When in the kitchen, I like to be able to watch the kids; when guests are eating, I like to be able to pop up and grab something," she says.
Stephanie positioned the kitchen counters and appliances in one long, clean line beneath a broad three-panel window. The countertops are Carrara marble — "honed, not glossy," Stephanie points out. "I don't like that perfectly new, finished look. And when I'm in a rush, I'll cut right on it. I can see nicks, dings, and scratches. It has a patina, and I love that."
Freestanding furniture — a worktable and a cupboard — supplies additional countertop and storage space while avoiding the overbuilt, boxed-in feeling of many traditional
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The use of red, from apples in
the kitchen to amaryllis in the
bedroom imparts a festive mood.
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kitchens. "I like the worktable's big, funny drawers," Stephanie says. "If I had designed an island, it would have had all the typical things islands have — but by being different, this worktable brings its own life and warmth to the room."
DESIGNED FOR MULTITASKING
Everything in the Zeigler house gets used, no rooms are off-limits, and there is no formal dining room. The dining table — the center of the Zeiglers' daily life — accommodates large family gatherings and plays many roles, from home office to craft table. "I want to work where the family is," Stephanie explains. "The bills are kept on a side table in the corner of the room, but I bring them over and work on them at the dining table. It is long enough that I can work all day at one end and still have space to eat at the other end."
Christmas-tree green, honey-toned natural wood, white walls and lights, and red accents create a warm family setting.
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Christmas-tree green, honey-toned natural wood,
white walls and lights, and red accents create
a warm family setting.
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Similarly, the walls are painted white for design flexibility. The wood trim throughout the home had previously been stained almost black. The Zeiglers decided to sandblast it and leave it natural as a foil for the white walls. Slipcovers, comforters, sheets, and shams are white as well. Why white? "Because it is the perfect backdrop," Stephanie says. "I love white because it is free of any mood." The accents can be switched quickly and inexpensively, changing the room's character.
