This Fun, Pattern-Filled California Home Is Dripping with Color Inspo
What kind of clients are A-OK with multicolor dining chairs, a bright, blue swing, and a slew of pattern in their home? A cool, art-collecting family where the mom once worked as an art teacher, that's who. "They were just the best clients," gushes Emilie Munroe of the family for whom she turned a dated bungalow into a bright, inviting family home.
The project is one of 50 featured in On Style: Inspiration and Advice from the New Generation of Interior Design, a new book by Carl Dellatore on the country's up-and-coming designers. For Munroe, the project is a perfect one to showcase her work.
"They weren't afraid of color; they wanted to add fun textures," she tells House Beautiful.
"That creative, collective energy really drove the process."
This process was a near gut, with Munroe updating everything—including the kitchen and bathrooms—and even adding on a new entryway, which immediately sets the tone for the house.
"Initially, it was this bungalow style with a wraparound porch, and there were sliding doors on the living room that people would confuse with the entry," Munroe explains. "So one of the main goals was to have a dedicated entry."
But, since the space opens up into the main living and dining area, the designer explains that "we wanted it to feel like a destination and not just a hallway. So we added these reading nooks. Their daughter loves to read and it has this speckled light."
Such a clever—and fun!—use of space is a theme throughout the home. "What really developed naturally with this home was this open plan, with these spaces that really are destinations, but then you have this sight line through the common space," says Munroe.
Given this openness, it's impressive that Munroe's bold use of color doesn't overwhelm. "One of our tricks with this style, so it doesn't get too frenetic, is we try to keep the larger pieces grounded in neutrals," the designer reveals.
Case in point: Those colorful Wishbone chairs surround a sculptural dining table (sourced at Anthropologie) in a neutral wood. And both bedrooms, though they boast unique and colorful accents, are painted in muted tones.
"When you have those neutrals, then the throw pillows, throws, rugs, those things can be fun and festive," Munroe says. "Those are things that if you want to reinvent in five or six years, no big deal. We're known for color, but I think if you look at a lot of our imagery, we love color, but it's most often grounded with pieces that are more classic in their tone."
A neutral base also provides a canvas (no pun intended) for art, which Munroe confesses can be a difficult part of her job. "Art is often the last thing we source, and it's hard at the end of the job," she reveals. In the case of this home, though, the family's love for art—and penchant for bold collecting—really made the home come together. "It was unique and wonderful on this project that they had an extensive existing collection and a love for art," says the designer. "It makes the rooms feel so warm and complete and personal." The same could be said for Munroe's work.
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