Colorful and Pattern-Happy in California
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Joan Schubert; David Fletcher; their son and daughter, ages 3 and 8; and Howard, the family’s Cairn terrier
Location: Historic William Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento, California
Size: 2,800 square feet (260 square meters); three bedrooms, four bathrooms
Designers: Laura Neuman of PepperJack Interiors and Sarah Ellis of Ellis Architects
BEFORE: The house hadn’t had any work done in decades and “needed a top to bottom renovation,” interior designer Laura Neuman says. She took every wall down to the studs and completely reconfigured the layout, which is why the before-and-after photos won’t appear to match up in this article.
New replacement windows, electrical wiring and plumbing were installed throughout the home. The former living room, shown here, looked dated and felt small and closed off. The small windows also didn’t allow in much natural light.
Framed openings with molding create a more authentic Tudor look than the previous unadorned openings.
Hardwood flooring: engineered Maple Greystone, Mirage; Chippendale-style dining chairs: model No. 791, Hickory White; orange chair: vintage; quilt and peacock side table, Anthropologie; sofa: custom upholstered in Perennials fabric, Burton James; artwork: Kazumi Yoshida
Neuman created a neutral, cool palette for most of the finishes, then added splashes of vivid color in the fabrics, artwork, wallpaper and kitchen cabinetry.
Here in the dining room she mixed a Navajo rug, vintage African spears and a carefully edited collection of different dining chair styles: Chippendale, Mission and upholstered host chairs.
The couple previously used the Asian black and gold buffet as a dresser in the master bedroom. Drapery fabric features Chinese pagoda motifs in oranges, pinks and blacks.
“It’s so easy to slip into doing something trendy and ‘of the moment,’ but this finished home transcends any trend or single narrative and makes a unique statement about the homeowner, while at the same time remaining flexible to grow and change with them through the years,” Neuman says.
Wall paint: Sea Salt CSP-95, Benjamin Moore; trim paint: Cloud White 967, Benjamin Moore; ceiling paint: Plaster of Paris CSP-185, Benjamin Moore; chevron chair upholstery fabric: Marlow in Licorice, Romo; drapery fabric: Madame Butterfly in Rouge de Chine, Manuel Canovas, Cowtan & Tout; light fixture: E.F. Chapman Branched Linear pendant ceiling light, Visual Comfort
Neuman mixed vintage finds, like the homeowners’ orange velvet chair, with new pieces, such as the green Chinese bench, contemporary coffee table and wall-hung decorative baskets. Adding a delightful wave-like pattern without being overwhelming, the orange and white shade fabric was hand-printed using Indian blocks and hand-embroidered.
Bench: Jade Bench (discontinued), Currey and Co.; wall baskets: West Elm; coffee table: Williams-Sonoma; window shade fabric: Breach Candy in Kesar Orange, Seema Krish
Shade fabric: Biancara in Multi, Vervain; cabinetry: Puente Construction
Subway tile: Arizona Tile; accent tile: Petra, Rookwood Pottery; countertop: Cambria quartz; cooktop: Thermador; artwork: homeowners’ collection
Counter stools and dining chairs: Fairlane, upholstered in magenta Perennials fabric, Stanley Furniture; table: Lorts; lantern:E.F. Chapman Brighton pendant ceiling light, Visual Comfort
Wallaper: La Fiorentina in charcoal, David Hicks collection, Groundworks, Lee Jofa; drapery fabric: African Masque in beige, Clarence House; black and white pillows: Pottery Barn; ceiling fan: Paris fan, Period Arts; carpet: Woven Road in custard, Masland
Tub: Michelangelo, Hydro Systems; subway tile: Elevare, Lunar Gloss, Daltile; floor tile: Durastone Chevron, Crema Luna, Voguebay; towel: Pendleton