Houzz Tour: Saddled-Up Chic for a Barn-Style Home
A mix of textures makes this family-friendly house comfy, welcoming and stylish
These homeowners found interior designer Tineke Triggs after admiring a very colorful room she’d completed for the San Francisco Decorator Showcase. “He called me up superexcited and said, ‘I loved your showcase room,’ but it was nothing like what I wound up doing for them,” Triggs says. Instead, a neutral color palette highlights brushed beadboard, rich saddle leathers, glittering brass accents, poofy faux fur and fringe — just a few of the textures the designer wound up weaving into this family-friendly modern barn-style house.
In the family room, the finish on the walls was a happy accident. The painters had sanded down some of the first coat of paint on the beadboard to perfect the paint and were getting ready to add another coat. Regarding the whitewashed texture, Triggs says, “my clients and I saw it and said, ‘No! Wait! Leave it!’” They wound up using the brushed wood finish throughout the house.
Textures play a big role in the mostly neutral-colored home. Rustic and polished woods, saddle leathers, wools, and faux furs meet glitzy metallics. Triggs loved getting fringe into the mix, as on this comfortable leather armchair.
Gemsbok floor lamp: Dira; media cabinet: Mr. Brown; chair: Plantation; drapery fabric: Romo
Textures play a big role in the mostly neutral-colored home. Rustic and polished woods, saddle leathers, wools, and faux furs meet glitzy metallics. Triggs loved getting fringe into the mix, as on this comfortable leather armchair.
Gemsbok floor lamp: Dira; media cabinet: Mr. Brown; chair: Plantation; drapery fabric: Romo
Because the couple has a young son and plans to have more children, Triggs also made sure everything was extra durable. “Today’s solution-dyed acrylic indoor-outdoor fabrics are so great, they really look like and feel like indoor fabrics,” she says.
The Indonesian coffee table was the first thing she bought, after happening upon it in an antiques store. “I saw it and thought, ‘This is it,’” she says. She texted her clients a photo, and they immediately approved. “When you find these things, you have to grab them as soon as you see them,” she says.
Sofa: Mr. Brown; sofa fabric: Beekman in taupe, Sunbrella for Donghia; pillows: Robert Allen, Kazen in taupe by Manuel Canovas for Cowtan + Tout and Lena in indigo, Raoul Textiles; rug: Stark Carpet
The Indonesian coffee table was the first thing she bought, after happening upon it in an antiques store. “I saw it and thought, ‘This is it,’” she says. She texted her clients a photo, and they immediately approved. “When you find these things, you have to grab them as soon as you see them,” she says.
Sofa: Mr. Brown; sofa fabric: Beekman in taupe, Sunbrella for Donghia; pillows: Robert Allen, Kazen in taupe by Manuel Canovas for Cowtan + Tout and Lena in indigo, Raoul Textiles; rug: Stark Carpet
Indoor-outdoor living plays a huge role in the family’s lifestyle. Here you can see how the accordion-style doors open up two sides of the family room completely to the outdoors. Except for a small channel for the doors, the concrete from the patio flows right across the family room floor. Triggs planned the layout of the yard accordingly, placing a dining table and chairs under the porch, along with an outdoor kitchen. Then she set up a lounge that can view the family room TV during a big game.
“I really thought about how people would transition from outdoor dining to outdoor lounging,” she says. A group of modern Adirondack chairs from Loll Designs forms one conversation area, while upholstered pieces form an L around the fire pit.
The outbuilding has workout equipment and serves as a man cave. The family also has an organic garden it harvests for meals and juices.
Lights: Palecek; pillows: Dransfield & Ross
“I really thought about how people would transition from outdoor dining to outdoor lounging,” she says. A group of modern Adirondack chairs from Loll Designs forms one conversation area, while upholstered pieces form an L around the fire pit.
The outbuilding has workout equipment and serves as a man cave. The family also has an organic garden it harvests for meals and juices.
Lights: Palecek; pillows: Dransfield & Ross
Triggs and the photographer didn’t have to style a thing to make the kitchen look this neat. “They are very clean, organized and health-conscious. You should get a load of her fabulous jar collection — when you open up that tall pantry cabinet, it’s perfection,” she says.
Simple modern Shaker-style cabinetry and dark hardware play off the modern barn theme. The statuary marble countertops add the chic factor. The backsplash is a crackled ceramic tile that looks like gray-washed brick.
Charlotte counter stools: Nuevo; backsplash tile: Ann Sacks
Simple modern Shaker-style cabinetry and dark hardware play off the modern barn theme. The statuary marble countertops add the chic factor. The backsplash is a crackled ceramic tile that looks like gray-washed brick.
Charlotte counter stools: Nuevo; backsplash tile: Ann Sacks
In the dining room, the sophisticated silhouettes of Verner Panton’s iconic chairs meet rich saddle leather. Triggs custom-designed the rug pattern, which has a Native American feel. The buffet and drapes continue the pattern play, while a bubble chandelier adds a glam touch overhead.
Cloud 37 chandelier: Apparatus; dining table: custom, Big Daddy Antiques; Hadley 9-drawer buffet: Custom Furniture and Fabrics; rug: Himalayan Weavers; drapery fabric: Owando Stripe, Beacon Hill
Cloud 37 chandelier: Apparatus; dining table: custom, Big Daddy Antiques; Hadley 9-drawer buffet: Custom Furniture and Fabrics; rug: Himalayan Weavers; drapery fabric: Owando Stripe, Beacon Hill
The living room is not part of the open plan and is a more glamorous adult getaway. The furniture can still stand up to kids, though. Custom sofas fill the space and provide comfortable seating. The waxed leather and color of the sofas play off the textured fireplace surround. But the big star in this room is the cascading brass Kelly chandelier, which brings the high ceilings down to a more human scale. Little poofy stools add soft, eclectic texture, while the pattern on the rug adds movement.
Rug: custom, Himalayan Weavers; Jacques coffee table and Puzzle lamps: Jonathan Adler; Tibetan lamb stools: Outpost Original; sofa: custom in a Kravet fabric, Plantation; window treatment fabric: Katachi in Sketch, Pollack; drapery hardware: Vesta; pillow fabric: Annina in indigo, Beacon Hill, and Dante in cobalt, Romo
Rug: custom, Himalayan Weavers; Jacques coffee table and Puzzle lamps: Jonathan Adler; Tibetan lamb stools: Outpost Original; sofa: custom in a Kravet fabric, Plantation; window treatment fabric: Katachi in Sketch, Pollack; drapery hardware: Vesta; pillow fabric: Annina in indigo, Beacon Hill, and Dante in cobalt, Romo
“I wanted high drama for the staircase — here I go again with my fringe,” Triggs says. She customized three chandeliers with chains of different lengths so that they could be enjoyed from below, while ascending the stairs and from the second floor.
Pendant lights: Arteriors
Pendant lights: Arteriors
“Both homeowners were very involved in the design, and he really wanted a blue velvety bed, which is where we began in the master bedroom,” Triggs says. The tall headboard gives the bed a strong presence. She found the vintage bench in an antiques store in Santa Barbara, California; it was another one of those things she had to grab as soon as she saw it.
Indoor-outdoor living extends out onto a small balcony, covered in artificial grass. “It makes their dog feel cozy out there,” she says.
Faux fur bench: vintage, House of Honey; window treatment fabric: Fresco in Chamois, Romo; rug: Stark Carpet; Markos pendant light: Visual Comfort; blanket: Serena & Lily
Indoor-outdoor living extends out onto a small balcony, covered in artificial grass. “It makes their dog feel cozy out there,” she says.
Faux fur bench: vintage, House of Honey; window treatment fabric: Fresco in Chamois, Romo; rug: Stark Carpet; Markos pendant light: Visual Comfort; blanket: Serena & Lily
The nightstands were custom-made, and the designer added horn handles for texture. Suspended reading lights bring an industrial touch.
Lamps: Darryl Carter for Urban Electric; nightstand: Robert James; horn handles on nightstand: Ochre; sham fabric: Lee Jofa; bed: custom with Royal Comfort fabric by Robert Allen, Plantation; patio lounge chair: Gloster
Lamps: Darryl Carter for Urban Electric; nightstand: Robert James; horn handles on nightstand: Ochre; sham fabric: Lee Jofa; bed: custom with Royal Comfort fabric by Robert Allen, Plantation; patio lounge chair: Gloster
Triggs worked more saddle leather into the master bedroom via this comfortable armchair, which swivels toward conversation and views. A dresser matches the nightstands. “These drapes are so great, they remind me of aspen trees, and they go so well with the brushed wood,” she says.
Leather swivel chair: Lee Industries; chest: Robert James; dresser horn handles: Ochre
Leather swivel chair: Lee Industries; chest: Robert James; dresser horn handles: Ochre
In the master bedroom, a dark limestone herringbone tile contrasts with the white fixtures and vanity. Again, there was no styling required in here. “They really live like this — they are so neat,” Triggs says. “She even found those cute little vintage-looking boxes herself at Ikea.”
Mirror: Restoration Hardware; floor tile: Ann Sacks
Mirror: Restoration Hardware; floor tile: Ann Sacks
The guest room is a mix of hard and soft accents. The sticks are found objects the clients collected. The bed was the couple’s former master bedroom bed, repurposed after velvety blue struck their fancy. A feathery light fixture plays off the faux fur pillows, while mirrored nightstands add a contemporary touch.
Roman shade fabric: Dream Weaver in Mist, Schumacher
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Roman shade fabric: Dream Weaver in Mist, Schumacher
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with a new baby boy
Location: Sycamore Park area of Mill Valley, California
Size: 2,715 square feet (252 square meters); four bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Designers: Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living and Barbara Chambers of Chambers + Chambers
The homeowners bought the house while it was under construction, so Triggs was able to help them choose the fixtures and finishes along the way. The house has a modern barnlike style that Triggs decided to play off without going all-out farmyard. “We didn’t want to do reclaimed, reclaimed, reclaimed everywhere,” she says. Instead she nodded to the home’s laid-back style via saddle leathers, more subtle rustic elements here and there, and chic finishing touches.
“These clients are neat, organized and stylish, but they are also bubbly, enthusiastic and have a casual bohemian Burning Man side,” she says. Incorporating these aspects of their personalities while designing a home that was comfortable for young children resulted in a casual yet elegant style.