This home is a celebration of genuine craftsman charm. Our clients were looking for a change after enjoying a WILD paint job throughout their home for many years. I’m talking murals painted on ceilings and floors! Every surface had hand-painted detail. It was so impressive that it was even featured in the local Alameda newspaper when it was originally completed, almost 20 years ago.  

But times have changed, the paint was chipping, and they were looking for a more relaxed and sophisticated vibe. They also requested that we honor the craftsman concept of custom, thoughtful, artisan detail and keeping all wood finishes. The dining room only needed a few tweaks because its original wood trim, built ins, and brick fireplace already had so much character. The living room rug, sofa, bench cushions, and wallpaper were all custom-made. We updated the window treatments, painted the ceiling and swapped out the wallpaper, the chandelier, and the ceiling medallion. Our clients requested that we incorporate their vintage Mission-style dining set and rug.

I love how the green painted ceiling and green detail on the chandelier compliment the rug and pull the room together.
 One of our favorite aspects of this dining room is the large 42” ceiling medallion, hand-crafted by the talented local plaster artist, Lorna Kollmeyer.

This entryway was not part of the original 1905 craftsman design, and the addition didn’t have the same level of architectural detail. We were able to tie in some craftsman charm by adding tall wainscoting, built-in storage, and painting all of the trim a traditional cornflower blue paint color. The ceiling wallpaper with matching leaf-shaped light fixture were a nod to our client’s fun and light-hearted side.

“Working with Laura was a dream come true! My husband and I live in an Alameda home that was renovated by the previous owners, complete with custom paintwork (including a pegasus mural on the living room ceiling!). After several years (and a lot of time spent staring at our surroundings during the pandemic), we knew it was time to make a change, but we wanted something unique and special.

Laura came in with so many fantastic ideas that really reflected our lifestyle, such as a couch with no space underneath so our dog's toys wouldn't roll underneath it, and shelves to accommodate my collection of signed books. The results were more than we could have hoped for!

Every morning, when I come downstairs to open the living room shades, I look around and admire how beautiful everything is. I would love to work with Laura again in the future to redesign other rooms in our home.”

— Sue and Joe, Alameda, CA