A Fresh Start

Author:Lindsey Shook

Nest Design Co. refreshes a San Anselmo home for a party of five.

“We believe that interiors are about the people who inhabit them—each space should be a unique reflection of the people who dwell there,” says Heather Brock, co-founder of Nest Design Co on renovating this San Anselmo home for a family of five. After listing their home and spending countless hours seeing houses on the market, they decided not to move. However, they needed to fall back in love with the house and enlisted Nest Design Co. to give it a new life. “We work with our clients to uncover their unique aesthetic, one that best embodies their taste and the way that they live.”

The 3,900 square foot home is the quintessential brown shingle home, nestled in an idyllic California neighborhood. Referred by a former client, the clients knew they wanted light, bright and classic spaces where they could relax and entertain. “We were drawn to their story, how they wanted to use each room and how they wanted it to feel,” says Brock’s partner Jennifer Wundrow. “The client trusted us from the beginning to transform their home and create the family oasis they were looking for.”  

No major renovation was needed, therefore the Nest team focused on lightening up the dark kitchen by painting the existing cabinetry, installing new countertops, backsplash and hardware. They also replaced the existing dark red cherry floors with solid oak floors that opened up the space. “Two of the client’s children have lung diseases that needed to be taken into account when making material selections,” says Brock. “The new hardwood floors had to be solid wood and have no composite or glue, to mitigate anything synthetic.”

While the family wanted a simple, bright aesthetic they also craved moments full of rich blue and orange hues. The team achieved this balance by setting a white backdrop throughout and pulling in color on furnishings and fabrics.

The floorpan was very disjointed so the focus on function and flow was top of mind when considering furniture scale and placement. “We were able to make each room function for what the client needed, while maintaining a naturally elegant, quintessentially California feel,” Wundrow notes.  

While the client was nervous about any dramatic lighting or pattern, the Nest Design team was able to curate a few striking moments with minimal impact, creating a delightful new start for the family in their old home. “When they saw the space, they had tears of joy,” says Brock. “They were so excited that what they envisioned—and had tried to accomplish themselves—was now a beautiful reality.”