Caryn’s House of Boys (With Plenty of Pink)

published Dec 6, 2015
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(Image credit: Submitted by Caryn)

Name: Caryn
Location: Santa Cruz, California

In 2005, my husband and I bought a very small 1000 square foot house in Santa Cruz, California to raise our growing family. Proximity to the ocean and a great elementary school trumped our desire for square footage! Our little Santa Cruz bungalow had no unique architecture, so I viewed it as a blank canvas. Over the past decade, while working as a marine biology professor, I have created abstract paintings for my family and friends while simultaneously restyling and curating our living space as our family has evolved. Modern art and design have always been my passion and hobby.

(Image credit: Submitted by Caryn)

In 2014, I chose to leave marine biology behind to predominantly focus on my art, design and my house full of boys (my husband Edward, my two sons Kai and Beckett, and our male pitbull Dexter!) I started House of Boys Art + Design soon after to pursue my passion.

(Image credit: Submitted by Caryn)

What I love most about my home, is that it is entirely filled with boys! This means my house is filled with stinky soccer cleats, drying wetsuits, skateboards, soccer balls, dog hair AND tons of pink pillows! Also, we can surf or mountain bike within five minutes from our house.

(Image credit: Submitted by Caryn)

Despite the madness, I love keeping my home feminine, warm, and always stylish. My preferred color pallet changes often, usually with the current fashion trends, but a little pink always ends up somewhere in my wardrobe, in a painting, or in my room design. My boys have learned that pink isn’t necessarily a girly color.

(Image credit: Submitted by Caryn)

My backyard studio is definitely my favorite place in my house right now. I can turn the radio on, paint, and listen to the sounds of boys wrestling on the trampoline! My studio is my sanctuary. However, I am most proud of our modern horizontal redwood fence in our front yard that my husband and his friend built and I stained!

Thanks, Caryn !

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