A Maximalist on a Minimal Budget Fills Her Home with Murals

Name: Mila Moraga-Holz, husband, and three children
Location: Los Angeles, California
Size: 900 square feet
Years Lived In: 7 years, owned

Chilean born Mila Moraga-Holz of the blog Jest Cafe is a maximalist on a minimal budget. She’s outfitted her Culver City home (which she shares with her husband and three children) almost solely using thrifted finds, inherited art, and imports from her travels abroad. Her collected home is rich with sentiment and bursting with color, giving it a one-of-a-kind style that is totally unique to Mila and her family.

Having two small children and one newborn hasn’t stopped Mila from scheming, painting, and blogging to her heart’s content. A free-spirit at heart, her adventurous background in backpacking and love for travel seems to have oozed from her soul and spilled out onto every surface of her vibrant home. While she is methodical and intentional when it comes to designing her space, she’s not so precious about the details that she hesitates to make bold choices. As a self-proclaimed non-artist, her home has become her canvas, and, thankfully, she’s documented much of her processes on her blog for us all to glean inspiration from.

My Style: Maximalist.

Inspiration: AD Spain, Kelly Wearstler, Justina Blakeney.

Favorite Element: Color.

Biggest Challenge: My home is small and I need to be careful not to fill it up with too many things.

What Friends Say: That my home makes them feel happy.

Biggest Embarrassment: The master bedroom. I haven’t decorated it at all.

Proudest DIY: Murals.

Biggest Indulgence: Any art or furniture piece in my home that costs more than $300. There are only a handful of those.

Best Advice: Never make a design decision based on what others will think about it. You do you.

Dream Sources: Higher end furniture and art stores.

PAINT & COLORS
I usually do Designer White from Benjamin Moore for my walls and go from there.

PORCH
Hanging chairs – Justina Blakeney
Rug – Hannoun Rugs
Plants – Rolling Greens

LIVING ROOM
Ceramic sculpture – Katy Krantz
Three-face sculpture – Gilded Vintage
Hanging lamp – World Market
Shelving – Rubbermaid from Home Depot
Sofa – Article
Select artwork – Jason Monet

DINING ROOM
Ceiling medallion – Wayfair
Chandelier – Illuminate Vintage
Pillows – Ximena Rozo Designs
Brass wall art — Curtis Jere

KITCHEN
Cabinetry paint – Benjamin Moore custom color inspired by Farrow & Ball “Radicchio”
Cabinets wallpaper – Lucy Tiffney
Wall paint – Benjamin Moore “Springtime Peach”
Hardware – CB2
Pendants – Lamp Plus
Rug – Hannoun Rugs

BEDROOM
Rug – Hannoun Rugs
Dresser – IKEA
Shelving unit – Rubbermaid Home Depot
Bunk bed – IKEA
Lamp – IKEA
Bedding — Target

BATHROOM
Everything here was thrifted

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