Eventually, they landed on the idea of a fixer-upper they could modify into the home of their dreams, and found the perfect canvas in a tract home in Thousand Oaks, near Malibu. They were poised to begin renovations when a busted drain line took out the rest of their savings, delaying the process while they rebuilt their budget. But that didn’t stop Jessica from getting to work, if only in her mind. The graphic designer began dreaming up plans for her dream house, and taught herself 3D design software to map it all out. The delay gave them plenty of time to live in the space and get a feel for every need, and Jessica incorporated functionality into her plans down to the tiniest detail. Within a few years, they were able to get to work turning her designs into reality, one room at a time, doing the work themselves and learning as they went and documenting the process on their blog and Instagram along the way.

My Style: English Country meets California, with a hint of Japan. Or, my east coast Italian grandparents meet my California hippie grandparents. Eclectic. 

Inspiration: Video games, Disneyland, Museums, local landmarks, old paintings, movies… I think people overlook inspiration like this because they don’t exactly scream “accessible design,” but there are small details in places or media like this that you can incorporate anywhere. Sometimes it’s just a feeling or mood that I am after. I have been gathering and cataloguing details that have sparked “I want that in my house” since I was a child, and I have never thought “that’s too grand to have in a house,” I have just tried to let that be an inspiration that I can interpret in a way that works in a house. 

Favorite Element: It might be my pantry, because it was previously the least pleasant space in the home, and now it is our utilitarian jewel box! 

Biggest Challenge: Our biggest challenge was maintaining a positive attitude both while working and while working together. But treating each project like an adventure, with expected setbacks, and fumblings, helped lighten the mood and make the work fun. Is this your first time gluing down hardwood flooring? Remember that sometimes you don’t know what you are doing, but you are going to find out! Let your failures build to your success, and keep going.

Proudest DIY: If not the whole kitchen, then the broom cupboard pullout, hands down! It was pure imagination that dreamed that up, and I’m still shocked sometimes that it came out exactly how I imagined it.

Biggest Indulgence: Definitely our Sierra Pacific Doors and windows. They are aluminum clad wood, double-paned, divided light, black ext. and so so gorgeous. Totally worth it. Perhaps also the integrated fridge, although we got an awesome deal and it wasn’t over budget in the end. 

Best Advice: The opposite of what real estate agents say; don’t think about resale value. Nothing great has ever come from trying to appease everyone. You don’t need a bunch of people to be simply not offended by your home to buy it. You need one person to LOVE IT. 

Also, HAVE FUN. Is there something that inspired you at a museum or a public place before? How can you incorporate that appropriately in your own home? Don’t overthink the amount of time something might take to accomplish, enjoy the process as much as the product.

• All paint is Benjamin Moore
• Kitchen Cabinets & Bathroom board and batten ⁠— Narrangansett Green
• Living room, kids room & Trim ⁠— Snowfall White
• Kids Room Closet doors, cabinet, daybed & Front Entry ⁠— Palladian Blue
• Ext.  doors / windows ⁠— Black Satin
• Desk ⁠— A mix of Dusty Trail and Brandy Cream
• Bedroom ceiling ⁠— Black Knight
• Bedroom walls ⁠— Tissue pink
• FLOWERS: Insta: @twodoodlesandaflower

• Great Grandmother’s sewing table ⁠— Antique 
• Case Study Planter ⁠— Modernica
• Sun Tunnel ⁠— Velux
• Semi-flush lights ⁠— Lamps Plus
• Switch ⁠— Legrand Adorne

• Tufted Sofa — Unknown Source (We bought it off of craigslist 10 yrs ago!)
• Gray Wingback Chairs ⁠— IKEA
• Rose Gold Leather pillows ⁠— Crate & Barrel
  Striped Pillows ⁠— HomeGoods
• Blue Velvet Pillow – CollectiveCo
• Coffee Table ⁠— Hand-me-down, but similar to this from Restoration Hardware 
• Library Sconces ⁠— Lucent Lightshop
• Side Tables ⁠— Wayfair (no longer available)

• Amelia Chandelier — Pottery Barn
• Lara 54” Round Dining Table — Arhaus (looks like it’s no longer sold)
• Chairs — Target
• Rug — eBay (rugEmporium240)

• Bar Stools ⁠— Target 
• Kitchen Cabinets ⁠— IKEA and Semihandmade DIY slab & shaker style
• Range ⁠— 36” Hallman in matte graphite with brass trim
• Massey Bin Pulls 3.5” (unlacquered brass) ⁠— Rejuvenation (3.5” no longer sold)
• Appliance Pulls (unlacquered brass) ⁠— Large Massey  Drawer Pull from Rejuvenation
• Knobs (unlacquered brass) ⁠— Massey Round Cabinet knob from Rejuvenation 
• 3×6 & 3x 12 Tile ⁠— DalTile 
• Fridge ⁠— Fisher & Paykel
• Pendants ⁠— Lamps Plus
• Sconces ⁠— Rejuvenation (except my shades are matte black with brushed nickel interior)
• Shelves ⁠— Rustic Wood Accents (no longer doing business) 
• Shelf Hardware ⁠— Shelfology
• Rug ⁠— eBay (rugemporium240)
• Hood ⁠— Zephyr 
• Outlets (brushed brass) ⁠— Legrand Adorne
• Sink Faucets (forever Brass) ⁠— Newport Brass
• Pot Filler (polished Brass) ⁠— Signature Hardware
• Sun Tunnel ⁠— Velux

• Wishbone Bracket ⁠— Anthropologie
• Shelving ⁠— Red Oak we cut to size
• Counter ⁠— IKEA mollekula 
• Microwave ⁠— IKEA
• Floor ⁠— Floor & Decor

• Bed ⁠— Vintage Ethan Allen from Craigslist
• Rug ⁠— RugsUSA
• Night Stands ⁠— Target (no longer available)
• Dresser ⁠— Birch Lane (no longer available)
• Bench ⁠— Target

• Bunk Bed ⁠— Hayneedle (No longer available, similar at restoration hardware)
• Day bed and bookshelves ⁠— We built these
• Everlasting Play Table ⁠— Land of Nod (Now Crate and Kids, no longer available)
• Swing Chair ⁠— Serena and Lily
• Cubby shelf ⁠— Target 
• Baskets ⁠— IKEA (no longer available)
• Under bed baskets ⁠— HomeGoods
• Rug ⁠— Target

• Vanity  — ​Home Depot
• Floor Tile ⁠— Floor & Decor
• Wall Tile ⁠— Sourced Locally
• Painting ⁠— HomeGoods
• Bone Shelf ⁠— Anthropologie
• Wishbone Bracket ⁠— Anthropologie
• Almeta Hooks/Towel Ring/ TP holder ⁠— Anthropologie
• Ceiling Light ⁠— Shades of Light
• Sconce ⁠— Worley’s Lighting
• Medicine Cabinet ⁠— Pottery Barn
• Plumbing Fixtures (Flat Black) ⁠— Newport Brass
• Toilet ⁠— Kohler 
• Toilet Seat ⁠— AllModern

• Desk ⁠— IKEA SEKTION
• Desk fronts ⁠— Semihandmade
• Desktop ⁠— IKEA KARLBY in walnut
• Cremone Bolts ⁠— Signature Hardware 
• Desk hardware ⁠— Rejuvenation
• Work Table and benches ⁠— IKEA
• Vintage Rug ⁠— eSalerugsNico
• Light Fixture ⁠— Pottery Barn

Thanks Jessica!

⇒ House Tour & House Call Submission Form

The responses in this submission have been edited for length and clarity.

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