With a strong connection to the outdoors in the form of earthy colors, botanical prints, and natural materials this Orinda, CA home reflects the true nature of the family that lives here. Lauren Nelson Design coordinated a full home renovation, layered their home with warm, earthy textures, and forged a heart-filled home. Tour the picturesque abode in the photos below.

From the designer… We were hired by our clients to renovate and refresh a home for a close-knit family that wanted their space to reflect their love for family gatherings, connection to the garden, and maximizing every drop of sunlight from morning until night. The passion the homeowners have for the property was unmistakable from the onset. The wife is an avid home cook, has a fruit orchard, keeps bee hives, and propagates her own plants. The first time I met her she had just made her own quince jam from trees on her property and she had stone fruit drying on the window sill.

This started as a partial renovation but evolved into nearly a full gut renovation. The core directives from the start were to rethink the layout of the kitchen/pantry/laundry/bar area on the main floor, and reimagine the Primary Suite upstairs which involved structural changes. Then the project grew to include other parts of the house, with a big focus on maximizing natural light throughout the home. We identified key areas that would have a big impact, like adding a wood ceiling treatment to the great room, swapping small windows for bigger ones that allowed more light to pour in, new fireplace surrounds, new trim and flooring throughout, new door hardware, new wall treatments, and finally new exterior finishes on the deck and patio spaces.

Thankfully, the clients were able to understand the importance of creating continuity in the house, and saw the value in updating all areas that felt important to the new language we were creating for the home. It was hard to imagine transforming the heart of the house, but not the limbs. So we embarked on a renovation that touched most rooms in the house.

The materials we chose were heavily tactile and organic. We chose materials like plaster walls, tumbled limestone floors in the bathroom, unlacquered brass hardware, handmade moroccan mosaic tile in the powder room, warm wood cabinetry throughout, and nothing but natural fiber rugs and fabrics with a soft hand. Vintage lighting was sourced throughout, adding to the charm and character of the home.

Like what you see? Take a peek at the talent behind the story… Interior Design: Lauren Nelson Design · Photography: Seth Smoot · Stylist: Kendra Smoot · Architect: Douglas McQuillan · Builder: KW Builders