A sense of ease and intention guides this Hillsborough, California residence, where Heather Hilliard Design created a home that feels both elevated and lived in. Photographed by David Duncan Livingston with a sensitivity to material and light, the newly built home reflects a collaborative process shaped around large, ever-constant gatherings as well as quiet, everyday moments.
From Heather Hilliard Design… We worked with a couple with three teenage children and two friendly labradors to design their new residence in Hillsborough, California. They had been living less than half a mile away when they purchased the land to build their dream home, and they brought us on from the outset after seeing our work in a neighbor’s home.
The sprawling 15,000-square-foot residence needed to support both daily family life and a near-constant flow of extended family and friends. Every design decision was shaped with hosting and entertaining in mind. We were involved in every layer of the interior, from custom millwork, cabinetry, and fireplace mantels to the stair balustrade, finishes, fixtures, fabrics, furnishings, and lighting. The design philosophy centered on placing handmade, artisan works alongside iconic pieces to give the home a genuine sense of soul.
In the living room, a custom decorative paint finish developed with master finisher Philippe Grandvoinet creates a serene, tonal backdrop for pieces that reward a closer look. These include a screwless mortise-and-tenon stone-top coffee table, an Eric Schmitt hand-patinated brass and plaster pendant, and a sofa by Emmanuelle Simon upholstered in fabric woven on a loom in Brooklyn by Tara Chapas. Large-scale works by Richard Misrach and Ethan Cooke anchor the space, while the dining room shifts to a moody blue-grey palette, anchored by a monumental painting by Anke Weyer.
The home’s capacity for entertaining was tested almost immediately. Just two days after installation was complete, the clients hosted 175 parents and newly admitted students for an alumni event at the client’s alma mater. For us, it was a memorable proof of concept.
Discover the talent behind the story… Interior Design & Styling: Heather Hilliard Design · Photography: David Duncan Livingston · Architect of Record: Eric Nyhus, Nyhus Design Group · Builder: Andrew Vanni, AV Builders · Landscape Architect: Michael Callan Landscape Architecture
