Blank canvas in Encinitas
After 16 years living in a sprawling Rancho Santa Fe house, interior designer Kari Arendsen’s clients were ready for a smaller home and simpler living. The couple, who wishes to remain anonymous, has two college-age sons who live at home and wanted something better suited for their lifestyle.
“The house and architecture speaks to me first, then the voice of the family – how they function, what they’re coming with, how they’ll live,” said Arendsen, who is the principal designer and founder of Intimate Living Interiors. In this case, she had a blank canvas for a house: the family was moving to a new development in Encinitas. The location was just what they were looking for: closer to the coast, but far enough inland to avoid the June gloom.
They contacted Arendsen when the three-bedroom, 3½-bathroom home was still under construction. The family moved in April 2018 following about an eight-month build.
They told Arendsen they wanted something comfortable and welcoming, with a bright, airy feel. Their home in Rancho Santa Fe was very traditional and formal, and the new home had a classic, yet casual farmhouse style.
While they were ready to part with some furniture and start fresh, they also had a number of family heirlooms, antique pieces and collections that they wanted to keep. Those items were important to make the new 3,250-square-foot house feel like their home.
“She had a classic eye and knew what she wanted,” Arendsen said of the owner.
Together, they decided on some minor changes to the finishes the builder had selected, such as switching the recessed lighting in the kitchen from four-inch cans to two-inch cans for a “more refined look,” Arendsen said. The steel range hood was also replaced with a white one in a more classic shape.
To make the home look more custom, Arendsen added details like v-groove paneling to the ceiling in the kitchen, living room and entry. “I call it classic, coastal comfort,” she said.
The great room, which incorporates the living room, kitchen and dining room, was Arendsen’s main focus. Above the sofa, she created a series of framed art pieces with shells the family collected from trips and vacations. “They’re so perfect with simple framing – really eye-catching,” she said.
The dining area was kept simple with a wood table that seats eight and an understated metal chandelier. A large, rustic chandelier anchors the living room. Two gray chairs between the living area and kitchen swivel, so they can be used no matter where the family is gathering.
The kitchen is nearly all white with Shaker-style cabinets and stainless-steel appliances. Arendsen added large pendant lights over the island with rope detail and natural fibers, evoking a more coastal feel.
Arendsen reframed a number of the family’s prints and oil paintings to better match the style of the new home. (The old frames were gold.) One painting is the focal point of the dining room. For the hallway leading to the master bedroom, Arendsen selected works with pastoral settings, a nod to the more rural area in Rancho Santa Fe.
Design in the master bath was also kept simple, with a large, modern soaking tub as the focal point. Arendsen had wood flooring installed to keep it from getting “too busy” but added a Persian rug and carved wooden chest for some color and texture. The simple yet welcoming feel extends to the master bedroom, with all-new furniture: a modern four-poster bed and two white chairs with a large leather ottoman. There’s no artwork, only natural fiber window treatments and some light rugs.
“They wanted it to be light, bright and comfy,” Arendsen said. “Someplace they could sit and read a book or be away when the boys had their friends over.”
The family is thrilled with the result. “It was great how we all collaborated,” Arendsen said. “Everyone feels like it’s their home.”
Allison Keltner is a San Diego freelance writer.