Behind the Design: Stinson Coastal

Read on to discover behind the scenes of our Stinson Coastal project!

The central inspiration of this project was the landscape of the nearby Stinson Beach. Softly textured fabrics and ocean-inspired tones flow through the home, from the foggy greys of artisanal tile throughout to the Pacific blues in the guest bedroom. With custom finishes like the local artist-made porcelain mirror and bespoke furniture, the home feels both elevated and livable.

Mood Board

Our central inspiration for our Stinson Coastal project is the nearby Stinson Beach. Breezy, understated, and perfectly undone. Think stonewashed linens, elegant cottons, misty blues and foggy grey…tumbled stone and natural wood tones.

Living Room

The biggest design challenge in the living room was the asymmetrical placed fireplace which called for a very creative solution for furniture layout. The husband was also adamant about having a motion sectional which made us nervous…we hadn’t been able to find one that we loved in the past so were committed to finding a style that didn’t sacrifice the design! They are a family of 6 so we also needed to accommodate everyone if they were at home for a movie night. The proportions of the living room called for a generous sectional and ottomans for flex seating, with nesting coffee tables.

Because the husband had a specific request for a motion sectional, we went on the hunt to find the perfect piece. As you can imagine a lot of motional sectionals sacrifice design for function, but when we were introduced to the American Leather line at Sunrise Home (one of our favorite family-run furniture stores in Marin) we were pleased with their options.

American Leather motion sectionals are the Porsche of the motion world, they offer three adjustments, lower lumbar, head and recline and are all handcrafted by artisans in North Carolina using the highest quality materials. They also offer maintenance so if anything goes wrong with the silhouette, they can service it which is amazing and hard to find in the motion world. Because this piece was so large, it was a custom configuration and we also got to specify our own fabric on it, a gorgeous cream heathered chenille that went with our Stinson Coastal vibe.

When the sectional arrived at the receiving warehouse in Marin, we went to go see it and test drive it. We were blown away by the look of it - you would have no idea it reclines! But with the push of a hidden button…It turns into the perfect movie night sofa. Exactly what the clients wanted!

Inspired by the natural landscape of Stinson Beach, we chose a palette that reflects the water, fog and sea-blown landscape. We wanted all the fabrics to feel cozy, easy-breezy and coastal. We curated a textural mix of fabrics made of natural fibers for the throw pillows and draperies:

The ottomans are upholstered in this gorgeous wool-blend boucle from Holly Hunt:

Because of the asymmetric layout of this room, we were able to anchor the floor plan with the sectional, but we knew we wanted something soft and wabi sabi in shape for the coffee table. When we saw these nesting pieces at Palecek in San Francisco, we thought they would work perfectly. They had just launched and were brand new so we were one of the first designers to specify them! We loved the starburst design in the wood veneer top and the hand wrapped robe base. An elegant nod to our coastal theme.

Here is the before of the living room…

And here is the final design…

Primary Bedroom

The clients had not touched this room in over 15 years so they were excited to give it a refresh! It sits at the corner of the home with incredible views of the hills looking towards the Bay. Because there are so many windows, it gets strong light, which can be a problem when trying to sleep in. So one of the main requests for this room was good window treatments that allowed for light control. And in addition, the husband had requested a bed with a footboard. Other than that, the clients just wanted this to feel like a boutique hotel and a coastal retreat. The words they used to describe what they were looking for were “calm, relaxing and coastal." We kept the existing layout, but completely transformed the walls, updated the furniture, and added draperies.

Here is the room before…

The biggest update we made to this room was new carpet and wall covering. We found this gorgeous Belgian linen-looking wall covering for the walls which adds so much softness to the space. We opted for the vinyl version of the product which is more durable for maintenance, especially since the room has a door to a balcony off of it that they love to keep open. The vinyl won’t react to any weather that hits it. For the carpet we opted for 100% wool in a chunky texture, which brought forward our color palette in the coziest of ways.

After the wallpaper was installed…

Our wallpaper installer did an impeccable job, and we had him wrap the outlet covers which really elevated the look!

For the window treatments we did three layers. We have the stationary drapery panels which frame the view without blocking it. They also add a much needed softness to the space since there are so many windows! For the shades we worked with Shades of Marin, our go-to for Hunter Douglas in the area. They suggested these double layer motorized shades. They allow for two layers to be dropped, a room darkening layer and a sheer layer. This gives the client the flexibility to either have privacy with light coming in or light control for those mornings they want to sleep in!

The textile story in the primary bedroom is all about textures and artisanal wovens. We played off the same color palette that we had developed for the living room - inspired by their gorgeous views of the Bay and nearby Stinson Beach - to give the clients that elevated beachy look they longed for. The textiles were sourced from a variety of different suppliers, but all of them are elegant natural fibers with incredibly soft hands and casual finishes.

The clients have a sailboat that they go on long adventures on - this Fall they head to the Mediterranean! We wanted to give a subtle nod to their passion for sailing with this natural rope pattern from Anne Kirk. This is a silkscreen on natural linen and it has a gorgeous hand to it. We love how the pattern is whimsical, yet an all-over look, perfect for ottomans.

The draperies are made of a 100% stone washed linen fabric with a subtle rib from Holly Hunt:

We were having a really hard time finding a bed that worked with our aesthetic and had a footboard. One of our favorite brands Palecek had a number of beds we loved because of the woven natural look, but none of them had the footboard that we needed. We spoke with our sales rep and he had recently been at their design studio and seen a bed in the prototype stage that fit all of our needs. He showed us a photo (in total confidence) of this design that had not yet been released and we knew it was the one. The launch of the bed was set for the spring so we agreed with the client it was worth waiting for and we were put on the list of the initial orders to receive a king! What we love most about this bed is the natural wood frame with the hand woven rope headboard and footboard, the perfect nod to our coastal theme.

We liked the idea of the existing seating vignette by the window to take advantage of the view, but it was too dark and static before. The clients loved being able to lounge in this spot, but wanted more flexibility to move the chairs around. We immediately knew a swivel would be a perfect solution to turn and appreciate the view. We also wanted to give them two chairs that were more comfortable and lounge-y so we set out to find a pillow-like feeling in a swivel chair!

When we came across these Hickory Chair swivels at the Witford showroom in San Francisco, we felt like we were sitting on a cloud! The pillow back was also an added bonus, it truly just envelopes you when you lounge back. The swivel chair on display was super comfortable, but we didn’t like the arm so we worked with the vendor to customize it to better suit the look of the room we were building. We wanted a soft, rounded look that provided a more casual and inviting aesthetic. Hickory Chair was able to do this and we landed on this gorgeous Anne Kirk chenille is an ocean-inspired blue for them to be custom upholstered in.

Here are the finished chairs with their rounded arms and Anne Kirk upholstery. We accessorized the space with a baby alpaca throw from Anthem Home, one of our favorite stores on Sacramento Ave in San Francisco. The clients can now turn towards the view while enjoying their morning coffee.

While shopping in San Francisco at Palecek, when we were looking for beds, we came across this incredible accent table made of inlaid fossilized clam shells with a stone cast base from a natural tree trunk mold. This piece literally encapsulates the vibe of Stinson Coastal - a nod to the ocean - a nod to the land and we knew would anchor our two swivel chairs in front of the window.

The space before we transformed it…

And after the transformation!

Primary Bath

For the bathroom off the primary, we wanted a classic, tailored look, but with the softness and organic feel of Stinson Beach. The star of this bathroom is the antiqued tumbled Carrara marble tile on the shower walls and pan, paired with Atlantic dark antique tiles on the floor. Reminiscent of beach stones, the patterning is perfectly dynamic.

For the primary bathroom, we chose a chunkier sisal looking wall covering from Phillip Jeffries (bottom middle in the photo below) that pairs nicely with the linen-inspired look of the bedroom walls. The two-tone washed look pops against the marble and creates a spa-like feel.

One of our favorite spots to source speciality stone is IRG in Brisbane. We came across this Valentino dolomite slab in a honed finish in a 3/4” and instantly fell in love. We had never used dolomite before so our salesperson Alexis educated us about the material. It’s essentially a great middle ground between marble and granite in terms of durability. The dolomite stone is formed from mineral-rich, magnesium-heavy rock so are harder, more scratch-resistant, and more heat-resistant. What struck us about these stones was the veining in the slabs and how subtle the movement was. It reminded us of the fog hanging over the San Francisco Bay which you can see from their home.

We opted to use pencil trim tile instead of schluter in this shower for a timeless, classic look. The tile setter did an amazing job with all the edge details. We were thrilled!

On a recent trip to a boutique hotel, I had seen a marble threshold as the transition between the bathroom and bedroom. I loved the idea of bringing this design detail to this bathroom so sourced Carrara marble honed thresholds which we had installed. They are such a lovely touch!

Inspiration image is on the left below, and the right are the piece of marble threshold before they were installed:

We loved the idea of using pivot mirrors above the sinks to add a nautical, yet classic feel. When we came across these at Rejuvenation, we knew they would pop in the oil-rubbed finish against the satin nickel we specified for the plumbing. The lighting was sourced from Visual Comfort after we saw these on display at a trade show in Las Vegas. The style features simple banding and frosted glass. In the primary we ran them horizontal above the pivot mirrors, but also incorporated them in the guest bathroom vertical flanking the mirror. We like to give everything bathroom in a house its own personality, but with subtle design details that weave them together. In this house for example the mirror, lighting, plumbing, countertops and cabinetry were kept the same for a cohesive look.

We partnered with Lee of Mill Valley Cabinets to produce the vanities in a gorgeous walnut with a grey wash finish. It reminded us of driftwood with a deep undertone. We wanted that richness to allow the tiles to pop against it! The layout of the cabinetry didn’t change a ton, but we were able to give them slightly wider cabinets with pull-outs inside them to add function to the space!

Here is the before…

And here is the final design…

Guest Bedroom

For the guest bedroom, we transformed one of her son’s rooms into a room that could flex between hosting visitors or him when he comes back from college. It was important to the son to keep the existing wall color as he loved it, but he was very open to new furniture and textiles! One of our favorite things about this room was the view of the gorgeous mature oak trees out of the window, it feels like you are in a treehouse. We wanted to the room to feel super cozy and beachy - like your favorite boutique hotel.

A mix of Anne Kirk and Dedar textiles shaped the story of this room.

For the bedding, we sourced from a number of local stores including Amber Interiors and Coyuchi out in Point Reyes. We were able to continue to layer in a nuanced palette of fabrics that embraced our elegant beach vibe.

The first thing we needed to do was update the carpet, when we came across this herringbone stripe at the Stark showroom in San Francisco we thought it would be the perfect canvas to build the room around. We opted to run the stripes vertically as you walked into the room which elongated the space and made it feel larger then it was! We had the vendor add a stain repellent finish for ease of use and any stains that come up!

This is the old carpeting with a little sample new carpeting:

The new carpeting after installation…

A Made Goods peeled rattan side table and Hudson Valley Lighting sconces round out the space.

The before…

The final design…

Guest Bathroom

The hallway bathroom services three guest rooms so we needed it to be functional yet elegant! This bathroom gets really low light at most times of the day so we wanted our tile choice to be light and bright - plus in a glossy finish to bounce any light around. When we found this handmade ultra-glossy tile for the shower walls it felt like undulating ocean water so perfect for our Stinson Coastal feeling. Each tile has its own organic texture and there is quite a bit of color variation so this creates even more movement once they are installed. We opted to add a nice detail along the base of the tub, running the tile vertically for one row before transitioning to a classic offset stack.

The tile installation in progress…

The window in the bathroom needed a window treatment so we opted for a stonewashed sheer linen and had the drapery workroom make a top-down bottom-up shade which allows for the shade to be operated from the top as well, allowing for privacy, but also light to enter the room!

When shopping for plumbing, we wanted it to have a subtle hint at their passion for sailing so envisioned a nautical inspired collection. I was invited to Chicago that Fall to attend a vendor weekend held by House of Rohl so I became an expert in their products. When we came across the Graceline collection from House of Rohl, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

From the House of Rohl website:

“The Graceline® Collection takes its cue from the streamline age of the 1930s, when travel was glamourous and trains and ocean liners were created with luxury in mind. Renowned designer Michael Berman’s original Collection for ROHL® captures the sleek aerodynamic lines and cylindrical forms of the time. Fine details like nautical elements on handles, the rounded angle of the neck, and a knurling crosshatch design on the spout add authenticity. Graceline is industrial design with sophistication, bringing American Moderne elegance into contemporary and transitional-style bathrooms.”

Lee of Mill Valley Cabinets drew up this vanity in the same grey walnut finish as the Primary Bath.

Here is the before of the Guest Bathroom…

And here is the final design…

Powder Room

We believe a boring powder room is a missed opportunity! Powder rooms might be the best place to experiment and play in your home. Go big and bold and it’ll be the main topic of conversation at the next dinner party! Our bold swing for this home’s powder room was an incredible gradient wallpaper and an ocean-inspired custom ceramic mirror.

When you are at Stinson and it’s foggy, the water seems to dissipate into the fog, giving it this gorgeous ombre effect. We wanted to bring this look into the bathroom with a custom ombre wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries. This tiny bathroom, believe it or not, has incredibly high ceilings so they were able to print the paper to the specifications of our ceiling height. The wallpaper goes from a deep ocean blue to a white and then we also painted the ceiling white to continue the effect. When you are in the bathroom, you feel like you are floating in the fog or underwater, it’s a gorgeous and dramatic effect.

We had seen a coral-inspired sculptural body of work at a gallery show at Tahoe Beach Club by the artist Adrienne Belair. Back in the day, our client’s mother used to make seashell crafts to adorn her home, so this was a kind of elevated and nostalgic nod to her history. We worked with Adrienne to make a custom ceramic coral-inspired mirror for the Powder Room. This was Adrienne’s first time making a mirror so there was some R&D we did together before the piece came into fruition!

We wanted the mirror to be asymmetrical and we drew out a precise template (below left) for Adrienne to base the shape of the mirror off of. The piece was so large and delicate that it was fired in multiple parts that fit together like a puzzle. When the mirror was complete it was wrapped in blankets and driven directly to Marin from Tahoe on the backseat of our truck.

The detail is incredible!! Every piece you see was hand-formed and textured by Adrienne. She left the porcelain unglazed because we wanted the matte natural finish to come through.

For the floors in the powder room, we opted for a classic Carrara marble mosaic with a dot pattern in it. We love the timeless nature of this pattern, but the tiles themselves have a tumbled finish (like the primary bathroom tiles) to give us that beachy edge that we wanted! We used a tone on tone grout so that the organic look of the veining came through as much as possible.

About a year before this project, I had seen a beautiful integrated stone sink at a Restoration Hardware store and taken photos of it on my phone for inspiration. When we were working on this powder room, which was incredibly small, I had the idea to have the stone fabricators create a custom sink, inspired by the one I had seen.

This is that photo from RH:

We sent them the inspiration and they drew up a proposal to execute on something similar for us. Using the Valentino Dolomite from the other bathrooms, we created a truly one-of-a-kind piece that will stop guests in their tracks!

When you approach the front door, you walk past this little powder room so it was important that the window treatment gave the room some privacy. However the room itself can be quite dark due to where it’s situated in the landscape, so we opted for a sheer stonewashed linen top-down-bottom-up roman shade. The shade was made so that it could be pulled down from the top allowing for privacy, but the sheer linen still brings in light. We found a handwoven linen trim that we ran vertically down each side to give the shade additional interest and pop it against the ombre walls.

The Powder Room before its transformation…

The final design…

Photoshoot

The camera had to go in some rather precarious positions to capture the perfect shot…

There were some last minute styling alterations…

We always have a LOT of props on hand, and plenty of flowers and plants to choose from…

Precise adjustments for each shot…

This project was such an honor and labor of love. We love doing work in this part of the world! Bridget’s childhood was spent in Marin so it always feels like coming home when we do work in the Bay.