After raising six children, this California couple found themselves in an empty nest and promptly flocked to the coast. Their Cape Cod–style house a block from the beach was an opportunity to lighten up, enjoy relaxed country coastal style and entice their grown children to visit. They chose a house that a contractor had built for himself, and it already had great bones and details. Interior designer Darci Goodman worked with those bones, adding new furniture, paint colors, rugs, window treatments, light fixtures and textiles.
The pair already had a few pieces of furniture and an extensive folk art collection. The art, their personal style and the beach inspired this eclectic mix.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: San Clemente, California
Size: 5 bedrooms plus a bedroom suite over the garage; 3 1/2 baths
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Darci Goodman Design, original photo on Houzz
The front door opens into the living room, which therefore makes the first impression. “This room defines the style of house,” says Goodman. The folk art, the wife’s love of red and current events influenced the color choices. “We were decorating right before the election, so we were all in a patriotic mood,” Goodman says.
A sisal rug, linen sofas, rattan chairs and red, white and blue Ralph Lauren fabrics create a relaxed coastal look without going overboard.
NanaWall doors open to a patio facing the sidewalk and street. “The patio works as an extension of the living room,” Goodman says. “The homeowners enjoy interacting with neighbors walking by.”
Drape fabric: Lee Jofa
Darci Goodman Design, original photo on Houzz
The living room and dining room share one large open space, so Goodman used the same window drapes and sisal rugs in each area and repeated some of the accent fabrics.
These dining chairs from the former Mediterranean-style house originally had a gold-tone finish; Goodman had them painted black, then used a mix of fabrics for seat cushions for a whimsical and relaxed look. A mason jar chandelier adds country style overhead, while shell trim on the window treatments brings in a beach detail.
A herringbone brick floor and the couple’s beloved rooster and iron pig lend the kitchen a country look. A blue and white coral print chair and new color on the island add coastal style.
Darci Goodman Design, original photo on Houzz
Existing beadboard on the cabinets and island works well with both country and coastal styles. A new ocean-inspired paint hue topped off with a glaze treatment made the island’s beadboard detailing stand out.
The previous hot pink Venetian plaster on this bathroom’s walls was not working with the home’s new style, so Goodman covered the walls and ceiling in a nautical blue. “In a powder room, I try to cover the walls and the ceiling in the same way, whether it’s wallpaper or paint,” she says. “In a small bathroom, I like to feel like I’m sitting inside a present.”
Darci Goodman Design, original photo on Houzz
The Drapery Diary: Tab and Tie Tops
Upstairs in the master bedroom, a batik floral print on the window treatments and blue bedding bring in ocean colors. A wall of faux 1-by-6 driftwood planks adds beachy texture.
The chair and ottoman came from the old house. “They were both leather and had the feeling of a men’s library,” Goodman says. She kept some leather but lightened it by covering the cushions in a blue and white print.
Elegant Calacatta marble and rustic brick flooring in the master bathroom create an eclectic look. The window treatment is the same fabric as the drapes in the bedroom.
Darci Goodman Design, original photo on Houzz
A private porch with shingled walls, a sisal rug and seashells embedded in the fireplace surround creates a beachy retreat off the bedroom.