HAPPY LIVES HERE

happy lives

New built-ins flank the redesigned fireplace, where a vintage-look gas insert was here installed.

“Happy ” is the adjective that popped up again and again when these California homeowners described the look they wanted. Exuberant patterns and joyful color in their kid-friendly, livable decor gave them exactly what they were looking for.

✱ Some existing midcentury pieces, like the living room sofa, opposite, were reupholstered in brighter hues. A framed scarf hangs above the fireplace. ✱ Designer Lauren Weiss embraced the family’s collection of mismatched dining chairs, freshening some with a striped fabric. ✱ Midcentury details are found throughout the home, including this cluster of pendants, each with a distinct shape.

Herringbone wood flooring is made of reclaimed oak by California Wood Floors, homeowner Kevin Hussey’s company.

Bright yellow appears throughout the house, such as in Eames molded desk chairs.

reimagining the 1909 Craftsman house in a charming neighborhood in the center of San Francisco was a design challenge:

Showcase the existing architecture while making every inch of the structure feel warm, sunny, and welcoming, even when the city’s infamous fog rolls in. Homeowners Meegan Massagli and Kevin Hussey “dreamed of brighter rooms with wider entrances, clean midcentury lines, and a mix of patterns,” interior designer Lauren Weiss says. “It was about making the home feel cohesive, relaxed, and approachable.”

Weiss put spirited wallcoverings to work, using them to add specific moods in several areas of the home. A pattern bursting with birds and cherries was chosen for a petite powder room, while a more subdued paper makes a calming statement in the primary bedroom. And a bright blue splatter design is a playful backdrop for the kids’ built-in homework and art station in the family room.

With color, Weiss had to do a bit more negotiating. “She definitely pushed us out of our comfort zone,” Meegan says. While Benjamin Moore Simply White coats the majority of the walls, Weiss chose strategic spots for bold hues, including a credenza with royal blue panels in the family room, zingy yellow and green stripes on dining room chairs, and ochre upholstery for the living room sofa. “Lauren brought this bold, bohemian layer that we just love,” Meegan says. “And our yellow front door makes me smile each time I see it.”

✱ Weiss outfitted the lower-level family room with a desk for homework and a soft rug and floor pillows on the concrete floor for playtime. A console and cabinets provide storage that was lacking in the 1900s home.

✱ In the sunroom a framed textile brings in large-scale art at a fraction of what a piece of contemporary art might cost. ✱ Cherry red stools enliven the white kitchen. ✱ Meegan and Kevin and their children, Camille and Cian, love their happy home. ✱ The powder room is a perfect spot to try a design element with big personality. With Josef Frank Paradiset wallpaper, “you really don’t need much else,” Weiss says.

PLAY+SLEEP Both kids have defi nite ideas about their bedroom decor, Meegan says. She wanted to give each one what they love but stay aware that their tastes will likely change as quickly as they grow. Camille requested a big, fl uff y rug where she can play with her dolls. Cian wanted his room to refl ect a cosmic journey. “He is really into space,” Meegan says. A deep navy on the walls and ceiling mimic the night sky, and the red-orange accents suggest Mars.

[ D E S I G N T I P S ] OLDOLDHOUSE HOUSE LOVE LOVE

Designer Lauren Weiss talks about preserving and accenting a home’s existing character. ✱

YO U R G O -T O M A K E OV E R T O O L? Paint is a dramatic and eff ective tool. A dark color pulls out and highlights details in the architecture. ✱

W H AT ’ S A N I C E N O D T O A H O M E ’ S E R A? Try wallpaper with a print or pattern that echoes the age of the house, like the Arts and Crafts-inspired paper, opposite. Use it in small doses so it doesn’t feel like a fi lm set. ✱

H OW D O YO U M I X M O D E R N A N D V I N TAG E ? If you bring in period pieces, balance those with items that feel contemporary— a set of ‘70s chairs with a sleeker, simpler table. ✱

A N E A S Y WAY T O A D D O L D - H O U S E C H A R AC T E R ? A newly installed chair rail and wainscoting will look original to the home even if they’re not.

✱ The primary bedroom is short on floor space but boasts 14-foot ceilings. An extra-large paper lantern pendant helps visually drop down the ceiling. Weiss’s frequent advice on making decor choices: “Go big or go home.” n