Light

Aplace to find comfort, a place to entertain loved ones, a place to raise a family—all of these are goals that Susan and John Hjalmquist bore in mind when creating the home of their dreams. Goals that while unquantifiable, were of immense value.

The home, inspired by an unmistakably Tuscan design, exudes comfort at first sight. With the refined color palette of creams and browns that travel throughout the home, this home rejects the make every room different mentality that many people have when attempting to put together a home. The familiarity of each room, when compared to the last, is a testament to the vision that the homeowners had when piecing together their home—an unrestricted space with the ability of being traveled through with ease. With help from Lori McCuaig from LMC Design Group, the homeowners made this vision a reality. “We wanted an open house, it was important to have it open, with tall ceilings and to have a lot of windows … we just wanted light,” said Susan.

An exceptional feat of the home’s design is its ability to reflect luminescence throughout, maintaining the aura of lightness that the homeowners intend to showcase. The interior’s pillars direct light to the walls, which in turn illuminate the exquisite furnishings, most of which consist of a cohesive yet tastefully eclectic mix. Along with the furniture, the homeowners have managed to gather a collection of art from their travels to display in their home. “As my boys grew up, we started traveling more and we were able to get more things for our home. Collecting art was something we had to grow,” said Susan. In a very apparent manner, the art gathered functions as an abstract travelogue that the homeowners can reminisce over. “We’ve lived in this home for fifteen years and put our heart and soul into it.”

The kitchen is Susan’s favorite room in the house and it serves a very specific purpose. The space contains unique features such as a functional fireplace directly behind the stove. The kitchen is also home to a massive iron pot rack, one of the very first pieces that the homeowners included in their home. It was important that the kitchen be a central point with visual access to the rest of the home. “It is my favorite because it’s open to the family room and when raising three boys, it was important that I could always be in contact with the family.”

The home boasts an outdoor loggia—a preferred place to lounge and enjoy a book pulled directly from their home library. The back yard of the home provides the spectacular ambience felt through the valley, one of which can also be enjoyed through a dip in the pool.

When it comes down to the overarching purpose of their home, it is ultimately a place where comfort and entertainment meet. “Our house is about family, hospitality, friends,” said Susan. Through years of refined taste and the joy of having had a family raised in it, this home’s story is one that can only be remembered through comforting and loving memories.