Sneak-A-Peek || Rachel's Family Friendly Living Room

Sara, here! Designing for a young family always poses its own set of special challenges. You want the space to be functional and accessible to everyone. You want major pieces to be durable and able to withstand a toddler tornado. Above all else, you want it to look nice, which is no easy feat with the littles running around. With all of that in mind, let me just say, interior designer, Rachel Madden nailed it with the design of her home in San Anselmo, California, just outside of San Francisco. Homegirl has the most welcoming and beautiful space, that she shares with her husband, Dave and their two young girls, Paige and Ella, and she was generous enough to give us a tour...

The home and its main living areas are meant to feel comfortable so that they can enjoy ample amounts of play time and relax outside of Rachel’s design business and Dave’s boutique management consulting firm. What initially attracted the Maddens to the home were its dramatic, gorgeous views of the surrounding California landscape…California is just so gorgeous, isn’t it?...and the open flow of the main areas where they congregate. Rachel designed the space to feel subtle and to mimic the earthy tones of the terrain surrounding the property. Doing so helped open up their home and create a natural flow from inside to the sweeping outdoor space. Pieces feel earthy and relaxed, yet crisp and modern.

One of the real showpieces in the home is the large, multi-colored stone fireplace. When they first moved in, Rachel knew she wanted to make it a focal point. Rachel says, “I love the earthy feel of the fireplace and its large scale in the room. When we first saw the house staged, the fireplace was competing with the busy patterns in the space and felt too overwhelming. But by choosing subtle patterns and soft colors drawn from the tones in the stone, it allowed the fireplace to take center stage with nothing competing with it.”

She also updated the lighting throughout the living and dining areas with a new chandelier and sconces to brighten up the home and mimic the ever-present California sunshine, as well as carried the blue from sky into the blue glass tile backsplash in her kitchen. The end result is a peaceful harmony as the three rooms flow in to one large space her entire family can spend time together in and enjoy.