This 1,250-square-foot weekend retreat in Healdsburg was originally built in 1905 and was extensively remodeled in 2016, so it was in pretty good shape when the new owners bought it. All the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home needed was some personality, so they brought in Emilie Munroe of Studio Munroe, whom they had worked with before, to redecorate the whole place.
Thomas Kuoh Photography
“The client’s goal was a personalized environment that felt inspired and full of delight, while still being uber functional and easy to live in, not precious,” says Emilie.
The original design of the home was neutral and classic, but Emilie and team were tasked with bringing personality, individuality, and a sense of whimsy into each of the rooms.
Thomas Kuoh Photography
The home’s aesthetic was inspired by the clients’ vibrant, eclectic, and cheerful house in San Francisco. Design elements like fanciful wallpapers, hues, animal and marine themes, bold window treatments, and soft and comfortable upholstery items were carried from the SF home to the Healdsburg home, but with a twist.
“We knew we wanted this wine country retreat to feel like the sweet, understated, little sister of the big city home: Aligned and in tune, but exuding a new, fresh energy,” Emilie adds.
Thomas Kuoh Photography
Thomas Kuoh Photography
They added new wallpaper, sconces, and mirrors to the two bathrooms, and wallpaper was added to the entry ceiling and main bedroom and dining room walls. Emilie and team kept the kitchen cabinet’s original paint, while giving the space new furniture, light, and soft goods. The entry, living room, dining room, guest bedroom, main bedroom, and office studio got full furniture and finish upgrades.
Thomas Kuoh Photography
Thomas Kuoh Photography
“We wanted the home to be an unexpected jewel: Cozy and comfortable while also exuding a special wow factor,” Emilie explains. “Like the first home we designed together, we wanted this space to make an immediate impression upon entry, and then gently reveal its mix of unique layered elements as you transitioned through the various rooms. Happiness was the overarching feeling we wanted the rooms to project, but happiness where you can still find a cozy spot to read a book and relax and unwind. Not frenetic or wild, just bright and unique and delightful with interesting objects and unexpected art and textures all around.”
Thomas Kuoh Photography
They incorporated a lot of cozy upholstery, like the banquette in the kitchen and the lounge chair and ottoman in the living room. In the sunlit kitchen, the fruit trees outside inspired the botanical prints that were chosen to the connect the interior with the outdoors. Similarly, botanical drapery panels in the living room have the same effect.
Thomas Kuoh Photography
Emilie says the owners wanted the home to be an inspired, yet relaxing and calm retreat for the clients—a way for them to escape the energy and noise at home. The finished design really does the job: it’s a fun and whimsical getaway.
Thomas Kuoh Photography
Thomas Kuoh Photography
“They adore the new personality and perspective infused into their jewel of a wine country vacation home,” Emilie says of her clients. “There are spaces of tranquility like the seafoam main bedroom and fresh white office space nestled amongst vibrant pattern and personality—the perfect mix for a dynamic, adventuresome couple.”
