A Kitschy Balboa Island Cottage Got a Colorful, Quirky Makeover

Nothing can beat the location of this four-bedroom, six-bathroom home on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California: a cozy, tight-knit community that’s accessible by ferry, bridge, or boat. But the home itself had potential, but needed an update when its current homeowners—a couple with three school-age daughters and a dog—bought the place.

There is an open flow between the kitchen, living area, and dining area.

Ryan Garvin

“It needed significant updating in both style and layout to meet the family’s needs,” says Wendy Blackband, principal and lead designer of Blackband Design. “The floor plan felt tight, and the design leaned heavily into dated cottage charm that wasn’t making the best use of the space.”

Great Room in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — “They’re active, down-to-earth, and love bright, happy, unique design—finally, a client who truly embraces color! We were thrilled to pull out new colorful swatches,” Wendy says.

Wendy’s clients envisioned a space where their daughters could hang out with friends as they grew older, and where guests could comfortably stay. They’re active, down-to-earth, and love bright and happy designs, so they were definitely looking for an eclectic, personal, and character-filled aesthetic. Functionality, better flow, and more open spaces were also a priority.

Kitchen in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The kitchen has function and style.

“The philosophy of this project was summed up early on: ‘Why do what everyone does when the design could be fun and different?’” Wendy says.

Stairs in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — Tropical green wallpaper runs up the staircase ceiling.

The renovation was a down-to-studs transformation, with the design inspiration coming from nature, the island’s relaxed charm, and artwork from both the wife and other artists. The clients weren’t afraid of color, which is music to any designer’s ears.

Green Kitchenette in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — “We converted a bonus room into a personalized, eclectic space for the family, complete with a kitchenette for functional living,” Wendy says.

Bonus Room Fireplace in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The fireplace in the bonus room has a fun design.

“The goal was to find the sweet spot between bold and timeless, layering rich color selections with soft, coastal-inspired neutrals,” Wendy explains. “We pulled inspiration from coastal nature scenes: burl wood, live-edge furniture, sea-blue tiles in the main bath, natural material light fixtures in the kitchen and dining room, green kitchenette and palm tree wallpaper, and bougainvillea pink front door. Turquoise fabric with an animal menagerie print covers the great room’s swivel chairs and a tropical green wallpaper runs up the staircase ceiling—two fun surprises in the home.”

Dining Room in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The house’s Dutch door is painted pink as a nod to the island’s bougainvillea.

The first big change was relocating the front door from an alleyway to the street-facing side. Inside, the main living space was reworked to create a natural flow between the living room, dining room, and kitchen. For an indoor-outdoor feel, they installed large sliding doors in the great room to open it up to the front patio.

Fish Tank in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — “The husband wanted an office that felt connected to the rest of the home but could still offer some acoustic separation—and he had dreamt of having a built-in fish tank that could be enjoyed from both the great room and the office,” Wendy says.

Home Office in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The quiet home office.

The original home office was dark, small, and closed-off, but it was relocated with an entrance in the great room. The husband dreamt of having a built-in fish tank that could be viewed from the office and great room, and he got his wish—it separates the two spaces, along with a glass door.

Primary Bedroom in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The primary bedroom was rearranged so the homeowners could enjoy the bay views.

Coffee Bar in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — There’s a coffee bar in the primary bedroom.

The main bedroom also got a major makeover, with the design team making several modifications to the floor plan. “Originally, there was a fireplace where the headboard now sits,” Wendy says. “Removing it was a must—it was important to both the clients and our team to use that wall for the bed, allowing them to wake up to a bay view. The original closet was very small—in fact, it’s now where their coffee bar is located. To create a proper walk-in closet, accessible through the bathroom, we borrowed space from the adjacent secondary bedroom.”

Primary Bathroom in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The primary bathroom features colorful tile.

A notable renovation addition is the rooftop deck, which was expanded over the entire footprint of the home and is now a big space for entertaining and enjoying the views. Another noteworthy details is the restoration of the lighthouse on the post of the home’s stair rail.

Rooftop Deck in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The expansive roof deck is perfect for entertaining.

“It had undeniable charm and serves as a mini time capsule from the original home,” Wendy adds. “Bringing it to life—especially making it functional and actually light up—was a fun and rewarding challenge.”

Lighthouse Stair Post in Balboa Island Cottage by Blackband Design — The stair’s original lighthouse detail was restored.

The final design feels easy breezy, stylish, and fun. It very much evokes its beachy environment, and the homeowners agree. “They’re so happy to be living on Balboa Island in a beautiful home that reflects their love for the area—enjoying their coffee from the sitting area of their bedroom watching boats pass by, filling the bonus room with teen friends on the weekends, and hosting many birthday parties on the rooftop deck!” Wendy says.

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