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For Hana Mattingly, the principal designer at Innen Studio, being picky can be a really good thing when you’re renovating. That’s the approach she chose when a San Francisco-based doctor and lawyer with two boys asked her to reimagine their circa-1929 farmhouse up in Healdsburg, California. Some details, like the hexagon tile in the mudroom, felt outdated; in other areas, there was a glaring lack of storage. But overall, there was a warmth to the house that she loved, from the original wraparound porch to the wood-burning fireplace. “We kept elements we really liked but made it more functional,” says Mattingly.
Making the 2,051 square foot house practical for everyday life was extra important to these clients, who, after buying the place as a weekend escape eventually decided to move out to Sonoma wine country full time. Before they hired the designer, the owners had met with architects who said it’d be easiest to tear everything down to the studs and start fresh, but that’d mean losing the exposed beams, columns, and charming, crooked floorboards. That’s when they reached out to Mattingly, and she showed them that a 360-degree update is possible without a gut reno.
Streamline the Kitchen Island
One of the biggest improvements Mattingly made was getting rid of the two-tiered island and replacing it with a structure that lets you walk all the way around it. While all the cabinets are the same (just finished with fresh paint and hardware), she replaced the Caesarstone countertops with soapstone, added new plumbing fixtures, and had her cabinet maker, Tobias Hall, surround the new refrigerator with larger cabinets so the appliance appeared flush with the millwork.
Hide Floors That Don’t Quite Match
It was starting to bug Mattingly that there were three different wood floors throughout the house. Making them all the same would have been a huge money and time suck, so as a quick fix, she painted directly on top of the mismatched boards. “It was a way to not rip things out since we were on a tighter timeline and because they were living in the house,” says the designer. The office and bedroom floors are now swathed in a deep green called Rainy Afternoon by Benjamin Moore.
Don’t Ditch a Perfectly Comfy Sofa
Replacing the large leather sofa in the living room that was left behind by the previous owners with something similarly sized and custom would have cost around $20,000. Mattingly, simply wanting to plump up the worn-down cushions, had them replaced and upholstered in a striped Perennials fabric designed by Rose Tarlow and left the leather frame exposed. “It was probably half the price of having gone with a new sofa,” says the designer.
Keep the Staircase Low-Maintenance
Mattingly put the rest of the Rainy Afternoon paint color to work on the staircase. Initially, she planned to wrap the surrounding walls in wallpaper but her clients got cold feet—their two kids would subject it to too much wear and tear. “She just wanted it to be clean and simple,” says Mattingly, “whereas wallpaper made total sense in her office where it’s a bit more concealed.”
Sleep Peacefully Surrounded by One Color
The designer continued to streamline things in the primary bedroom, where varying ceiling heights were making the space feel choppy. By painting the walls and ceiling the same shade (Light Blue by Farrow & Ball) and replacing the outdated builtins and window seat with a simple bench, she brought a renewed sense of calm to the space.
Make a World of Difference with Just a Window
The primary bathroom was in solid condition, so all the designer did was paint the window trim in keeping with the home’s new blue-green palette and add shades for privacy (all the window treatments in the home are UV-blocking to help regulate the temperature during the warmer months).
Take the Bookcases to the Ceiling
The sitting area in front of the wood-burning fireplace was cozy as-is. Her only tweak? Capping the tops and bottoms of the built-in bookshelves so they felt a little less IKEA and a bit more bespoke. She also brought in vintage chairs that are recovered in corduroy fabric and a vintage rug from Mark Phillips. “It’s their favorite spot in the house—and their massive great dane loves sitting there, too,” says the designer.