House Tour: Black, White and Red All Over

Emily Yeates isn’t color-phobic. But in 2012, to make her family’s bungalow in Phoenix, AZ seem larger than its 968 square feet, the interior designer pared down her palette. Doing only neutrals with red accents “gives the rooms a cohesive look, so they feel bigger,” she says. Low-key hues let the rustic-industrial pieces she makes—marquee letter signs, barn door shutters—shine. Emily shares this two-bedroom house with husband Tanner, son Bowen, daughter Lydia, and their two shih tzus Mylee and Penelope.

To refresh the 1945 house, Emily painted the front door Raw Cinnabar by Behr, then added instant character with barn-style X-trim and a cast-iron Welcome sign. Also boosting the charm: all-weather curtains from amazon.com and string lights from The Home Depot. A bike, spray-painted white and upcycled into a planter, is a nod to the Yeates’ shared passion for cycling.

Emily used black and white paint (Black and Swiss Coffee, both by Dunn-Edwards) to add bold stripes to the entryway.

Since the house lacked any dedicated dining space, Emily turned a corner of the living room into a cozy meal spot. A wall-spanning linen-blend banquette and a table topped with subway tiles—she built both!—can seat eight. Another Emily original: a framed mosaic of penny tiles pointing the way toward nearby Oak Street. The wood and metal stools are from World Market and the hoop chandelier is from lampsplus.com.