Tour a Stylish Home Full of Kid-Friendly Design Ideas

When you’re house hunting and you’re outnumbered by your kids, space is a top priority, so Emily Chang and Jonathan Stull were sold right away on a Piedmont, California, Tudor revival: It’s 4,800 square feet, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, plenty of room for the family of six. (Emily, a journalist, and Jonathan, a tech executive, are parents of kids ages 6, 9, 11 and 13.)

“We knew we’d have plenty of room to spread out, and the house had really good bones,” says Emily. For the renovation, they turned to designer Heather Peterson to give each room an overhaul with punchy prints and bold colors. “I was always drawn to color, and Heather helped me use it in a way that felt calming and homey,” says Emily. Read on to take the tour.

This space sets the colorful tone for the rest of the house with plum-hued wallpaper sporting a petite diamond print and coordinating burgundy walls (Brinjal by Farrow & Ball). The bench is covered in the same print as the wallpaper, and a mix of ikat pillows and a vintage rug layer even more colors and patterns into the space.

This room was too big for just one seating area but not big enough for two, so the couple used an orange chaise from Lee Industries to divide the adult section from a small TV and LEGO zone for the kids. The sofa is vintage and reupholstered in fabric from Penny Morrison. The vintage armchairs are from Chairish. The soft peach paint color (Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball) gives the whole space a rosy tint.

"Dark green for the cabinets felt like a big decision, but I love how it gives the kitchen a vintage feel," says Emily (Kismet by Backdrop). The patterned black-and-white tile is from Tabarka Studio, and the hardware is from Water Street Brass. The cabinet at counter level is a large appliance garage that hides the toaster and microwave. “Color choices come in and out of fashion, but if you choose a palette because you love it, it will be timeless by definition,” says Heather.

The old layout didn’t include a spot for a kitchen table, so this nook was a huge upgrade. The custom-laminated banquette fabric is from Schumacher. “The pattern is forgiving, and we can wipe it down — a plus when kids are around,” says Emily. The pendant is from Visual Comfort & Co.

To make this spacious suite feel super cozy, Heather and Emily chose a leafy striped wallpaper by Thibaut with a subtle metallic sheen. Emily and Jonathan had the bed before they moved in, but here they added a mirror from the Alameda flea market above it. "It’s important that the house feels collected. Those unique pieces are the most meaningful," says Emily. The bedside lamps are from Visual Comfort & Co.

This spot has a gravitational pull on the kids. “They curl up here more than I do!” says Emily. The chaise is covered in an Osborne & Little wool. The chandelier is from Palecek, and the cockatoo chair is from Selamat.

The couple added a little whimsy to this space with a weeping willow Schumacher wallpaper and a botanical sconce from Visual Comfort & Co. The mirrors are from RH, the floor tile is from Clé and the white oak vanity is custom.

Emily fell for this Dash & Albert rug and Hygge & West wallpaper for her 6-year-old daughter’s room, so she built everything else around those two pieces. “She loves the window seat and is old enough now to appreciate the view of the trees outside,” says Emily. The bench fabric is from Schumacher and the bed is from CB2.

The brothers who share this room are 9 and 11, and each has his own treasure box at the foot of his bed: vintage trunks Emily found at the Alameda flea market. Heather spruced up the Crate & Barrel beds with Euro pillows made from Clarence House fabric. The rug is from Dash & Albert.