21 Wowza Ways These Homeowners Made Their Coronado, California House Awesome

When Jessica and Kyle Tompane lucked into their dream location for a home — a property in Coronado, California, next door to their best friends — they set out to build a fantasy house to match.

As a designer, Jessica had done her fair share of dreaming. “I had all this pent-up energy, like, I want to use all the pretty things! ” she says. “With a brand-new house, we had the opportunity to make it uniquely us with lots of details.”

Topping her list: graphic tile, creative built-ins and wallpaper put up in unexpected ways. For furniture, she picked simple shapes and cozy textures, then went all in on ooh-where’d-you-get-that accessories, creating a welcoming place to hang out with their daughter and, of course, their nearby pals. In the Tompane house, it really is all about the small stuff. Above, Jessica and Kyle hang garland while German shepherd Turbo plays with Paisley, the couple's daughter.

Pictured: Jessica, Kyle and Paisley, 3 (the couple’s baby is due in December).

1. Chic organizers: Wall-mounted pockets and a tobacco basket, all from Ballard Designs, hold papers, presents and cards. Hung in line with the stairs, they greet visitors in style.

2. A bench seat with edge: Denim blue fabric on top and tan on the sides make
it distinct.

3. Slide-out baskets: Wheeled woven ones come in handy for scarves and Paisley’s backpack; they’re from HomeGoods, as is the pink-and-white rug.

4. A bold backsplash: Cement tiles from Villa & Mission Imports with a large-scale, Spanish-influenced design have a spunky yet classic vibe.

5. A red island: The spicy color plays off the warm tones of the wall tile and energizes the entire space. The counter stools are by Palecek.

6. Extra-high counters: Tall homeowners deserve tall countertops! These are a customized 38 inches high instead of the standard 36.

7. Built-ins, but better: The custom cabinets have Gothic arch details inspired by a trip the couple took to Prague. Those fireplace surround panels are actually speakers for the sound system.

8. Colorful seating: A coral tweedy sectional by Kravet has space for the whole fam to stretch out — pass the popcorn and the remote!

9. A big “wow!” on the wall: Jessica fell for the quatrefoil mirrored piece at a local antiques shop, bought it without knowing where she’d put it, then found a standout spot.

10) Fancy wallpaper, with a twist: “We wanted a look that’s as special as the pitched roof,” says Jessica. She ended this Schumacher pattern partway up and capped it with 6-inch-wide molding.

11) Cozy flair: The luxe, velvety textures of the wine-color rug and the bed’s upholstery — both by Kravet — make the room especially inviting.

12) Not-the-same-old curtains: Jessica added funky trim that matches the wallpaper colors.

13) Cool tile tricks: Tile that runs from the floor to a wide stripe in the shower draws the eye up to the ceiling, making the room seem larger.

14) Look-twice lighting: Jessica chose swing-arm sconces and a wiry red lantern by Visual Comfort because, she says, “they don’t look like stereotypical bathroom lights.”

15) A ritzy mirror: A fancy pewter vintage find balances out the modern vanity.

16) Wallpaper borders: Jessica made the accent wall of Cole & Son diamonds even more fab by layering on a wallpaper border with similar colors — see the span of gumdrop shapes between the windows?

17) Magical beds: Twin beds from Smartstuff, adorned with wreaths from Curious Blooms on Etsy, have a whimsical feel (and come in handy for reaching the advent calendar from Paper Source).

18) A foam beam: It highlights the cathedral ceiling and costs about half the price of a wood one. No one can tell!