This California Home Is Packed With Playful Patterns

When Kara Cronk set out to make a new home for her kids after separating from her husband, she got lucky with an airy 1,300-square-foot house in the San Francisco neighborhood where they already lived. “The stuff I bought faced two tests,” says Kara. “Do I love it, and would it make me and the kids happy?”

The answers were “yes” and “yes” when she saw a Thos. Moser trestle dining table. She pictured it as a place for post-soccer pizzas, birthday celebrations and weekend breakfasts with waffles made from scratch. “I knew it would be the cornerstone of our home,” says Kara. Next, with help from designer Emilie Munroe, she tackled some smallish reno projects, including removing a fireplace in the living room to create more hangout space and turning an unfinished attic into a playroom. They blended colors, patterns and art, embracing a fresh start and any shade of pink Kara wanted.

Whether Kara’s coming or going, the house is a powerful reminder that her place reflects her taste. She chose a blush paint (Pale Petal by Benjamin Moore) for the door and gave herself flowers in the carved blue cabinet, from Anthropologie. The petite pink lamp by Mitzi plays off the door's rosy hue. The runner is Erin Gates by Momeni.

A family gathering place was homeowner Kara Cronk’s top priority, so she ordered this Thos. Moser cherry wood table before anything else. It's extendable to 120 inches thanks to two self-storing leaves. The trio of prints hanging on the Pierre Frey wallpaper are by Allyson Brown.

The blue backsplash and floral window shade were already in place when Kara moved in and jibed with her colorful aesthetic. She just added a complementary runner (by Joanna Gaines for Anthropologie). “Cooking has always been meditative for me,” she says, “especially in this space because it has doors that close it off.”