Tour a California-Cool Dutch Colonial With Mid-Century Style

Some people have wanderlust and move every few years. Others buy houses they can see themselves in for the long haul — exactly how Joanne Hagopian and John Eknoian felt when they got their 1927 Dutch Colonial in Berkeley, California.

It was a good size (2,100 square feet), with a big yard to boot. Less lovely: All the floors, windows, and plumbing had to be replaced; the second story needed reconfiguring; and the finishes were older than old. “But we got busy raising a family and overwhelmed by decisions,” says Joanne. “We even back-burnered fixing a hole in the living room ceiling after a leak.” Twelve years in, they hired a contractor and tapped designer Ellen Nystrom. The pieces and palette chosen play up the couple’s fondness for mid-century style and, bonus, their alma mater: “We couldn’t resist UCLA blue and yellow,” says Joanne. Now that it’s done, they’re really never leaving!

With three children who like to hole up in their rooms, Joanne wanted this space to be temptingly comfy. A curved sofa by Lee Industries opposite a cushy armchair and ottoman by Global Views give people room to sprawl out, while layered rugs — a neutral Fibreworks wool rug topped with a vintage Swedish flat-weave kind — make it cozy. Two wood Blu Dot tables often serve as perches for board games and snacks.

Just like this family, the Shaker-style table was staying put. “It’s the first nice piece of furniture I ever bought,” says Joanne. The couple had it refinished to remove a burn mark from a long-ago Christmas candle mishap, and designer Ellen refreshed it with chairs upholstered in burnt orange fabric. Neutral drapes let the sunburst wallpaper by Thibaut on the ceiling shine.