Light, Bright Transitional Home Makeover


To make this home feel more relaxed and inviting, designer Blanche Garcia used soft colors, lightly-textured fabrics and a smart mix of delicate patterns. The beautiful result is a soothing transitional home with classic details and an overall feeling of comfort.
Describe the homeowner's wish list.
They wanted a simple but elegant space with soothing and relaxed colors, classic profiles and family-friendly finishes.
What was the biggest issue the design addressed?
My client owns a skincare company that she mostly runs from a home office. I needed to make sure she had ample space to run a successful business while at the same time ensuring that the home didn’t look like a busy home office run amok.
Light, Airy Transitional Home Makeover
See All PhotosDescribe an obstacle in the space.
My client’s tastes veered toward lighter tones, which are hard to keep clean with two children and a dog in the home. Using deeper and thicker base fabrics and layering lighter fabrics as accents and pillows solved our design dilemma.
How did the end result match your original vision?
I think everything looks pretty close to my original design. There were a few personal accent and furniture items that I hadn’t anticipated having to reuse, but that’s what makes the design come to life.
What lessons did you learn from this project?
I learned that if even one detail feels off, no matter how small, to follow my instinct to change it. Any time I wasn’t completely convinced on a design choice – guess what? – neither was my client. So following my design instincts are now at the top of my list.
What are the hidden gems that make a big difference?
I always make sure my seating feels comfortable by adding inches onto the depth. I like to go no less than 36 inches but no more than 42 inches for a really opulent feel.