Colorful New Home and a New Beginning

While making a new beginning for herself and two daughters, this homeowner hired designer Patty Malone to give her new home the colorful, personal touches she desired for a fun, upbeat atmosphere.

A fun family full of kids and pets and a new home with a blank slate were the inspiration for this crazy, colorful home, complete with an indoor swing and tons of eye-catching wallpaper.

Kitchen Banquette with Orange Cushions and Graphic Roman Shades

Gray and Orange Kitchen Banquette

This vibrant orange and gray kitchen banquette offers a prime spot to enjoy the bay window overlooking the backyard. Perennials fabric covers the seat cushions, including the Crate & Barrel Delta chairs. Graphic throw pillows complete the look and coordinate with the Roman shades.

Photo by: Patty Malone

Patty Malone

What were the main items on your client’s wish list?

The client said that she wanted to create a young, fun, contemporary and artistic space for herself and her daughters. Nothing was ever too crazy! The key was to make the kids, dogs and hamster feel at home and not worry about the collateral damage. My client was beginning anew, so everything was a fresh start in terms of furniture and furnishings. The newly purchased, four bedroom, four bathroom traditional-style home had a great floor plan. She had purchased some big foundation pieces before we met, so we proceeded to fill in the blanks. Literally every room needed window treatments, furniture, paint or wallpaper, lighting, beds, chairs, rugs, towels…you name it!

What were the main objectives and goals you set out to accomplish?

Since we were furnishing every room from scratch, the objectives were pretty straight forward. We wanted each room to have a sense of both whimsy and comfort. We were both really eager to create a tone for the new home. One that conveyed a non-fussy, non-traditional but comfortable setting where the girls and their friends would like to hang out. The family room is quite large. The existing stone floor was not my client’s first choice, but we found a lovely Moroccan rug from Restoration Hardware that warmed the room and gave it an updated feel. We designed a midcentury inspired TV console. The sectional is from Room and Board. It is essentially an incredibly comfortable mosh pit! We reupholstered an Eames-era swivel chair in a Quadrille Java Grande print. The roman shades are from Gastón y Daniela. The red love letters are such a pop in the otherwise neutral space. It speaks to the feeling my client wants to imbue in her new home.

Shop This Look

What makes this home unique to your client? 

By adding a banquette in the kitchen we created a cozy spot for the girls to do homework. It inspires conversation and time together. The kitchen has a large bay window that looks out to the pool and backyard. We wanted a vibrant yet welcoming spot to come home to and catch up on the day. We upholstered the cushion in Plushy Mandarin by Perennials. The light fixture is from Arteriors. The cast iron base is vintage, and the top is stacked plywood with a laminate top. The Roman shades are from Christopher Farr. We liked the Crate and Barrel ship style metal chairs with the table and color of the cabinets and banquette. They are easy to move around and comfortable with a plushy cushion.

What was your biggest obstacle in the design of this home?

We decided early not to completely renovate the bathrooms or kitchens. We were faced with dated and conservative cabinetry and finishes. In the kitchen, we painted the cabinets a dark gray, which immediately updated the look and went well with the existing dark green stone. In the master bath, we pulled out the old vanities and designed and installed a contemporary floating pair of vanities with new fixtures and Caesar stone. We refaced the tub surround in the same manner. Rather than ripping up the tile on the floor we had a large area rug made and added an oversized ottoman. The new Roman shades, paint and chandelier make the old bath seem quite new and custom.

What was the inspiration for the style of this home?

The owner had purchased a couple of items before I came on to the project: a gray living room sofa, gray chairs and a chartreuse ottoman. She was really happy with the colors, so we went from there. The girls’ rooms were more individualized, and the owner chose a cool and simple palette of silver and white for the master suite.

How did you make transitions from room to room without losing the individuality of each space?

Playful Game Room Space

Foosball Game Room

This homeowner opted for a foosball room over a home office. To create a playful space, the designer installed a custom Lucite swing, Alan Campbell Montecito Zig Zag Roman shades, an IKEA sheepskin rug and Currey & Company's Simpatico Orb Chandelier.

Photo by: Patty Malone

Patty Malone

The front of the house (entry way, dining room, living room, foosball room, powder room and guest room) is done in varying shades of green and chartreuse. From the living room, you can see the entry way, dining room and foosball room. They have an organic feel. In the living room, we used the Moss Triptych from Natural Curiosities. Looking past that you see the succulent wall paper and matching fabric Roman shades. The foosball room, previously an office, is wallpapered in a silver grass cloth from Pierre Frey. The fabric on the Roman shades is Alan Campbell green zig zag. To bring the outside in, we installed an acrylic swing in the window bay so one can swing while waiting their turn to play. The guest bath in between the foosball room and guest room and is papered in Eleanor Peridot at Night, a dreamy slate background paper with chartreuse birds.

What’s the trick to picking the right color palette?

We used a couple of different shades of Benjamin Moore whites. I think the only colored walls we painted were in the master bathroom and the one of the girls’ rooms. The oldest daughter chose a turquoise accent wall to set off the Lucite bubble chair.

What was your favorite space to design in this home?

Dining Room with Yellow Floral Wallpaper and Gray Chairs

Whimsical Yellow Dining Room

Vibrant yellow-and-white wallpaper sets the tone for this Alice-in-Wonderland-meets-London dining room. Fun touches include a bright yellow wingback chair, oval chandelier and slip-covered dining chairs.

Photo by: Patty Malone

Patty Malone

My favorite is the dining room. I had never used matching wallpaper and drapery fabric in the same room. To me this room feels like an homage to Alice in Wonderland if she were having tea in London. The fanciful yet industrial light fixture, the oversized dripping succulent wallpaper, the oversized custom corduroy wingback chairs, the cement dining table, and the leather-bound sisal all create an instant atmosphere of whimsy and cheeriness.

Is there a pattern, material or color that’s repeated throughout the home?

The dark steel gray color seems to be repeated throughout the public spaces. It grounds every room. You can find it everywhere from the kitchen cabinets to the wainscoting in the dining room, the light fixtures in the kitchen, dining, foyer and foosball room to the background color in the powder room.

What is your favorite feature, element or detail of the space?

Colorful Girl's Bedroom with Bright Blue Secretary Centerpiece

Color-Filled Girl's Bedroom

This radiant girl's bedroom uses many colors. A Knoll chair reupholstered in fuchsia leather sits in front of a bright blue vintage secretary, with an orange pouf nearby for extra seating. The area rug also incorporates several colors, making this room bright and cheerful.

Photo by: Patty Malone

Patty Malone

The youngest daughter was adamant that she wanted every color in her room. We looked at a lot of samples but nothing was quite right. I found wallpaper online from a company that produces high resolution decals. We had the popsicle decals sized at four feet each and hung them in her room. I found the secretary on line and had it lacquered turquoise. The vintage Knoll chair is reupholstered in hot pink leather. The rugs are from IKEA. I had them cut and sewn together in a mismatched pattern. I love this graphic pop of a room for a young girl. I was very pleased that she was satisfied with the representation of the color wheel!

We love the fun entryway. Did you try to carry the mood created by the entry throughout the home?

Custom Steel-Framed Mirror and Matching Chalkboard in Entryway

Welcoming Entry Hall

A custom steel-framed mirror and matching chalkboard flank the walls of this entryway. A charming pendant light hangs overhead, while an area rug fills the entryway with color.

Photo by: Patty Malone

Patty Malone

The owner had gone on a bit of a buying spree on One Kings Lane. Who can blame her? The rug was one of those purchases. Since it was not large enough for any other room, we had it cut down for the foyer. The girls are young and have lots of friends over all the time. I wanted the entry to be welcoming and feel fun, so I asked my framer to help create the mirror and chalkboard. I found the hands online and had them painted silver. The chartreuse is a color we used throughout the home.

How did you use integrate your style into this project?

I always try to reuse furniture, be it something that the owner has or that I have found at a flea market or on craigslist. I do love a total transformation! The blue secretary was a peeling black mess when I found it. But it is now functional and adds the weight and pop to the girl’s room that was needed. I come from a film background, so I love creating vignettes and telling stories with the furniture and “props.”

What are the “hidden gems” in your plan that really make a big difference?

Colorful Teen Bedroom With Hanging Bubble Chair

Teen Girl's Bedroom With Hanging Bubble Chair

"Fun" is the word that best describes this teen girl's room. A blue focal wall matches the custom headboard, making the room pop with color. A hanging bubble chair provides bedside seating, while a four-foot-wide, flokati-covered rolling ottoman offers extra seating and a contrasting color to the blue and pink accents.

Photo by: Patty Malone

Patty Malone

I have the best people on my team. I collaborate with my upholsterer who is really so artistic. He came up with the flokati bench in the teenager’s room. It is a rolling four-foot-long bench upholstered in hot pink flokati skins. It looks like something out of the Grinch movie. Across the hall we upholstered the younger sister’s vintage chairs in hot pink leather. I love reusing vintage pieces in a new way. The Eames-style Plycraft chair in the family room looks so great with the Java Grande graphic print on it. I am also a big fan of Perennials. The comfort level is so high and you can’t beat it for stains. We used Plushy in the kitchen on the banquette and one of the daughter’s headboards. We used the terrycloth version in the master bathroom on an oversized custom ottoman.

Next Up

Before and After: A Light, Bright Kitchen Makeover

A dated kitchen in Edmond, OK, gets a stunning update. HGTV Magazine takes you inside.

Not Another Blue Kitchen

Striking teal cabinets add to the fun in this San Francisco Bay Area cookspace. Take the tour with HGTV Magazine.

Step Inside Tiffany Brooks' Stunning Home Library

This HGTV star has more than 1,000 design books in her gorgeous reading room. Check out her must-reads!

Light, Bright Transitional Home Makeover

In this light, transitional home project by designer Blanche Garcia, the homeowner got her wish for a relaxed atmosphere full of style to share with her two children and dog.

Contemporary Living With a Rustic Flair

To open up this condo and make one large living space, designer Rachel James worked her demo and designer magic, resulting in an open living space full of bright colors and cool accent pieces.

A Lived-In Living Room Update

Learn how designer Tony Stavish gave this Chicago living room a collected-over-time look, making it the perfect blend of old and new.

Wasted Outdoor Space Given New Life

Expecting to start a project working on a staircase, landscape designer James Bertrand saw an outdoor space he just had to rescue.

Updated White Transitional Kitchen

Lighter cabinets and countertop choices helped designers Angelique Baez and Sonny Hires give this transitional kitchen a much-needed update.

Outdated Master Suite Goes Glam

Designer Nile Johnson proves he knows design when he turns a master suite that's stuck in the past into a glamorous getaway full of interesting details.

Culinary Kitchen Remodel

Designer Linda McDougald cooked up a kitchen remodel with state-of-the-art appliances, plenty of storage and a nature-inspired palette to suit the dreams of a culinary student.
Patty Malone

Patty Malone

Contact Me
Patty Malone Interior Design
www.pattymaloneinteriors.com 507 Venado Vista Drive La Canada, CA 91011 323-697-7320