A couple transform a Los Gatos home into a sanctuary to match their personal style and to serve as foundation for family fun.
Designer Ling Law reimagined the gorgeous and highly functional kitchen that features marble Carrara counters, stools from Serena & Lily and hardware from Rejuvenation.
THE PROJECT
A little more than a decade ago, a couple bought a home in Surrey Farms, which is located in Los Gatos. “Even though we were living in London at the time, we knew we wanted to live in Los Gatos, because it was one of our favorite places in the Bay Area,” says the homeowner. “We also knew at some point we wanted to remodel the home and add additional living spaces to have a home office, guest room, larger kitchen and great room area.”
When the couple purchased the home, the property’s style was a little dated and leaning too contemporary, which didn’t match their aesthetic. Both of the homeowners now live in Silicon Valley with their three children, ages 13, 12 and 7, so the time was right to complete a renovation of the property. In fact, roughly two-thirds of the home was a complete demo. A design team would have a nearly pristine palette to work their magic.
THE TEAM
The couple selected Ling Law, principal designer and founder of Ling Interiors (linginteriors.com), to oversee the project. “As a designer, I love the use of natural light, incorporating it into the design whenever possible—skylights, windows, sidelights—making all spaces light and airy,” says Law, who describes her style as timeless and transcending. The designer also notes that she strives to create rooms where nothing becomes dated, as she employs natural tones and natural materials.
This particular project was also aided by a long-lasting friendship: Law knows the couple well and says it streamlined the decision-making process. It’s a process that usually includes an extensive consultation to understand a couple’s lifestyle and lifelong passions.
Law and her team reimagined the 2,950-square-foot house with new guest and pool bathrooms, a newly added mudroom, laundry room, walk-in pantry, revitalized dining room and a restructured kitchen, living room and primary bathroom suite. “We also pushed out the original garage to give the home more usable square footage,” she says.
The dining area showcases a farmhouse-chic aesthetic throughout the light-filled and warm space.
THE GOAL
“The client really loved the idea of a modern farmhouse aesthetic with a light and airy feel,” says Law. “They also wanted to add accent colors around the house and marry them with a neutral overall aesthetic.”
THE CHALLENGES
One hurdle, says Law, was making the media wall work with the room where it’s located. “Before the renovation, the TV-media wall was at an angle, and the family couldn’t properly center the television,” says Law, who notes the solution was to bump out the wall and add two custom built-in display shelves— flanking left and right of the center point of the TV. Also, to combat some of the home’s darker spaces, windows were added to the new laundry room and pantry.
Law layered in elements in the living room that can withstand the lifestyle of an active family with children, including a coffee table from RH and a sofa from Arhaus.
LIVING SPACES
“We knew we wanted the kitchen and the family room to be the focal point of the home because, like most families, it’s where we spend most of our time,” says the homeowner. “I wanted white furniture, but, with three kids and a dog, I thought it would be unrealistic. Ling helped us select pieces for our home that could withstand the wear and tear of three children, yet also look elegant. We chose performance fabric for most of the pieces, and that has held up really well over time.”
For the living room, Law layered in elements that are perfect for an active family. Standout pieces include a coffee table from RH (rh.com), a sofa from Arhaus (arhaus.com) and lighting from Visual Comfort (visualcomfort.com) and Currey & Company (curreyandcompany.com). A rug from Loloi (loloirugs.com) lines the room.
Law used the same mindset—gorgeous form and functionality—in the family’s new kitchen, which features marble counters from Carrara (carrara.com), counter stools from Serena & Lily (serenaandlily.com), plumbing fixtures from Kallista (kallista.com) and hardware from Rejuvenation (rejuvenation.com).
“We were also very pleased to have Ling do a rendering for our kitchen and media center, as it enabled us to picture what the spaces would look like—and we tweaked the design to fit our needs,” says the homeowner. “I can’t stress how critical this was in the entire process. The rendering put us at ease and helped the entire design come together.”
Neutral tones offer a soothing appeal throughout the Los Gatos home.
HOW THE HOME IS LIVING
“Our goal with every home project—whether it’s a renovation or redesign—is to design with intention and to have the client’s vision in mind,” says Law. “When you walk into a room, the home should reflect who the owners truly are. In this case, the clients fell in love with their home, and they’re now enjoying sweet moments.”
For their part, the homeowners have relished every hour in a home that has been transformed from top to bottom. “Ling truly made our home exactly what we were hoping for,” says the homeowner. “We cannot thank her enough. She’s so talented and incredibly hard-working.”
The primary suite’s bath provides plenty of storage in drawers and atop convenient shelving.
DESIGN DETAILS
Home Type
Single-family
Location
Los Gatos
Architect
Warren Design
warrendesigninc.com
General Contractor
Black Bear Builders
@blackbearbuildersca
Interior Design
Ling Interiors
@ling.interiors, linginteriors.com
RESOURCES
Apparatus
Lighting, library
apparatusstudio.com
Arhaus
Sofa, living room; chairs, dining room
arhaus.com
Circa Lighting
Floor lamp, living room
circalighting.com
Currey & Company
Lighting, living room
curreyandcompany.com
Dovetail
Accent chairs, living room
dovetailhome.com
Loloi
Rug, living room
loloirugs.com
Kallista
Fixtures, kitchen
kallista.com
RH
Coffee table, living room
rh.com
Serena & Lily
Rug, dining room
serenaandlily.com
Rejuvenation
Hardware, kitchen
rejuvenation.com
Visual Comfort
Lighting, living room and kitchen
visualcomfort.com
Photography by: NICOLE DIANNE PHOTO
