California Home & Design: Fall 2021

Written by Lindsey Shook | Photography by Paul Dyer | Original Article

COZY ON THE COAST

Step inside a waterfront Tiburon home crafted by Julie Rootes Interiors for a couple with East Coast roots

“I wanted to tackle the project with a new traditional sensibility,” says designer Julie Rootes about a home on the Tiburon waterfront she recently designed for a pair of empty nesters. “They have refined taste and love color, patterns, trims. This inspired me to showcase their love of color and their traditional sensibility while keeping everything fresh and simple.”

Long term Tiburon residents, the clients spend a portion of the year in Sonoma and selected this home on the water for the unmatched coastal setting. “It is situated on the lagoon with views of both Mount Tamalpais and the Bay, plus a view of Old Saint Hilary’s church from the front,” says Rootes. “It’s pretty incredible to stand in there and take it all in. They have grown children and grandchildren so the goal was always to make it a family home where they could host family dinners, holidays and sleepovers with the grandchildren.”

Aside from from needing space for entertaining, the couple wanted to experience views throughout each room while still feeling a sense of privacy. “The size of the lot and FEMA regulations definitely impacted what we could and couldn’t do in terms of the overall design and build intent but we were still able to adapt and achieve the overall goals,” says Roots. “The home contains multiple use spaces—a guest bedroom also serving as an office, dining room off of the kitchen that serves as the main eating space.”

The team infused each space with warmth through soft neutrals and added pops of personality with vibrantly printed textiles and wallpapers. With tons of the desired natural light flooding in, Rootes was cognizant of protecting these selections. “We had everything UV and stain treated before it was upholstered and all windows have dual treatments to filter sunlight,” she notes. “The clients didn’t want to worry about their small grandchildren ruining the furniture and rugs so we stain treated and UV protected everything to give them an extra layer of protection.”

The designer was able to realize the perfect amount of welcoming energy her clients wanted family and guests to feel the moment they arrived. “I think the fact that the builder took his parents in to tour the home and told them it was his favorite project he has ever built summed up the level of satisfaction on all levels,” she says. “The clients were blown away and the handwritten thank you note my client sent me is still one of my all-time favorites.”