My friend Jody is a Pottery Barn Kids executive who lives with her artist husband, Tommy, and daughter, Dahlia, in a gorgeous 1940s San Francisco home. You might imagine her home to look like a Pottery Barn catalog but it doesn't.
It's a unique blend of Pottery Barn treasures she's collected over the past 20 years working for them, paired with original vintage finds you won't see in print, or in your neighbor's living room. Jody and Tommy's clever combinations with Asian-inspiration, form an eclectic style all their own where it's never obvious where Jody popped in catalog elements. Complemented by original artwork and sentimental artifacts from milestone life events and travels, it all blends together into one stunning, feel-good home.
Take Jody's dining room, for example. The hand-made, European wallpaper is to die for--Chinese Toile from Brunswick and Fils in a sassy yet calming green.
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| Brunswick and Fils 69447-477 |
Then there’s the gallery of artwork...
From left to right, a drawing by an old friend... a vintage Japanese print...a gift from a friend while traveling in Prague...an original self-portrait by Tommy... a charming painting of a pig from an antique store... and a painting by a co-worker...All comprise a perfectly balanced arrangement of original art. Each unique piece pulls your eye in, while also drawing you back to the beautiful collage.
The glass dining table with sleek chrome legs is the Mercer Table by Williams Sonoma Home. This elegant piece is topped with a vintage, European, mid-century modern light fixture and rests on a Pottery barn area rug. These sleek, modern elements are paired with very Frenchy Pottery Barn Louis chairs with their ash wood, fluted backs, and cabriole legs. A wonderful combination! The luxurious, cream colored, silk drapery panels are Dupioni by Pottery Barn and carry through to the adjacent living room.
The living room walls are coated in a rich chocolate-caramel paint.
The modern, perfectly sized sofa is from an antique store in San Francisco, and is brightened with a combination of playful, colorful pillows from Pottery Barn and West Elm.
The two end tables have wonderful black and gold legs and a Carrara marble top.
The two, large, antique table lamps on top provide great scale and a bit of drama to this vignette.
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| An adorable yellow cream and sugar |
The metal coffee table is an original, made by Tommy-- a former metal fabricator who's not your typical sidelined husband when it comes to home decor.
Tommy is very opinionated and involved in every decision. It’s not clear who has the final say in what goes where—the retail czar or the artist. A lot of the original artwork in the home is Tommy’s.
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| Original art by Tommy |
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| Photograph of Bangkok Airport by Tommy |
Tommy's also the chef in the house, whipping up amazing meals for their dinner guests. With a dining room like that, you might expect the meals you eat there to have a similar panache, and they do!
Jody had the Vintage side chairs in the living room painted a glossy white and upholstered in a soft, green, tweed fabric from the Design Center that picks up the fabulous green wallpaper in the dining room. The area rug is from Williams Sonoma Home.
The cozy kitchen is glamorous without being fussy.
The clean lines of the glossy black cabinetry remind us that less is more, but the pretty glass and chrome handles are like the perfect necklace which accompanies the simple black dress. Just a little something to make the whole ensemble sparkle.
The black-and-white, high-contrast theme in the kitchen is softened with the warm hardwood flooring and playful green accents from the bamboo chairs, pottery and plants. Simple and elegant.
The classic Carrara marble counters with rounded edges aren't for the fussy home perfectionists. Tommy cuts lemons right on the marble, insisting that he likes his kitchen to be a working one. Like wine, Tommy prefers his marble aged. If I had a chef-husband like Tommy in my house, I'd allow lemons on my marble too!
One of the other things I appreciate about this lovely home is the fact that Jody and Tommy didn't renovate the entire thing from top-to-bottom. Like their taste in decorating, they favor some original architectural elements over sparkling new ones.
Their powder room, for example, has original tile flooring including the blue-blue baseboard tile. Even the toilet has been there for 60 years. Only the sink faucets are brand new.
The inspiration for this quintessential powder room was the placement of some reluctantly cast off wallpaper samples.
Jody fell in love with this wallpaper for the dining room, but it cost an arm and leg. “If I can’t have the whole thing, I’ll have a moment of it,” Jody persisted.
Instead of giving up on the print altogether, she kept the look she loved without the cost by placing her precious samples in custom made bamboo frames. These frames were ordered online, which equated to even more cost savings. The walls were painted a fun bubble gum pink color to accentuate the room— and her favorite new artwork.
To play off the charm of this quaint bath, Jody placed three bathroom hooks from Anthropology in a row and hung kitchen towels there.
These quirky elements and cheerful color remind you that this is a home for living and enjoying yourself, despite its sophisticated tone.
At the entry to the home, and on your way upstairs, you see the elegant black and gold Chinese console and that fabulous antique mirror.
The gallery leading to the bedroom level is worth taking a long pause up the stairs-- full of charming old photos and original works of art. The varying images are tied together by different black and white frames.
The only thing better than being a dinner guest at Jody and Tommy's is being invited to spend the night. Their guest bedroom is nicer and more put together than most master bedrooms (and just wait until you see their's!)
The mid-century modern theme is definitely the star of this pleasing guest retreat.
The 1970s Scandenavian dresser shown above and the chair shown below were purchased in LA.
The duvet cover and sheets are from West Elm. Jody blends style and comfort. She chose the uber comfy Chamos sheets from Pottery Barn Kids so guests can fall asleep comfortably. Pottery Barn Kids is a surprising source for nearly every adult space in the house.
The vintage inspired lamps are from Williams Sonoma Home. The night stand tables are once again originals from Tommy.
The rug is from West Elm. The collection of vintage Japanese prints are housed in inexpensive Pottery Barn frames—a smart way to use catalog staples. Spend the money on your investment-- the original art.
The upstairs guest bathroom remains mostly intact from the original design, and is accentuated by a Pottery Barn shower curtain which looks like it was a custom fabric match instead of an off-the-shelf lucky find.
Tommy found these colorful images online and just printed them on his home printer and framed them in Pottery Barn Kids frames.
And then there's Dahlia's room-- a whimsical blend of Pottery Barn Kids (and Pottery Barn Teens) classics, paintings made with love by Mom and Dad, antique and boutique treasures, and the usual children's must-haves (toys, books, art from school and a pile of tutus). All together they add up to one dreamy little girl’s room.
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| Bed with Bedding, dresser, and window treatments are Pottery Barn Kids. Rug is Ikea. The bookshelf shown partially on the right is also Ikea, painted coral pink. |
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| Sweet vignette of an antique hanging owl, portrait of a girl by Mom & some Chinese paper lanterns |
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| Bedside lamp has an antique base and Pottery Barn Teens shade. Clock is Pottery Barn Kids. |
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| Doll is Pottery Barn Kids. |
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| Art projects from school can easily be swapped out thanks to a Pottery Barn Kids picture wire. Retro Pottery Barn Kids kitchen also made the "must have" list for a perfect girl's bedroom |
As we walk down the hall we get a glimpse of Tommy and Jody's dreamy master bedroom.
Jody and Tommy transformed an awkwardly placed walk-through bedroom into a master suite with a full bath and four closets. But they didn't just plunk down and conform to the latest trend in bathrooms. They deliberately designed and outfitted their master bath to appear original.
The yellow subway tile and black and white hex floor tiles look like they’ve been there for years save for their pristine condition. The shower curtain shown below is from Anthropology.
The entire vanity and mirrors are from Pottery Barn, and the baskets underneath are from Pottery Barn Kids.
When you walk into their master bedroom the first thing you notice is the fun and flirty, black-and-white, damask wallpaper.
Surrounded by windows, light pours into the space. The bedding, drapes, desk and chair are all Pottery Barn and the pillows are West Elm and Pottery Barn. The bed frame is Williams Sonoma Home. I love the pop of yellow in that fabulous desk chair.
Tommy and Jody have chosen rich browns, punches of black, and lively greens and yellows to create a warm, happy home. Even on a foggy San Francisco day their home feels bright, cheerful, and full of light.
Although they have held onto furnishings and art over time, their style has evolved over the years. First, they had their 1950s, modern, all-white home in LA; then their 1920s brownstone condo in Chicago; and, now a colorful, vibrant 1940s home in San Francisco.
Jody recalls fondly that Domino Magazine launched when they first bought their San Francisco home, and was a huge influence on her choice of style and decor. After taking a moment of silence to mourn our fallen Domino, Jody remarks that the fun part of moving homes every so often, is moving onto other things. She says their next home will be filled with whites, wood tones, gold and silver. Tommy agrees.
Jody recalls fondly that Domino Magazine launched when they first bought their San Francisco home, and was a huge influence on her choice of style and decor. After taking a moment of silence to mourn our fallen Domino, Jody remarks that the fun part of moving homes every so often, is moving onto other things. She says their next home will be filled with whites, wood tones, gold and silver. Tommy agrees.
Thank you, Tommy, Jody and Dahlia, for letting us walk though your beautiful home! And special thanks to my visiting friend Angi who helped me collect all the inspiring details of their lovely home to share with you all!
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