Our California Home + Design Award 2016 for Interior Design, over 3,000 sq. ft. is a 1964 Berkeley Hills home which interior designer Alison Damonte remodeled for the 21st century.
Two words come to mind when describing this magnificent remodel in the Berkeley Hills and the designer at the helm of the project: charming and vibrant. Originally designed in 1964 by iconic Bay Area architect, Robert Ratcliff, San Francisco- based designer Alison Damonte and her team recently reconfigured the space for a family from New York, who wanted a more modern, quintessential California vibe.
Truly a designer’s dream, the client owned an extensive collection of quirky art, but not nearly enough furniture needed to fill the 4,000 square foot Mid-century home. Damonte and her team were thrilled with the challenge and leaned on the uber cool collection for inspiration when selecting fabrics and furnishings.
“The Laurie Simmons piece ‘The Instant Decorator – 2004’, influenced the direction of the interior design, if for no other reason than it provided me insight into the clients’ personalities,” says Damonte. “I think if someone has a major piece of art that has a playful and provocative spirit, and are willing to display in a very prominent location, it says a lot about who they are and, ultimately, how they live.”
Indicative not only of the clients’ spirited style, the piece reflects their fondness of Mid-century modern design, tying back to structure itself. “We injected a combination of lesser known vintage and new furniture, fabrics and wallpapers that were evocative of the classics from that era while still fresh and modern, as well as a good dose of bright color,” says Damonte. “The result is a playful, fun update on Mid-century design.”
