Right at Home

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Charm and character abounds inside and outside the home Kari McIntosh designed for her family

The front of the house features a built-in seating area. The tile on the from is original and the paint is Benjamin Moore Steam body with Benjamin Moore Black Knight trim. The landscape design is by John Hykes Landscape Design and DeBibo Construction worked on the construction. The custom outdoor pillows/cushions are a mix using Holland & Sherry, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Kravet and Perennials fabrics. Photos by John Merkl.

When it came to designing her family’s home, Kari McIntosh approached the project not just as a designer, but as a true classicist at heart. Her firm’s philosophy is rooted in curating elegant, and timeless spaces that are always mindful of history. “I believe the house tells you what it wants to be,” she explains. “It’s essential to take cues from the era, style, and location. When those elements are honored thoughtfully, the result is a grounded, unique home that speaks to the people who live in it.”

In the entry an antique chair from Fragments Identity sits under an antique pendant light that was found at Garden Antiques SF. The Swedish Clock is from A Tyner Antiques and the Cowhide rug is from Maison K. Photos by John Merkl.
The living room features RH Linen Drapery Panels, Lee Industries sofa and chaise re-upholstered and reworked in Ellis & Dunn Mohair, a vintage horse pull toy and vintage acrylic table found at Mary Suding Antiques Summerland. by John Merkl.

The 1932 Spanish Revival home—that is tucked away in San Mateo—is approximately 2,900-square-feet, and boasts soaring ceilings, hand-painted beams and a wealth of romantic architectural details that spoke to her soul immediately. “We’d been searching in Burlingame for quite a while and had lost out on three other properties,” she recalls. “Then we widened our search to San Mateo and found this gem online. We were captivated by the public spaces—the scale, the light, the charm. It reminded us of Old Hollywood, but here in Northern California. It just lived larger than the square footage.”

The dining room walls are covered in a decorative painting by Caroline Lizarraga. The antique sideboard was found in Fredricksburg, Texas at an antiques shop. Photos by John Merkl.
Antique silver pieces collected over time sit below a custom shell art mirror. The vintage restored Spanish Revival sconces are from Rejuvenation. by John Merkl.

After falling for the character-filled home, her vision came quickly: to preserve as much of the original details while updating key spaces with care and intention including the kitchen and bathrooms, which were relics of the early 1990s. “The goal was to remodel in a historically sensitive way, enhancing the classic and artisanal feeling of the home without erasing its past,” she says.

In the kitchen, a La Cornue Range is surrounded by custom cabinetry made by Cabinets & Beyond in San Mateo. The backsplash is covered in Tabarka Tile from Walker Zanger. Photos by John Merkl.
A breakfast nook features a Crate & Barrel table, the chairs are family heirlooms and the vintage pendant is from Rejuvenation. Photos by John Merkl.
In the powder room, the plumbing fixtures are by Waterworks, the mirror is from Pottery Barn and the sconces are by Visual Comfort. Photos by John Merkl.

Another important focus was to use her existing collection of furniture and art. Each piece was carefully considered—what stayed, what had to go, and what new items could be layered in to reflect a curated, eclectic mix. McIntosh and her husband often have opposite preferences when it comes to design, so the journey became an act of balance and harmony—reconciling contrasts, honoring the past and staying on track with a very tight six-month construction timeline.

A desk by DWR, a vintage lamp and a globe that gifted to McIntosh in Junior High, add charm inside the office.
Photos by John Merkl.
The primary bedroom features a vintage linen headboard by Pandora Balthazar covered with a Moroccan Wedding Blanket from Love Adorned in NYC. The antique nightstands were found at William Laman Antiques in Montecito and the vintage lamps are from Monument SF. Photos by John Merkl.
The primary bathroom features Waterworks Faucets, a RH Bath Vanity, and sconces from Visual Comfort, the medicine cabinets are from Pottery Barn and the vintage rug is by Summerhouse Mill Valley. Photos by John Merkl.

One major victory was protecting the integrity of the original layout while modernizing the overall flow for their young family. “Every contractor we initially met with wanted to tear out walls, eliminate built-ins and even remove the chimney flue to make everything ‘open concept,’” she recalls. “But that wasn’t the goal. We wanted to preserve the bones of the home. We only made thoughtful changes—tweaking the kitchen layout and widening a doorway to enhance function without sacrificing soul.”

A guest room features a West Elm bed, the bedding is a mix of Coyuchi and Pottery Barn, and the pillows are a mix of Suzani and Brown and White Silk pillows are Maison K. The nightstands are by Botanik Summerland. Photos by John Merkl.
The baby’s room features a rug from Surya, the crib is by Ouef and the chair/ottoman are covered in fabric by Schumacher.
Photos by John Merkl.

The result is a very inviting home that feels warm, cozy and undeniably McIntosh. The crown jewel for her is the living room—with its graceful fireplace, grand windows and those spectacular original hand-painted beams that have watched over the house since the 1930s.

A charming corner of the upstairs balcony features a rattan Table from Target and a vintage rattan chair. Photos by John Merkl.

Now, every space in the home is well-loved and lived in, perfectly suited to the family’s lifestyle. “I am absolutely delighted with the warm cozy feeling of the home, the charming details and special living room, entry and dining room,” she says. “It’s not a grand house, but it’s ours—and every room has a story.”

The backyard features an antique mirror made from a Belgium Window found at Aldgate Home. The console is by Mr Brown, the table are chairs are from RH Table & Chairs, and the grill is by Weber Grill. Photos by John Merkl.

The home is so full of history and charisma that it made an impression on author and publisher Beth Benton Buckley to include it in her latest book, /be-spōk/: a philosophy of beauty — a diverse collective of designers, boldly defining the aesthetic spectrum. This beautiful collection of highly-curated interiors by over 30 interior designers from around the world including Kari McIntosh Design. Join McIntosh and a panel of fellow esteemed designers and architects on June 7 at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park, where they will discuss how their visions are shaping the future of living. BUY TICKETS now to attend.