Custom Comfort

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Cameron Design transforms a California ranch home in Northern California

In the entry, the console is by Wisteria, the lamp is by Charlie West Lamps, the mirror is by Currey and Company and the sconce was sourced from RT Facts Design & Antiques. The wallpaper was found at Harbinger. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.

For L.A.-based designer Parrish Cameron Robe of Cameron Design, a love of interiors began long before she ever took on a client. “I was captivated by the work of Eleanor McMillen Brown (who was married to my great-grandfather, architect Archibald Brown) and would spend hours pouring over her design book,” Robe recalls. “I approach our clients’ homes as a tangible expression of their inner world. Often, we are helping them create the spaces in which they’d like to live their ideal life; often helping to make dreams their come true.” That early enchantment eventually led her to train under design luminaries Suzanne Rheinstein and Michael S. Smith, and to build a career spanning more than 25 years at the heart of the Southern California design community.

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The living room features a sofa by Jasper covered in fabric by Pindler, side tables by Made Goods and Serena and Lily. The photography is by Pure Photo. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.
The dining area features a chandelier by Currey and Company, a table from Noels Finishing and dining chairs from Soho Home. The kitchen pendants are from Urban Electric Co., the barstools are covered in Pindler textiles and the range backsplash is covered in
tile from Mosaic House. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.

That approach found a natural fit when her firm was hired alongside Charlie Barnett Associates to design a 4,500-square-foot California ranch situated just outside San Francisco in the town of Hillsborough. “We have known this family for several years and had worked with them, remotely, to design the exterior spaces of their previous home,” she says. “They were looking for a larger home and came across this house, which is close to their children’s school.” Her office had also worked extensively with the husband’s sister and her family, so the clients already understood both the aesthetic and the professional process.

In the mudroom a pendant by Rejuvenation shines light on wallpaper by Jasper.
Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.
The powder room is covered in Zoffany wallpaper. The mirror is by Ballard Designs and the sconces are from Hudson Valley Lighting. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.

The design brief was clear from the start: the house should feel beachy, yet still grounded and appropriate for its Northern California setting. Achieving that required far more than decoration. The home underwent an extensive remodel, taken all the way down to the studs. “We relocated the kitchen and family room; opened up the living room to the kitchen and combined it with an open-plan dining area; and reworked the entire primary suite,” says Robe. “The house was taken down to the studs and the floorplan feels so much more efficient now.”

The husband’s office features a rug by Stark, the drapes are made from Pindler textiles, the corner chair is by Soho Home and the table lamp is from Arhaus. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.

Thoughtful planning was essential to delivering on the clients’ specific needs—a dedicated laundry room, a pantry, a family room and a private office for the husband—all of which required close collaboration with Charles Barnett’s office to execute without sacrificing flow or livability. “We helped maximize the square footage with efficient furniture planning,” she notes.

In the primary bedroom a chandelier from Visual Comfort hangs over the four-poster bed from Serena and Lily. The table lamps are by Charlie West Lamps. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.
Over a custom vanity in the primary bathroom, mirrors from Mirror Home are flanked by sconces from Visual Comfort.
Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.

Among the finished spaces, one stands out as Robe’s personal favorite. “The view from the living room into the kitchen,” Robe proclaims. “We worked hard on all the elements but, in particular, we were conscious of the cohesiveness of the color palette.” That palette was deliberately chosen to connect with the surrounding rooms, creating a cohesive thread that runs throughout the entire house.

A moody guest room features a chandelier from Visual Comfort, a club chair from Pottery Barn and drapery made using Pindler textiles and trim from Lee Jofa. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.
The guest bathroom features mirrors found at Anthropologie and roman shades made using Claremont Furnishings fabric. Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.

As for the clients’ reaction? By all accounts, they are thrilled. The designer has received photos of the wife hosting friends for dinner in the new space—a detail that brings her obvious joy. “It’s such a wonderful feeling,” she says, “to see our clients enjoying the spaces we help create with them.”

Photography by Karyn Millet, styled by Frances Bailey.