In a Different Light
Author:Bryan AnthonyWhen a young family wished to personalize their new home, they turned to designer Chloe Warner for guidance.
"I really couldn't be happier with how the house turned out," says Leraris. "This home reflects who we are and how we want to live."
Photographer: Matthew Millman
Leraris wasn't the only member of the family to roll up her sleeves and get in on the fun: Daughter Ava had her very own private meeting in Warner's office before calling her monther in to explain what they had selected and why.
Photographer: Matthew Millman
The master bedroom used to include a projector over the bed that played on a large pull-down screen. Now, the television-free room is used for more literary endeavors. The sitting alcove, which includes a sofa from Zodax and pillows from West Elm, is a favorite spot for Leraris to catch up on her reading.
Photographer: Matthew Millman
Artist Erin Roberts painted a mural for the stairwell and children's drawing room that perfectly balances whimsy and sophistication. "At first I worried that a mural might be too stuffy," says Leraris. "But this one is modern and fun." Magnetic paint was added to the wall allowing Ava and Roman to display their own masterpieces.
Photographer: Matthew Millman
Drama was added to the living room by replacing the traditional paneled fireplace with a white back-painted glass mantel and fireplace surround and upholstering two antique gilt-framed chairs in silk ikat fabric and a custom sofa in charcoal tweed cloth.
Photographer: Matthew Millman
Warner worked Leraris to transform the space, starting with the dining room. "The dining room is more of an area than a room," says the designer. "So we wanted to find ways to delineate it from the rest of the space." To accomplish this, Warner covered the walls in embroidered grass cloth and painted the ceiling in a complementary faux finish. The other pieces in the room are typically found outdoors: The picnic table was sealed with wax and its benches were covered in gray leather.
Photographer: Matthew Millman
It was also clear that this project was destined to become much more than a typical design kit job. "I've dubbed it a 'design kit plus.'" says Warner. "Phone calls and emails weren't going to cut it. Kate was really excited about being involved, so it quickly became a more traditional experience."
Photographer: Matthew Millman
Leraris and her family (husband Mike, daughter Ava, 9, and son Roman, 7) had recently purchased a home in SF's Pacific Heights neighborhood. The main objective for Leraris was to create a home that lived like a comfortable beach house but looked like a sophisticated urban dwelling. She called Warner, discussed her homes and dreams for the interiors and waited for her inspiration boards to arrive. When they did, it immediately became clear to Leraris that she had made the right choice.
Photographer: Matthew Millman
A few months after graduating from Harvard's School of Design in 2005, designer Chloe Warner moved to San Francisco and hung a sign in her window announcing that Redmond Aldrich Design was open for business. But when the economy soured and the demand for interior designers softened, Warner had a novel idea. Warner thought to offer what she calls her "design kit," a service that provides clients with a 20-inch-tall inspiration board and includes floor plans, images, swatches and a shopping list for all the items recommended for the space. It was the concept of the design kit that first piqued homeowner Kate Leraris' interest when she checked out Warner's website at the suggestion of a mutual friend.
Photographer: Matthew Millman