Layers of Meaning

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Susie Novak of Susie Novak Interiors demonstrates how a thoughtful, considered updates can have as much impact as a full-scale gut renovation

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Photo by R Brad Knipstein 

Layering is at the heart of Susie Novak’s design philosophy and it certainly informed the way she approached the reimagining of this three-bedroom, two-bath Oakland home. “I’m always interested in the conversation between old and new, between classic and modern, she shares. “It’s important to me that those contrasts feel intentional and lived-in rather than styled.”  The clients, whom Novak had met because their children attended the same school, wanted to create a home that was tailored to their life without undergoing the chaos of undertaking a full-scale renovation. “Cohesion was key,” Novak notes. “She wanted to bring clarity and calm to the space while working thoughtfully within the existing architecture.” 

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CW Stockwell’s Canyon wallcovering lines the dining room’s walls. The chandelier is from Visual Comfort. The bar cart is from Four Hands. Photo by R Brad Knipstein. 
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CW Stockwell’s Canyon wallcovering continues in the dining room. Photo by R Brad Knipstein.

That meant thinking strategically, refreshing rather then ripping everything out and starting from scratch. Beginning in the kitchen, where they kept the existing appliances and cabinets but updated the cabinet’s fronts and installed new finishes and countertops, hardware and faucets, lighting and color palette.

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The kitchen’s cabinets were washed in Benjamin Moore’s ‘Iced Marble.” They’re paired with Dekton countertops and a faucet from Brizio.
Photo by R Brad Knipstein.

Custom details—tailored upholstery, bespoke window treatments and select custom-sized rugs—ensure that the spaces feel intentional and well-proportioned. New pieces are paired with old to create tension and warmth and add interest. In the living room, a classic sisal rug is paired with a coffee table, passed down from the client’s mother. “It allows history and memory to quite literally sit on top of something fresh,” says Novak. The fireplace was streamlined into something quieter and more in scale with the size of the room. ‘It’s truly the heart of the home and the primary focal point of that room,” Novak explains.

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The living room’s leather chairs are by Four Hands. The accent sideboards are by Noir. The sconces are by Currey + Co. The side table was found at Moes Home. The curtains were created from fabric discovered at Kravet. Photo by R Brad Knipstein. 

“We designed it to operate on two levels: as a place for the family to gather—cozy, relaxed and centered around everyday life—and as an architectural anchor that brings a sense of elegance and formality to the main living space.” Its new restrained proportions and subtle materiality anchor it in both intimacy and refinement. “It grounds the space, quietly setting the tone for how the home is meant to be lived in: comfortable, communal and thoughtfully designed.” 

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The primary bedroom’s walls are washed in Benjamin Moore’s ‘Simply White’. Made Goods flank the bed and sit on an Ashley Stark rug. The bench was found at Moss Home. The pillows are from Jade Home Pillows. Photo by R Brad Knipstein .
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Photo by R Brad Knipstein.

The result is a home that that feels cohesive, considered and deeply personal, proving that thoughtful design doesn’t require a full renovation to make a transformative impact.