Speak French To Me
France inspires a home office redo
LISA HARRISON DIDN’T WANT TO CHANGE the location of her Solana Beach home office. After all, the second-story room looks out onto a private cul-de-sac and is blessed with a panoramic ocean view. A sliding glass door leads the way to a sunny patio — a perfect spot for a morning cup of coffee before beginning her workday.
Nor did she want to change the room’s configuration. She loved its round shape and felt that its size, although smaller than other rooms in the house, was ideal for her purposes. What she wanted changed was the room’s atmosphere, and she asked designer Lisa Hoyt to help her with the makeover.
“Lisa wanted to create a woman’s office retreat with French influences,” Hoyt says. “For cohesiveness, she wanted to carry the same color palette used in other parts of the home.”
Wall color went from bright turquoise to soft camel. Touches of buttery yellows, gentle greens, delicate creams and pale browns were added in furnishings and accessories.
“With its western exposure, the room definitely needed something on the windows to help with the midafternoon sun’s glare,” Hoyt says. “I chose a silk balloon-shaped shade to mimic the room’s feminine roundness. Its gold/camel color complements the wall color, and its soft draping adds warmth and coziness.”
A simple, Craftsman-style desk was switched out for a wood desk enhanced by paint in a crackled-green finish. A curvy, small-scaled Kreiss chair replaced a plain white chair.
“I put a textured suede fabric on it, and it looked so lovely with her other furnishings,” Hoyt says. “The wood on it is a very dark brown, almost black, and a perfect contrast to the other pieces.”
One of those pieces is a Bombay chest. Also painted in a crackled-green finish, its curved legs and drawers are captivating. A crystal chandelier has stenciled gold fleur-de-lis on its black shades. A needlepoint rug adds even more warmth to the room.
“Other accessories, such as picture frames and baskets, also add a south-of-France feel,” Hoyt says. “In fact, the entire room now conveys a sunny, French marketplace ambiance.”
Before & After: By Eva Ditler Photography by Preview First
