Decorating & Design
This Century Home Mixes West Coast Style With Rustic Charm
Updated on February 11, 2020
When journalist Susan Hollis and her husband, medical spa director Alex Russell, enlisted Kyla Bidgood and fellow Bidgood + Co. designer Kris Hageland to reconfigure their 1913 Craftsman-style home, the designers spun inspiration into innovation. They chose a moody palette of greys and blues, along with natural materials such as knotty oak, multihued quartzite and glazed terracotta to give the house a rustic, decidedly West Coast vibe.
The finished renovation maintains the historical integrity of the 3,756-square-foot heritage home while making it functional for a busy family. Kyla and Kris also made sure to preserve its grandeur and quirky characteristics, namely the hardwood floors and coffered ceilings. “When we upgraded the layout, we wanted it to feel like it had always been here,” says Kyla.
Scroll down to tour this charming century home.
The bench in the entryway is the perfect spot for backpacks, coats and winter boots. The ocean blue of the wood panelling complements the kitchen cabinetry and injects color into the home’s foyer.
The addition of blue textural stoneware tiles on the fireplace surround elevates the living room’s already striking architectural details, including the leaded glass windows.
An adjoining dining room (not shown) is ideal for larger dinner parties, while the family eats many weekday meals side by side at the bar.
The cabinetry’s rustic custom stain contrasts with the original red oak floors. Kyla and Kris tried 12 different stains before arriving at the right color.
The designers installed a bank of light grey, lacquered, panel-front cabinets to lighten up the space and riff on the blue tone in the countertops. This cabinetry conceals refrigerated beverage drawers and a pullout pantry. A new powder room is situated on the other side.
Alex , Susan and their three kids, Asher, 7, Jane, 5, and Lise, 3, in the kitchen’s banquette nook. Design firm Bidgood + Co. collaborated with local artist Rachel Saunders to create the glazed ceramic pendants, which tie in with both the countertop and millwork.
Before the renovation, a small powder room was tucked underneath the stairs. “You couldn’t even stand up in there with the awkward ceiling height,” says Kris. Now, it’s a compact desk area that Susan and Alex use when they work from home.
The powder room’s dramatic and whimsical wallpaper depicting crashing waves looks hand drawn. “We went splashy because this is the bathroom everyone sees, and there was an opportunity to do something unexpected,” says Kris.
A wall mural adds a storybook feel to Lise’s bedroom. Furnishings are treasured hand-me-downs: the crib was used by Susan’s brother’s son, and the small wooden stool is from Susan’s grandparents’ farm in Nova Scotia.
To expand the principal bedroom and build an ensuite bathroom, the designers took over a spacious sunroom.
Benjamin Moore’s Cushing Green (HC-125) envelops the room, which pairs perfectly with the vintage-inspired cabinet and typewriter sitting on top.
Thanks to great space planning, a soaker tub, steam shower, toilet room and double sink all fit within the ensuite. Hand-painted tiles bring graphic interest to the otherwise neutral palette.
Janis Nicolay
House & Home March 2019
Kyla Bidgood & Kris Hageland, Bidgood + Co