My Houzz: Stylish City Living, Toddler Included

When interior designer Jennifer Jones of Niche Interiors was house hunting with her husband, Angelo DiGiovine, their priority was to find a home with San Francisco charm in a family-friendly neighborhood. “The back patio and garden sealed the deal, since we were planning a family and we love the outdoors,” she says.

“Once Owen was born, we had a better idea of what it was like to live with a child. We wanted closed-storage solutions and plenty of room to play,” Jones recalls. Incorporating natural fabrics and vintage and nontoxic furniture was fundamental to outfitting their interior.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jennifer Jones, husband Angelo DiGiovine and their 19-month-old son, Owen
Size: 1,370 square feet (127 square meters); 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Location: Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco
Year built: 1907

The living room is child friendly but still a room for grown-ups. The sofa was custom made in San Francisco using nontoxic materials. It has natural latex foam hand wrapped in organic wool, which has natural flame-retardant properties.

“We wanted a neutral fabric that would work well with many color schemes and that wouldn’t show every spill, so gray was the obvious choice,” Jones says.

Pillows: Crate & Barrel; rug: Overstock.com


Jones chooses vintage pieces over newly constructed ones whenever possible. The vintage touches in the living room came from visits to various local flea markets, and include the bookshelf, chair, coffee table base and painting.


The family room is meant to be rugged, versatile and easy to keep clean. The neutral-colored sofa is made from durable materials, and carpet tiles from Flor make it easy to replace individual pieces if they become stained.

The framed bike posters are vintage.

Sleeper sofa: Davis Queen Sleeper Sofa in Darius Ash, Crate & Barrel; ottomans: Threshold Rectangular Ottoman in Blue Diamond Ikat, Target; tepee: Etsy; carpet tiles: Flor; sconces: Lumens


The storage ottomans make it easy to store Owen’s toys, and they can be pulled against the wall during playtime.


A small vintage desk is tucked out of the way in the family room, taking advantage of the window light.

File cabinet: CB2


In the dining area, the homeowners went with vintage rattan dining chairs, since they’re easy to wipe down.

Chairs: Leftovers; drapes: West Elm; table: CB2


The side cabinet in the dining room is from a local midcentury furniture shop, and the glassware is from a local flea market.

Cabinet: Past Perfect


Using a stencil found on Etsy, the couple applied bright yellow paint to an accent wall in Owen’s nursery. The vintage light fixture was refinished in a bright green.

Crib: Sparrow, Oeuf; stencil: Etsy; paint: Natura, Benjamin Moore; sheets: The Land of Nod; mobile: SFMOMA store; corner cabinet: Crate & Barrel


Jones designed and built this DIY shelving unit in Owen’s room using thick rope and screw-eye hooks.

Coatrack: Multiplayer Wall Hook, The Land of Nod


The illustrated animal prints are from Etsy, and the lamp and chair are both vintage finds.


The vaulted ceilings in the master bedroom were part of an addition to the original house. The couple left the wood as is.

Bed: Raleigh, Pottery Barn; rug: Jute Chenille Herringbone Rug, West Elm; nightstands: vintage, Midcentury Mobler; upholstered bench: custom


The bright master bedroom opens up to a rear deck and backyard. The six-drawer dresser is a flea market find.


“The bathroom was a complete cosmetic remodel, replacing everything in the space except for the two overhead lights,” says Jones. “The bathroom had a pony wall made of glass blocks in front of the toilet and an oddly shaped vanity that had seen better days.”

With only one bathroom in the house, Jones picked a vanity with plenty of storage. The outdated beige tiles were replaced with hexagonal floor tiles that complemented the age of the house.

Vanity: Ikea; countertop: Carrara marble; bathroom remodel contractor: JDB Construction


The spacious backyard and finished patio were instrumental in the couple’s decision to buy the house. The family planted lots of asparagus ferns and supplemented the succulent collection that they started at their last apartment. They also added a patch of grass behind the planter boxes so Owen had a soft spot on which to crawl and walk.

Wire Coffee Table, Casbah Loveseat: CB2


Jennifer Jones relaxes in the living room.

Accordian Sconce: West Elm; prints: Minted

Show us your home!

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes

More: My Houzz: Casual, Organic Elegance in California

URL: My Houzz: Stylish City Living, Toddler Included http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-23483.html