My Houzz: Clothing Designers Bring Their Fashion Sense Home

Three years ago Josh and Lauren Podoll began their search for a bigger home while nurturing two kinds of babies: their newborn son, Dashiell, and a women’s clothing line. They found a recently renovated home that would house their office, studio and everything else while they built their collection. Now the pair have their own storefront and studio, The Podolls, in downtown Burlingame, California, and a gorgeously decorated home in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Josh and Lauren Podoll, and their son Dashiell, age 2
Location: Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco
Size: 1,850 square feet (172 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Lauren describes the family’s decorating style as “casual contemporary with midcentury and bohemian influences.” The matching 1970s club chairs here are meaningful to her, as they were hand-me-downs from her parents. She had them reupholstered in an indigo-dyed organic cotton hemp denim that was left over from the first season of the couple’s clothing line.

Josh made and painted the wooden shelves to house the family’s eclectic collection of cookbooks, books on art and surfing, and children’s books.


A white love seat anchors the living room. The secret to maintaining a white couch with a toddler: washable slipcovers.

Couch: Macy’s; rug: Moroccan, Stark


While they love clean, minimalist lines and interesting textiles, comfort is still key. Their vintage Bertoia Bird Chair is one of their favorite pieces for just that reason. It was love at first sight during a weekend visit to Palm Springs, and they made a return trip two weeks later just to pick up the chair. “Just leaning back in it for 10 minutes and looking out of the window feels like a mini vacation,” says Lauren.

The Podolls stick to a minimalist palette of white, grays and neutrals but bring in touches of color through thoughtfully placed art and decor, such as this woven African basket.


Dresser: Big Daddy’s Antiques; console: Ikea; baskets: Komplement, Ikea


Their furniture ranges from vintage to new, including family hand-me-downs and pieces collected during their travels. They bought the hand-carved dining table during their honeymoon in Bali in 2005, and had it shipped back to the U.S., where it welcomed them when they arrived home.

High chair: Tripp Trapp, Stokke; photograph on wall: Jason Florio


Lauren and Josh kept to their theme of contrasting furniture types by having a few different styles of white dining chairs. They keep the dining room visually interesting while preserving the clean look.

Josh, who has an MFA degree in painting, made the colorful abstract painting for Lauren in 2010.

Dining chairs: vintage Bertoia Side Chair; vintage Eames; Tolix Marais A chair and Tolix Marais A56 Armchair: Design Within Reach


After opening their storefront, the couple converted what was their old office into a multipurpose room that acts as a den, a guest room and an occasional office.

Desk, dresser: Alameda Point Antiques Faire; globe: vintage; lamp: Wood Base Iceberg Lamp, Score & Solder


They wanted a convertible couch but couldn’t find one they were happy with. So Josh made one himself.

The project went beyond mere woodworking and became a became a bonding experience for Josh and his son. Dashiell went on trips to the lumber yard with Josh and “happily vacuumed up the sawdust on a daily basis after keeping Daddy company during the process,” Lauren says.

The Off-Black No. 57 wall paint from Farrow & Ball is the couple’s favorite hue.

Quilt: John Robshaw; striped pillow: Alameda Point Antiques Faire; kilim pillow: Boga Oriental Rugs


The previous owners had already renovated the main bathroom, and Josh and Lauren loved the natural lighting, gorgeous views and open floor plan. All they needed to do was to install towel bars.

Tiling: Ann Sacks; bath mat: Fez Bath Mat, West Elm; towel bars: Restoration Hardware; framed prints: Rare Device


Dashiell’s bedroom is a perfect combination of whimsical decor and functional pieces.

Crib: Moda, Room & Board; chair: Luca Gilder, Monte Design; ottoman: Moroccan; rug: Dash & Albert; mobile: Bla Bla; sheets: cotton, Rackshaw Bella Organic; diaper stand, dresser: Room & Board


The master bedroom is tucked on its own level downstairs. The Cisco Home bed was one of the couple’s biggest purchases.


Wall paint: Dew, Dunn-Edwards; bed frame: Cisco Home; side tables, dresser: Room & Board


The master bathroom repeats the clean lines and the home’s minimalist palette.


The Podolls love hosting impromptu barbecues with friends and neighbors and using their deck and tiered yard for entertaining. Dashiell’s tepee was a second-birthday gift from his grandparents and can be used both indoors and out.

Tepee: Etsy


The Podolls love working on their home together, just as they work together in their business. Lauren says, “Home feels like an extension of ourselves: expressive and continually evolving.”

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