My Houzz: Creative Flair Brightens a San Francisco Apartment

When Ana and Patrick Kamin moved to San Francisco from Hamburg, Germany, two years ago, they wasted no time personalizing their sunny top-floor apartment in a six-unit converted Victorian. They started with paint and furniture hacks, keeping the rooms bright and airy while mixing in earthy tones and blues and layering in textures and patterns. It’s become an ideal space for Ana to create content for her lifestyle blog, Fluxi on Tour, and for Patrick to take refuge in after a long workday as a software engineer.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ana and Patrick Kamin
Location: Upper Haight neighborhood of San Francisco
Size: 930 square feet (86 square meters); 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

The Kamins often host friends from all over the world, so a comfortable and welcoming space is a necessity. They recently splurged on a plush deep-seated lounge sofa in a neutral color that serves as a base for bright, patterned pillows and other accents. “We tried to mix from different stores so we didn’t end up looking like a catalog,” Ana says.

Sofa: Lounge II, Crate & Barrel; throw pillows: Lappljung Ruta, Ikea; coffee table: Bentwood, West Elm; Andalusia Dhurrie Pouf: West Elm; Tuscan Moroccan Shag Ivory Rug: Rugs USA


White walls, cabinets and decorative pieces combined with a healthy dose of sunlight ensure that the combination living room, kitchen and dining space doesn’t feel dreary, dark or cramped.


The home is filled with treasures the Kamins brought from Germany as well as new additions from their travels in the U.S. In addition, DIY projects created by Ana, like this navy-blue geometric art piece, are displayed throughout the home.

Blue Potted Accent Lamp Base: Cost Plus World Market


Ana, seen here, loves to come up with new recipes to share on her blog.


Ana and Patrick put a lot of effort into personalizing their apartment. With permission from their landlord, they painted a number of surfaces, including adding a coat of bright white paint to the kitchen floor.

Are You Gutsy Enough to Paint Your Floor White?


Ana sprayed chalkboard paint on a kitchen wall. She finds the wall a handy and fun way to display grocery lists and menu ideas.


White paint also made its way into the bathroom, which was originally covered in a dated brown tile. The couple then painted a Molger shelving unit from Ikea in shades of blue to match the existing blue floor tile. The project cost around $350, because they needed multiple coats of paint to cover the brown.


The hallway rugs are another DIY project. Ana hand painted an accent stripe on budget-friendly rugs from Crate & Barrel to add an unexpected bit of color.

Rugs: Olin, Crate & Barrel


Ana uses the second bedroom as an office for working on projects for her blog.

Desk: Melltorp, Ikea; Saddle Office Chair: West Elm; throw: Eivor, Ikea


She customized a Billy bookcase from Ikea by adding vertical dividers.


In the bedroom Ana transformed two basic unfinished pine dressers from Ikea to fit in with the couple’s love of bright colors.

Bed: Sundnes, Ikea (no longer available); nightstands: Rast, Ikea


On Ana’s side of the bed, an Ikea dresser used as a nightstand was transformed with feminine pink paint and new hardware.

Duvet set: Ofelia Vass, Ikea; pillows: H&M Home; nightstand: Rast, Ikea


This Tarva dresser got a major facelift with an ocean-inspired color palette for the drawer fronts and new hardware as well. A small collection of prints and frames sits above the dresser, while Ana’s collection of baubles is displayed on top.

Dresser: Tarva, Ikea


When the couple first moved in, carpet in the entryway hid the beautiful original hardwood floors.

With $100, patience and permission from their landlord, the Kamins ripped up the dated carpet to create a sophisticated yet relaxed entry.


Ana bought these dining chairs from One Kings Lane and topped them with soft Tejn faux sheepskins from Ikea. The relaxed dining area reflects the couple’s unpretentious, laid-back style.

Table: Norden, Ikea


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