Houzz Tour: A Family Home Brings the Calm

Making a home kid-friendly doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style. California designer Caitlin Moran pairs cool vintage finds with contemporary pieces in soft blues and light wood tones for a calm and collected family home that’s comfortable for all.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Caitlin Moran, her husband and their three children (a daughter and twin boys)
Location: Tiburon, California
Size: 2,800 square feet (260 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designer: Caitlin Moran Interiors

This 1970s ranch house has 7½-foot-tall ceilings, and creating the illusion of more height was at the top of designer-homeowner Caitlin Moran’s wish list. In the living room, a collection of low-profile furniture paired with oversize art and nearly floor-to-ceiling drapes help to give the impression of higher ceilings. The fabric selection also had a practical purpose. “This isn’t one of those no-kids-allowed living rooms,” Moran says. “So choosing patterned fabric for the furniture is a great way to hide potential stains.”

Sofa: vintage, covered in Casamance fabric; art: Jaime Angelopoulos; blue chairs: vintage, covered in Luxor fabric by Lisa Fine; ottoman: vintage, covered in Seema Krish fabric; drapes: fabric by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, fabricated by Susan Lind Chastain; rug: Stark


“I didn’t want the dining room to feel too stuffy,” Moran says. “We’re not hosting too many formal dinners — it’s mainly a space we use together as a family.” In the dining room and throughout most of the house, the color comes from the art and accessories. This room features a festively hued Turkish rug atop a sisal one to create a cozy layered effect. The dining chairs are a vintage design in wicker and chrome. The chandelier is made of puka shells strung together; when lit at night, the shells create an iridescent glow.

Sisal rug: Stark; dining table: Crate and Barrel; dining chairs: vintage, 1st Dibs; chandelier: Made Goods; drapes: fabric by Raoul, fabricated by Susan Lind Chastain; light sconces: Ro Sham Beaux; art: Jenny Andrews Anderson


Wanting to avoid the white Shaker-style cabinet trend, Moran opted for oak cabinets with a bleached finish. “They look like they were sitting out on a beach for a few weeks,” the designer says. The counters are a gray basaltina stone, which coordinates with the gray subway tile used for the backsplash. The light wood tones on the cabinets are similar to those of the furniture in the open dining area across the room, which helps tie the spaces together.

Backsplash: Heath; counter stools: Bertoia; pendant lights: Cisco Home


The media room includes a cabinet designed by Moran to mimic a midcentury Danish design. A pair of low-profile vintage armchairs covered in a striped wool kilim complement the stripes of the area rug. The framed photography is by Julie Blackmon, who’s known for using her own children as the primary models in her work.

Rug: Stark; media cabinet: custom, designed by Caitlin Moran Interiors


The powder room’s zigzag wallpaper, faux bone mirror and cabinet hardware, and framed photo of a folded white shirt create a jewel box of a space with a masculine undertone. “There’s a tendency to make powder rooms super frilly, but I was going for understated elegance,” Moran says.

Framed shirt photo: Dolby Chadwick Gallery; wallpaper: Sanderson; mirror: One Kings Lane; vanity hardware: Anthroplogie; sconce: Circa Lighting


The master bedroom provides much-needed serenity for Moran and her husband. “With three little kids, it’s the one place that my husband and I can escape to — if only for a brief moment,” she says.

The chandelier reminds the designer of a vintage parasol turned upside down, and when lit it emits a luxurious glow. A framed photograph of a Northern California beach scene adorns the wall.

Chandelier: Fortuny


Moran added a glass top to the vintage white lacquered cabinet to create a nightstand. Other highlights of the room include the swing-arm sconces from Robert Abbey; the bed upholstered in natural linen; and the sheen-filled curtains, fabricated by Susan Lind Chastain.

White lacquered nightstand: vintage, 1st Dibs


The master bathroom continues the serenity vibe with a combination of white tones to calm the senses. “It’s definitely a place to unwind after a stressful day,” Moran says.

The free-standing tub sits atop a slightly iridescent mosaic tile floor. A Turkish ceramic garden stool provides a place for flowers and candles. An abstract painting by San Francisco artist Megan Olson hangs above the tub.

Tub: Victoria + Albert; wall sconces: Waterworks


For her daughter’s bedroom, Moran wanted to create a sophisticated and inspirational space. “The stars on the wallpaper seemed like a great way to encourage imagination,” Moran says.

Moran designed the headboard and covered it in a turquoise patterned fabric, also used for the curtains. A vintage Turkish blanket provides bedding.

Curtains and bed fabric: Carolina Irving Textiles, fabricated by Catlin Weatherill; bedding: vintage turkish bedcover, Garnet Hill; wallpaper: Hinson; table: Wisteria


The nursery for the couple’s twin sons was originally their daughter’s bedroom. “Luckily, I made it pretty gender-neutral,” Moran says. “It’s among the many hand-me-downs that my boys are going to have to get used to.”

The daybed is from West Elm, and with its assortment of throw pillows and bolsters, it’s a comfortable place for the whole family to lounge together or a great spot for a tired parent to take a quick nap.

Chandelier: Ro Sham Beaux; shades: China Seas from Quadrille, fabricated by Catlin Weatherill; carpet: Stark; art: Dawn Wolfe

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