This 1960s tri-level home in Carlsbad, California, sits just a mile from the Pacific, but its appeal goes beyond proximity to the beach. “It’s in a neighborhood now referred to as ‘olde Carlsbad,’” says designer Leigh Jendrusina. “It has great proximity to the local schools and a short bike ride or golf cart ride from Carlsbad Village’s shops and restaurants.”

Leigh, founder of SALTHOUSE Collective, knows the neighborhood particularly well: She lives there, too. “I love that all the homes are older for our area and getting revived into cooler, unique homes by the younger families who have moved in over the past five to ten years,” she shares. That same spirit of reinvention would guide this project.

The clients are a young family with three kids, all under the age of five, who had been living in the area for about two years. The house worked—but only just. “When they bought the home, it was ‘fine,’” she says. “More generic white build-grade type cabinetry, a small kitchen and dining footprint chopped up with a peninsula; an unusable wood-burning fireplace, and a teeny primary bathroom with only one sink and an awkward, shared kids’ bathroom layout.”

Aesthetically, it was equally unremarkable, especially for clients who weren’t afraid of a little personality. “Their goal was to have a home that felt special and unique,” she notes. “They loved color, loved homes with character and needed a more functional kitchen and primary bathroom. They also wanted the home to be kind of a ‘cool kid’ beachside bungalow.” Rather than leaning into obvious coastal motifs, Leigh took a looser approach, channeling the unfussy character of a beach shack.

The house was taken down to the studs, and Leigh reconfigured the layout to better suit the realities of life with three young children. Custom wall-to-wall closets added much-needed storage, while built-in laundry on the upper level streamlined the family’s routine. Flooring was replaced throughout, and on the first level, vertical tongue-and-groove paneling brought architectural character to two walls.

“I love how the entire project turned out,” she says. “There are bits of color, patterns, textures in each space and there is a common thread of this collected-cool vibe. Everything feels warm and layered and interesting, but not too much.”

Even more impressive, the transformation happened quickly: The project kicked off at the end of December and wrapped up in March. “My clients LOVE it,” Leigh says. “They love how all the details make it feel more custom and the flow of the kitchen, dining, and living works so well for their family.” The finished home feels right at home in olde Carlsbad: relaxed and a little nostalgic, but made for the way a young family lives today.

Leigh shares more details in the slideshow.