Palomar Park, California is a distinctive enclave near Redwood City, surrounded by trees and with impressive views of the San Francisco Bay. “What I love most about the area is its peaceful, tucked-away feeling while still offering such a dramatic natural setting,” says interior designer Jennifer Chiu.
This house belongs to returning clients of Jennifer’s eponymous design firm. “I designed their previous home several years ago, and when they purchased this new house, they asked me to design it as well,” she tells us. “One of their main requests was to incorporate some of their existing furniture from the previous home into the new design. They also have cats, so leather seating was a must-have for durability and ease of maintenance.”
She was tasked with updating the furniture, lighting, and accessories—and ensuring the space felt modern yet timeless. With expansive views on both levels, the layout and furnishings were intentionally oriented to heighten sightlines.
“When entering the house, you are immediately drawn to the living room and its grand view of the bay,” Jennifer notes. “I wanted the furniture arrangement to embrace that view rather than follow a traditional layout, so we selected a circular sofa that creates a welcoming and sculptural focal point in the space.”
The adjacent kitchen has darker finishes, so Jennifer treated the dining room as a transitional space between the kitchen and living room. “I specified an Arteriors lighting fixture above the dark dining table, and I love how its organic shape and color palette relate back to the circular sofa in the living room, helping tie the spaces together,” she says.
That circular, organic feeling continues with the rug selection as well. “Their lighter coloring helps brighten the rooms and highlight the surrounding furnishings,” Jennifer explains.
Downstairs, there is a TV room and bar area with a round walnut dining table—and was a room that took some savvy planning. “This space incorporates more furniture from the clients’ previous home, much of which has a stronger mid-century influence,” the designer says. “It feels especially appropriate here, and we added white sheers to soften the room and create a more relaxed atmosphere. The walnut finishes in several of these pieces also connect beautifully with the walnut wall in the living room.”
The mix, though challenging at first, is what makes the space work well. “Much of the furniture from their previous home had a very specific mid-century character, while for this home I wanted to create a more modern, stylish palette with black-and-white tones,” she explains. “I was able to use the walnut finishes from the previous home to bring warmth into the new space and create a cohesive balance between the two styles.”
The overall project took about eight months to complete. “The clients were overjoyed when they saw the finished home,” Jennifer shares. “In particular, they loved the Arteriors light fixture, which felt to them like the perfect complement to both the interiors and the extraordinary view beyond.”
See more in the slideshow.
