“Our home is a white shingled house built in 1911, and I grew up on the East Coast in a white shingled house built in 1911,” says interior designer Chloe Kalk. “So, when I saw it, I immediately felt comfortable and knew it was our forever home.”

Chloe lives in San Anselmo, a picturesque enclave in California’s Marin County. “There’s so much to love about this town and community,” she says. “I always say living here is like living in a storybook.” She and her family moved after a five-year stint in Los Angeles and were eager to make it feel like home.

First, Chloe painted the previously brown exterior a crisp white to match the one from her childhood. Then it was time to tackle the interiors. “I wanted to match the bones of the house,” she says. “It’s old and traditional, so I knew I wanted lots of vintage. I have two young, wild boys, so the more patina things already have, the better. I want them to run wild without me screaming, ‘Don’t touch that!’”

Now, the house feels traditional with a touch of drama. “I like playing with masculine and feminine elements in each room, and I love prints,” she says. “I’m drawn to anything classic: club chairs, roll arms, stick rattan, bamboo, jute rugs, tufting, furniture on wheels—that kind of thing.”

Wallpaper was also key to bringing her style to life. “There’s an impact wallpaper provides that you just can’t get with paint alone,” she says. “I’m in no way a minimalist, but the end goal was to create a cozy, layered home—not a cluttered one.” She relied on sources like Chairish, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace for the ultimate high-low mix. “My older son’s room, for instance, has a vintage sleigh bed covered in a primitive quilt, an antique dresser paired with a Rejuvenation rug, and H&M side tables,” she says. “The living room holds some of my most treasured items, including a primitive leather club chair from Lief Gallery and an enfilade from Fireside Antiques—two items I splurged on. The ottoman coffee table was quite ugly when I bought it, but I saw the potential. That and the roll-arm chair came to life beautifully when reupholstered. Reupholstery is magic—I always recommend leaving room in the budget for it.”

Chloe says her mother-in-law was a great collaborator. “She’s a very skilled decorator, and we love many of the same things,” she says. “We have a lot of fun chatting about design and oohing and aahing over antiques. I like to run everything by her.”

The pair will continue to have plenty to talk about. “Any decorator working on their own home will likely agree—you’re never really done,” she admits. “When you do it for both work and pleasure, you keep finding things to tinker with. So, I’m done-ish, but I still have things I want to do—hidden in the corners that probably didn’t get photographed! I read somewhere about ‘slow decorating,’ and I love that idea. Why would I want to be finished when it’s so much fun?!”