Designer Lisa Furtado’s clients bought this Tudor home in Woodside, CA in 2019. The 5 bedroom, 5 bath home had a lot of pros: at approximately 7,000 square feet, and 1.4 acres of beautifully manicured English-style gardens. But, built in 1947, it needed a few updates. “The home definitely had good bones and really cool architectural features, but the existing wall colors, wallpaper and lighting made it feel very dated,” Lisa says. “The family of five moved into the home with hopes to transform it into a space that reflected their family and how they lived. It was important to the family that we achieved a casual California, indoor/outdoor aesthetic that was elegant but livable. They wanted to be sure that it wasn’t stuffy, and they would feel comfortable kicking their feet up, relaxing in the space, and a feeling of home. The family entertains a lot so the flow from one room to the next was important.”
The clients asked for traditional, but with an edge. Lisa was careful to respect the Tudor-style architecture while bringing in a fresh look. “We brought modern elements and edgy lighting into each room creating an unexpected but sophisticated aesthetic without it feeling too formal,” she explains. The sunroom serves as the perfect space to entertain, with doors to the beautiful gardens and a wet bar, decked out in a gorgeous green quartzite countertop and brass faucet. “With a rotunda of arched windows and doors, it welcomes guests into a casual but refined space. The modern metal chandelier is paired with more traditional furnishings to create a cool juxtaposition and just enough edge to create the look that they were after. We layered various textures in the space that gave it a beautiful California casual vibe.”
Off the main living space is a small powder room—the walls were originally covered in an Egyptian motif and padding underneath. Lisa brought in a fresh green floral paper, which coordinates beautifully with the green quartzite on the wet bar and accents in the sunroom.
Upstairs, a billiards room feels like a chic lounge at an upscale hotel—and is the room that saw the biggest transformation. “The once white-walled traditional sitting room was transformed into a dark, swanky lounge with a gorgeous custom pool table, floating bar and lounge area. We created a handsome, moody space with a vintage cigar lounge vibe,” the designer says.
The family originally asked Lisa to design just three rooms but were so thrilled with the result that they hired her team to design several more spaces. “They were excited that we listened to them and were able to achieve the aesthetic and functionality they were looking for,” she smiles.
See more in the slideshow.
