This traditional Victorian home in Seattle is a breath of fresh air. While interior designer Heidi Caillier knows how to create airy and contemporary homes, the kind that have become so ubiquitous these days, this project is a great example of how she can flex her design muscles in other interior styles. “I love the more traditional feel of this project,” Heidi said. “It is really reflective of my design aesthetic, which has veered away from the all-white-walls and light-bright-midcentury-everything look over the past few years. I think it integrates different design styles which I love to do.”

This Victorian is home to a couple – she’s a lawyer and he works for Nordstrom – and had a lot of potential when they first purchased it. Although some of the fixtures felt a little dated (the kitchen, for example, had grayish brown tile, cherry wood cabinets, and black countertops) the architectural charm was there – it just needed to be enhanced. Heidi focused on creating better flow for the small rooms that are characteristic of Victorian architecture. The toughest room to tackle? The kitchen. “I knew we needed to open it up and get rid of the peninsula but it was sorely lacking for storage space and had many limiting factors that we could not move or change,” the designer explained. Instead, she convinced the homeowners to include a kitchen island with a smaller profile, one that would maximize counter space but didn’t take up much visual weight. The result is a stunning, industrial-style island with an iron base and marble countertop.

The other design feature of this project to note is the autumnal color palette and nature-themed prints. Heidi knew that the long wall in the living room, for example, required something to focus the eye with visual weight – she decided to cover the sofa in a checked fabric. The colors throughout the whole home are sourced from nature – from the burgundy Shaker dining chairs, the evergreen oriental rug in the living room, or the steel blue cabinets in the kitchen. “I went back and forth on that color even after the clients approved it. They kept asking if it would make the kitchen too dark and I just had to trust my gut that I was going to look great and be the right thing for that room,” the designer shared. Her choice ended up pairing beautifully with the red brick flooring and black countertops. “It was very collaborative with the homeowners, which I love because it can yield great results. I think their favorite thing is that wallpapered hallway and how it kind of ties everything together,” she concluded.