Interior designer Kerry Gillette of Graham Hill Design describes this Carmel Valley, California, home as a ‘mini compound.’ “There are two homes connected by a shared outdoor space overlooking the stunning landscape,” she explains. “The goal with the design of the home was to create multi-generational living, very much in touch with the location. The idea was to sit lightly on the land and encourage indoor and outdoor living at every opportunity.”
The homeowners hired Graham Hill Design [GHD] to lead the interior design for the smaller of the two homes. “Our clients came to us after they had already broken ground, so we had some catching up to do,” Kerry recalls. “We discovered their taste ran a little on the traditional side, so our main goal and challenge was to incorporate that with the modern aesthetic of the architecture.” Naturally, the interiors had to play well with the surroundings. GHD took cues from nature and kept to a soft color palette of greens, warm golden sun faded yellows, and other neutral hues.
Aesthetics aside, the top priority was to create a place to gather—both for the homeowners and their many guests. And because it’s a multi-generational home, everything needed to be family- and pet-friendly. “There are multiple spaces for guests to wander, sit or stay awhile,” Kerry shares. “All of the main living areas were designed to flow to the outside, and the furnishings and decor were selected to feel good with doors open or closed. We used lots of natural materials throughout and a color palette that was also inspired by the natural setting. The goal was always to honor the spectacular site without overwhelm—to complement the outside rather than compete.”
The view from the living room is the home’s crowning jewel, and the furnishings were chosen with that in mind. A pair of Pelican chairs from House of Finn Juhl are upholstered in a moonlight-colored sheepskin—perfect for lounging by the custom quartz-clad fireplace.
In the kitchen, the clients had already fallen in love with cabinets in a cerused oak finish. Kerry and team chose to apply the oak to the island and the dining nook shelving, opting for a soft taupe paint for the perimeter cabinets, a custom plaster hood, and a Zellige backsplash from Ann Sacks. “The linear chandelier from Visual Comfort ties into the black trim on the windows and is a lesson on modern restraint,” the designer explains. The homeowner loves the adjacent dining nook. “It’s become a welcome multi-purposed spot, equally well-used with grandkids for a snack and or intimate dinners with family and friends,” Kerry says. “We really enjoyed seeing how the custom bench and chair fabrics came together and complemented the soft sculptural lines of the Pinch chandelier.”
The primary suite is calm and indulgent, with a cozy custom chair (covered in a Zak + Fox fabric) to take in the view. “At the last minute, our clients decided they didn’t want a tub in the primary bathroom so once again we came up with a spot that marries storage with a little spot to sit and enjoy the view,” the designer recalls. “The natural light shines in and welcomes you to sit on the custom bench covered in a McLauren & Piercy fabric featuring sweet hollyhocks.”
The upstairs guest suite has a separate entrance, and boasts a playful wallpaper with an artichoke pattern, paying homage to nearby fields. The powder room has wallpaper too—a vibrant botanical motif from Kerry Joyce, and features pendants from Hudson Valley Lighting and a mirror from Regina Andrew.
“Overall, we were thrilled to be working with the stunning surrounding landscape as inspiration,” Kerry shares. “Job site visits were always a treat— each trip up the long curvy road to the property, surrounded by oaks dripping in moss and grassy knolls became an experience in and of itself. We almost always came across a beautiful surprise like a family of deer grazing or an entire field of wildflowers in bloom.”
Overall, the project took about two years. “The homeowners were thrilled with the home,” Kerry tells us. “One feature they really fell in love with was the integrated plaster walls and described the soft buttery color like the feeling of a warm sunny hug.”
