Saratoga, California—a Bay Area suburb—is known for hilly neighborhoods. So, when this property came on the market, it was a gem. It’s one of the only flat lots in the neighborhood, is very private, and boasts natural beauty with a creek running through the backyard. When hiring a designer, the homeowners needed assistance merging their unique design styles.

They tapped IDWW Studio—an interior design studio helmed by Danielle Jack and Taylor O’Donnell—to help build their dream home. “They purchased this plot to design a home that fits their blended family and the unique needs of each family member,” the designers say. “While their goals began with aesthetics, the design is grounded in functionality and practicality. This family is known for entertaining, and their home needs to support their love of big family dinners, holidays, or even TV marathons in the ‘Bravo’ room that is equipped with custom oversized swivel chairs for prime viewing.” 

It was a full-scope project, involving the entire home as well as the backyard and patio design—and it all happened during a very unique chapter. “This project is very special to us for a variety of reasons,” Taylor admits. “[Dani and I] began the journey while we were both pregnant—five weeks apart from one another! Navigating this project through both of our pregnancies allowed us to rely on each other in new ways, and strengthen not only our individual roles, but also our ability to lean on each other. There was, and still is, a lot of trust in the process—trust in each other, and trust from our clients.”

Location also played a part. The IDWW team is based in Los Angeles and Austin, while the home is in NorCal. “Some of the challenges included our inability to travel during part of install, though our clients are champions at overseeing deliveries,” Taylor says. “Once we were able to get back on site, it was rewarding to accessorize and style with a somewhat fresh perspective. Now, we look back at this time as one of our greatest accomplishments to date: a major construction project in a city outside of our central headquarters. We feel this really set us up to take on anything!”

Dani adds, “The project took almost two years. When the house was completed, the clients were thrilled! They wrote us both handwritten thank you’s. To quote mine: ‘Because of you our house is a home. Where friends and family are always welcome and a place where memories are created. You made the experience a fun adventure,’ It was rewarding to hear how much they loved everything and how much they loved working with us. The feelings were mutual, and we are now brainstorming vacation house locations!”

Take a tour in the slideshow.