A Colorado couple calls on Inside Stories’ Miranda Cullen to transform their Indian Wells getaway into a timeless abode with subtly layered tones and textures.
Weplight’s Bella pendant presides over the living room, where Lee Industry swivel chairs, the Athena cocktail table from Bernhardt and Arteriors’ Davies accent tables mingle atop the Varkala Quadra rug in Oyster from Stanton’s Antrim line.
THE PROJECT
When her longtime client called on Miranda Cullen to transform the dated home she and her husband purchased in the Palm Springs area, Cullen knew she had a big job on deck. “These snowbirds decided to make Indian Wells their winter home to avoid the Colorado cold,” says Cullen, principal and founder of Denver-based design firm Inside Stories. “With a prime location seated alongside a prestigious golf course and surrounded by welcoming neighbors, their new house was dated and far from their style.” Cullen and the team were tasked to turn the property into an ideal California escape for the blended family, now empty nesters with two dogs.
Symmetry rules in the family room, which features Thayer Coggin sofas, RH Marsden tufted leather accent chairs and Massoud’s Lauren ottoman.
THE PRIORITIES
“They asked us to take a dated home with good bones and turn it into a beautiful, functional environment that would allow them to entertain and host their adult children with their families for visits from out of town,” Cullen shares. Significant renovations to the main portion of the home—the living room, dining room, kitchen, family room and primary bathroom— to reconstruct the flow and function took top priority, followed by a refresh of the remaining spaces. The clients brought on contractor Shaun Clark with Indio-based Clark Development to help carry out their vision.
Just off the kitchen, the dining room features Sarreid’s Casual Jupe dining table and chairs by Bernhardt. The console is by Van Collier, the drapery fabric is Ombre Silica by Villa Nova and the Waving twelve light quartz pendant is by John-Richard.
THE INSPIRATION
“The vision for this home was California casual and comfortable with a sophisticated interior,” says Cullen, who adds that textural performance fabrics were a must. The home’s setting also inspired the interiors. “For this project, the backyard and golf course added to the ambiance so we made sure that view was front and center in our plan.”
THE PLAN
The most important part of the project was addressing the kitchen and great room area. “This space had a lot of potential and was where the largest part of the remodel occurred,” says Cullen. “The clients asked for a tonal, textural, comfortable environment. We gave them that and more, including new nano doors allowing them to open their home to indoor-outdoor living.”
The couple also requested a light and bright space and furnishings, which required Cullen and her team to incorporate performance fabrics—an essential for keeping the home looking fresh and the dogs comfortable.
“The rest of the home received light refreshes throughout, including a beautifully detailed ceiling in the dining room, some built-ins in the primary bedroom, his-and-her offices and the hall to the primary bedroom,” Cullen adds.
Sherwin Williams’ moody Mount Etna shade backs a Vanguard sleeper sofa, cocktail tables from Global Views and Jaipur’s Roshan rug in the study. The Visual Comfort sconce is from Thomas O’Brien’s Cosmopolitan collection.
THE DETAILS
One of the first things Cullen did to set the stage was choose a more modern front door. “The entry hall is a showstopper with a custom wood wall treatment, accent paint for the rotunda ceiling and a gorgeous light fixture,” says Cullen. We treated the entry hall as a pseudo art gallery.”
The wood wall treatment continues into the living room, where swivel armchairs from Lee Industries surround Bernhardt’s Athena round cocktail table, and a statement light fixture—the Bella light from Weplight—hangs overhead. Beyond the custom marble fireplace and gorgeous piano, there’s a custom-refrigerated wine wall and a hidden liquor cabinet next to the fireplace.
“The family room provides ample seating for family and friends,” notes Cullen. “The seating arrangement is centered on a custom-designed fireplace with a large TV hanging above—one battle we did not win with the client! The nano door system also brings the outdoors in.”
One dramatic transformation is the open-concept chef’s kitchen. “Soft, subtle materials were chosen for this space, and we added jewelry over the island through light fixtures and gold hardware,” Cullen shares. “One of the biggest changes in this area was opening the wall into the dining room. It’s a beautiful tonal space with an epic ceiling detail.”
RH’s Machinist glass cloche pendant acts as jewelry in the open-concept chef’s kitchen, where Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter paint sets an airy tone.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
“The most memorable experience and wonderful moment was the party our client hosted for us in their home at the completion of the project,” says Cullen. “They invited about 80 of their closest friends to celebrate, and there was amazing food, a full-service bar and a super-talented live band. The speech our client gave about our relationship and the company was heartwarming and caught me completely off guard,” she adds. “A good time was had by all!”
THE OUTCOME
The project took about 12 months from presentation to installation. When asked to describe the overall look and feel, Cullen has two words: Casual Elegance. “It’s like a breath of fresh air when you are in the home,” she shares. Even better yet, the homeowners are thrilled with their new vacation escape. “They love it,” Cullen adds. “It’s a showstopper, for sure!”
A mix of pieces from RH adorn the pool and patio area, which overlooks a scenic golf course.
DESIGN DETAILS
TYPE
Single-Family Home
LOCATION
Indian Wells
DESIGNER
Inside Stories
BUILDER, CARPENTER, ELECTRICIAN & PLUMBER
Shaun Clark, Clark Development
WALLPAPER INSTALLER
Marcos Custom Wallpaper
RESOURCES
BEDROSIANS TILE & STONE
Flooring throughout
BENJAMIN MOORE
Paint throughout
BERNHARDT
Furniture throughout
GLOBAL VIEWS
Study cocktail tables
JOHN-RICHARD
Dining room pendant light
LEE INDUSTRIES
Living room swivel chairs
MADE GOODS
Furniture and decor throughout
PALECEK
Kitchen counter stools
RH
Furniture and lighting throughout
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS
Study paint
THAYER COGGIN
Family room sofas
