The couple considered expanding Bashoor’s beloved Laguna Niguel house, but soon learned that construction would cost more than buying and updating a new place. Luckily, their MLS real estate search yielded a Dana Point five-bedroom ripe for renovation. “The footprint was perfect, the location was perfect, and we knew that we could make it exactly how we wanted it,” she explains.

Bashoor gutted the tri-level home, which was originally built in the late 1960s, and raised the kitchen ceiling as high as possible. She also ripped out the entry landing and, with an engineer’s approval, reinforced a central beam in order to remove a structural post that was standing inconveniently in the middle of the main level. “That opened up the space for better flow,” she shares.

The biggest challenge was settling on an overall aesthetic. “I like traditional, older, collected things,” she reveals. “He has more of a modern style. He likes things that are brand new, with sharper edges, and I like rounded corners and lots of natural wood surfaces. So we had to figure out how to make us both happy.” The compromise is a warm transitional design that works for the whole brood.

Curating the Kitchen

She went for BOXI by Semihandmade Mushroom Shaker fronts, and insisted on adding crown molding to the uppers. “I love it,” she muses. “I’m so happy with it. I really think it needs the crown to make it look finished. It looks more like a piece of furniture this way.”

The cupboards are adorned with matte black Rejuvenation hardware and paired with white quartz counters, a Zellige tile backsplash, and white Café Appliances with bronze handles. The hutch in the entry features an Ikea herringbone butcher block top, which matches the Semihandmade Walnut Floating Shelves that serve as a transition into the living and dining zones.

Adding Warmth

With a sleek kitchen, high vaulted ceilings, and smooth oak floors, she knew the space ran the risk of feeling cold. She counteracted that by painting the walls a creamy white hue called Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore and upping the cozy factor with a graphic Fireclay Tile fireplace, a Burrow sofa, and a big Persian rug.

But it wasn’t until she incorporated a slew of decor items from Anthropologie that she truly settled in. “It was beautiful, but it didn’t feel warm to me,” she reasons. “It didn’t feel like home yet to me. I ended up buying a variety of textures and colors in pillows and throws and towels for the bathrooms. Just those little touches made a big difference to me.”

Going Green

As she wove in her new textiles, she realized she needed greenery to complete the look and bought lots of pots at the Dana Point Nursery. While the interior is now peppered with joyful indoor plants, the lush backyard landscaping steals the show. Drought-friendly succulents surround the new poured cement pavers and fire pit. It’s an ideal gathering spot for a big California family.