I wish they all could be California Girls

Call it a case of the grass is always greener, but this east coast girl has always wanted to live on the west coast.

 

Perhaps it was way to many episodes of 90210 (the Brenda & Brandon days), but my heart was always set on a West Coast Casa. As I’ve grown up my dream location in Cali has changed from Beverly Hills, to LA, to San Diego, to Venice Beach and most recently I’m day dreaming of packing up and residing in Manhattan Beach.

 

This month’s issue of Coastal Living (thanks for the subscription Aunt Maureen!) made my desire to move to Manhattan Beach even stronger.

 

Under Coastal Living's Haven section we are met with the home of designer Jill Johnson. She took what was originally a house that they were simply going to paint white and rent to her labor of love that she now resides in.

 

In love with her front stoop. Those shingles make me instantly think of summer and the beach and with the  addition of the surfboard  I’m already thinking of what beach reads I’m bringing me with me to come visit. 

 

Upon entering Jill’s home I already feel like I could call this place my own. With Jill’s background in fashion textiles she has a great eye for mixing  patterns. Notice how she uses stripes on the flooring, lattice print on pillows, more stripes on pillows and a busy pattern on the chairs. By varying the scales of your patterns your able to have all of them reside in the same room without looking too busy.

 

Love the causal vibe in the kitchen. The coat of white on everything just brightens up the space and the pops of blue and green just make me happy.

Love her use of vintage bamboo lighting fixtures. The small mirrors above the banquette remind me of portholes on a boat. The stripes also help to remind me of coastal living without being cheesy with an all out nautical theme.

 

Jill continues the same color combo of grey/blues, greens and yellows in her master bedroom. Love the bamboo lighting fixture here as well!

 

One of my favorite parts of her home is her kid’s room. Love the neutral stone colored grasscloth walls, the pop of aqua in the amoire and of course my favorite a little animal print! 

 

You can find more picture’s of Jill’s home here, but if I were you I would go pick up a paper copy. It is so worth it. One of my favorite spaces in quite some time.

 

Jill’s design business is actually not a solo act. She partnered up with friend Suzanne Ascher and they started Waterleaf Interiorsin 2006.

Make sure you check out their portfolio it is jaw-dropping!

 

Plus if you are in their neighborhood you must check it out their studio/shop and take some pictures for me!

 

Images 1-6 via Coastal Living, 7 via Waterleaf Interiors, 8 via SFGIRLBYBAY by BeachBungalow8