Modern Comfort

from SLO LIFE Magazine Feb/Mar 2023

Makena Johnson STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

BY ZARA KHAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LALUSH

TThe Central Coast is a tempting escape from the big cities that surround us. Chrysa and Craig Brothers began visiting the region more frequently when their friends opened a bed and breakfast, and the idea of staying for longer periods of time was born. The uninterrupted natural beauty, the kind people and, of course, all the wineries drew the couple in to the idea of a vacation home. Rather than a new build, and with experience under their belts, the pair settled on a remodel project since they felt they knew what they were getting into.

Their home down south is a detailed Craftsman style, so they wanted their getaway to be decidedly different. They needed something that would be easy to maintain from a distance and carefree to live in while they relax. When they found their perfect place to rest, the nature that surrounds the home became the inspiration. They wanted everything to feel organic and light, but still classic. The Brothers brought Karen Faulkner, interior designer and close friend, on to the team first to help them come up with a strategy. They had already worked with her many times before and knew that she would not only collaborate well with them, but help bring their vision to life. With a background in commercial >> and residential design, Faulkner was confident she would be able to help remotely and utilize some of the resources from out of town to pull the design together, which was a huge asset while navigating all the supply chain issues throughout the project. They decided to work with the materials that were readily available, with a few exceptions.

With a plan ready to be executed, the Brothers brought Garrett Knoll of GK Building and Design Inc. onto the team to pull it all together. GK Building works throughout the Central Coast and their projects include both residential and commercial. Like most remodels, they had a few existing obstacles that needed to be worked around. Since the home was built in the eighties, there were a lot of soffits, and it was a gamble on what they would find behind them. In the kitchen they lucked out and were able to remove them with no problems, which instantly made the room feel brighter. They weren’t as lucky downstairs and had to relocate some of the plumbing. Having hardwood floors throughout the home was high on the priority list and to get the full impact of the French Oak floors they selected, they decided to raise the sunken entry level, so the entire space was uniform. This >> did trigger reworking the fireplace, which had to be raised along with the rest of the subfloor, but it also gave them the opportunity to change their wood burning fireplace to gas.

Not all the surprises led to more work. There were some pleasant ones, too. The ceiling beams, which had previously been covered in plaster, revealed a beautiful wood hiding beneath. With a little cleaning up, they became a focal point in the space. Knoll believes the value of any general contractor is in their subcontractors. Colony Carpets in Paso Robles was exceptional in helping with selections. Ryan Packer of CCS Stone, worked on all the stonework, including the fireplace and kitchen. Precision & Quality Painting made sure the finishing touches looked perfect. The Brothers wanted to replace the existing stair railings to iron and Faulkner was able to sketch out that vision.

When designing, Faulkner often chooses a statement piece and builds around it. In the sitting area by the fireplace, they worked around the table that she and Chrysa fell in love with. It captured everything they wanted the house to embody, organic and modern, but still comfortable and >> timeless. Accordingly, it made the ten-week delay in receiving the furniture, on top of a ten-week expected lead time, worth the wait. In the powder bathroom, they found a wallpaper that they loved and balanced the large pattern with more simple finishes. They also decided to have some fun with the light fixtures. They envisioned them being funkier and more unexpected and knew if they grew tired of them in a few years, they would be easier swaps to make than some of the more permeant decisions. And one thing stands out as the unanimous favorite design feature: the cork wallpaper at the bar.

For anyone ready to take on a remodel in 2023, The Brothers urge you to order everything you want ahead of time, so you don’t have to reselect or extend your construction timeline. Faulkner stresses the gravity of taking the time to think about what is important to you and to be realistic about how you live in a space—it should look beautiful, but that won’t matter if the lack of function drives you crazy while using it. As always, Knoll would remind us that the value really is in the collaboration of the team you pull together. SLO LIFE