The night before Becca Piastrelli and her husband Tim were going to sign a lease for a rental in another town, a poorly written and poorly photographed ad for a house in Mill Valley, CA popped up. It was where they wanted to be. Becca trusted her intuition and went to the open house and they both found what they were looking for. Timing is everything sometimes, and even the most thorough searches can be set off by one last look.
Becca is a full-time blogger, maker and doer. “I am passionate about dabbling and making — working with my hands is what makes me happiest. I used to work in the corporate tech industry in San Francisco, but found I was much happier making lip balm and kombucha than presenting power points to executive boards,” Becca says. “So I made the leap into blogging full-time several years ago and haven’t looked back.” Tim is a computer engineer who loves all things practical and efficient.
The bohemian-meets-semi-traditional vibe in this space is a fair representation of the couple. “The decorating process has been an organic one. I’ve learned, over the years, to patiently wait for the right pieces to come across your path,” Becca says. “We wanted it to feel cozy, magical, and like a blend of our two styles. My style is natural with a bit of worldly woo woo (my own term) and my husband’s is modern with a hint of Star Wars. We make quite the pair and a lot of that is reflected in our home together.” The mix of cool green walls and architectural quirks in the home supports both styles, allowing the couple to feel creative and inspiring them to continue to make their home a collaborative and loved space. —Lauren
Becca and Tim's home has reached far beyond the potential of its dark and dreary Craigslist ad. This bright, inviting space is a mix of them both - it's playful and earthy while being orderly and understated.
"The old wood stove and brick fireplace gives it a cozy, cabin feel. I love it because it feels like the heart of our home - it’s where everyone gathers," says Becca.
"We were looking to leave congested city apartment life and move to a peaceful area surrounded by nature - to calm our nerves and re-inspire our creative pursuits," says Becca.
"We snagged this piece from an Indian furniture importer at the Alameda Flea Market," says Becca. "It’s shallow enough to just fit some regular sized cookbooks, and I’ve included some craft bitters a friend of mine made for me. We keep our napkins and boardgames in there for dinner parties."
"This our entryway, through the middle French doors, just beyond our front porch," says Becca. "I love the Morroccan rug we got as a wedding present from good friends."
The dining room used to be the sun porch. Its new function is inspiring and practical. "I think the window lining makes this room interesting and super lovely for brunching during the day," says Becca. "You feel like you are in a treehouse when sitting at the table."
The large windows and ceiling beams make this room beautiful on its own. The table and plant lend themselves more to Becca's bohemian, while the chair shape and minimal decor support Tim's structured style.
Becca's workspace is a standing desk next to the dining room. This is where she blogs and edits the photos of her creative projects, without the need to take up space in the rest of the house with a full office.
"This shows my herbal apothecary and workspace. This is my favorite part of the home - a place to keep all of my herbs and ingredients to create. And the light-filled work area is ideal for shooting. I am happiest in this part of my home," says Becca.
The galley kitchen is too narrow for more than one person to be prepping or cooking at a time, but it has its positives, "The kitchen looks out over a wild backyard where we can often catch wild deer and foxes nibbling on greenery."
"I think my neti pot shows the real-life nature of our day-to-day life, along with the lovely print I found on Etsy that says, 'meet me at the farmer’s market,'" says Becca.
"The bed takes up the majority of the room - a sign that our home was built during a time when people and furniture were much smaller," says Becca. "I love the light in our bedroom, along with our interesting throw pillows."
"I think the drawings on the wall on either side of the bed are really interesting. They were drawn by my brother-in-law, who captured our spirit animals that a shaman assigned to us several years back. Mine is an elephant ('connecting to ancient wisdom') and Tim’s is a Jaguarandi ('seeing roads through chaos')," says Becca. "Since this room is so small, fitting the bed in here was a hilarious task."
I found myself repeating things like “I could live there” and “I want that” throughout these photos! I really like the simplicity of things, as well as personal details throughout their home.
Wow, Becca! Beautiful home filled with light, positivity, & creativity! I love it. And the fact that you say your space was made with the idea that you wanted it to be a retreat from the world or work inspires me. Thanks for sharing!
New inspiration for my new house. Ok so it’s an 18th century townhouse in France but newer than my 16th century mill house down the road and much smaller . Love your decorating style California comfy and make a geek happy combo. Now what to do with books?
I found myself repeating things like “I could live there” and “I want that” throughout these photos! I really like the simplicity of things, as well as personal details throughout their home.
– Kaitlyn
Thank you, Kaitlyn. You are welcome over for tea anytime.
What is the living room pAint color
We moved in to find that glorious paint color already on the walls, so I don’t have an answer for you. So sorry!
That dining room!! So lovely. My brother and sis-in-law live in Mill Valley, it is truly a beautiful, special place.
So, so lovely. I second the request for the living room paint color. And the source for the “meet me at the farmer’s market” print too, please!
Beautiful home and yes,I could there! The paint color is perfect.
Thank you for your kind words. We love our cozy room and it is an honor to share with you.
So sorry I can’t give the paint color, but here’s a link to the farmer’s market print in our kitchen: https://www.etsy.com/listing/102106128/farmers-market-vertical-print
Wow, Becca! Beautiful home filled with light, positivity, & creativity! I love it. And the fact that you say your space was made with the idea that you wanted it to be a retreat from the world or work inspires me. Thanks for sharing!
What about the bedroom colour? :)
I’m sorry I don’t know that either :(
What a lovely home! What is the name of the Ikea item being used as a standing desk? Been looking for a piece like this for a while!
It’s the OLOFSTORP storage unit: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10239464/
I really like the use of natural bare brick used around the fireplace it really makes it stand out from the subtle colours in the room.
New inspiration for my new house. Ok so it’s an 18th century townhouse in France but newer than my 16th century mill house down the road and much smaller . Love your decorating style California comfy and make a geek happy combo. Now what to do with books?