One of my favorite styles lately is this “California casual” style I’ve been seeing all over the place.  Emily Henderson has been posting a lot about how to get this effortless look in your homes on her blog.  It’s fresh, bright and put together, but very comfortable and inviting at the same time.  I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to not just use this style in a room, but actually go to California to create it.  My cousin Ronnie, who is actually closer to my dad’s age, has been talking with me for awhile about helping him out with his house in Davis, California.

Let me tell you a little bit about my cousin so you can get a better picture of his house and lifestyle. Ronnie has been a professor and gymnastics coach at UC Davis for the past 17 years. He actually just retired the week before we went out to see him. But more than that, he is a rock climber. For anyone who knows avid rock climbers, they should just wear a t-shirt every day that says “Would Rather Be Climbing.”  They love it. They climb as much as they can. If Ronnie had the option to redesign his house, or go rock climbing on the weekend, there’s no real choice there.

So enter Leah. Ronnie’s goal now that he is retired is to finally finish his house, and buy a plot of land in Tahoe for a tiny house so he can be a part of nature and climb whenever he wants. His home in Davis, however, is what you might call a bachelor pad. It needs a little love from a designer, aka, me.

Guest Bedroom Before

I nudged Ronnie into getting a headboard and some furniture for this guest room. It’s not the largest room, but seeing as I stayed in it for my time in California, I needed a few places to put things like my laptop, book or glass of water for bedtime. He also wanted some new bedding, window treatments, and a fresh coat of paint.

Guest Bedroom After

We gave everything a good clean and painted the walls Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore. The color alone helped so much in brightening up the room. I love how serene it is, with a slight undertone of blue.  The beach canvas print from IKEA was a perfect steal at only $69.99 with the frame.  The colors blend perfectly with the bedding and wall color, and add to the calming mood of this California space.

More Before pictures

And After…

Davis, California has the cutest Farmer’s Market on Saturdays in their downtown area.  I found this great bouquet there and had to add them to the space.  The sunflowers scream Northern California to me and add such a happy vibe to this room. In addition to nature, Ronnie loves little totems and anything that gives him a sense of balance and peace.  I found this little guy at World Market which he is lucky enough to have literally around the corner from his house. 

I love this finished space and loved even more than I got to live in it for a few days while I put it together. I hope Ronnie’s guests enjoy it as much as I did, and gets him one step closer to finishing his Davis home.  Check out the links below if you are interested in any of the products you see here.

This portion contains some affiliate links.

Headboard, Target

End Tables, Target

Belgian Flax Linen Ikat Bedding, West Elm

Lamps, Target

Gray Curtains, Target

White Light Filtering Curtains, Target

Canvas Print, IKEA

Bamboo Plant, IKEA

Planter Basket, IKEA

Throw Pillow, Gray, Target

Throw Pillow, Brown IKAT, Target

 

Photo Editing Credit: Ryan Herrero