An Open and Family-Friendly Home Makeover

This once-cramped starter home now offers plenty of elbowroom for everyone with an added upper level and brighter rooms. A blue-gray exterior with crisp white trim blends the house into the sunny California surroundings, but it stays true to its Craftsman character with the original front porch and roof.

A classic Craftsman color palette gets a modern pop of color with an avocado-green door and potted plants. The family considers the covered porch an extra room in the house.

To create a more defined entryway, the homeowners tucked a slim table behind the open door. The table adds display space for small accessories and provides a pleasing view through the living room's wide doorway.  Large built-ins define the doorway between the living room and entryway and display vases, books, and family photos.

The small living room at the front of the house functions as a grown-up space for entertaining. The colors here mimic those used in the rest of the house. An extra-large ottoman provides feet-up relaxation and also serves as a coffee table.

A large mahogany island provides a comfy, family-friendly dining spot. Cone-shape shades on the light fixtures above the island give the illusion of casual table lamps and brown velvet trim adds visual weight and ties them in with the dark island base and flooring.

The homeowners maximize every inch of counter space by putting the microwave in a custom-made cabinet, which is the perfect height for small children, and by stashing cookbooks on the shelf below. Keep clutter to a minimum to make a small kitchen feel open and spacious.

The traditional white kitchen gets a dash of color in the misty-green backsplash. The modern shape of the horizontal tiles is a bit unexpected, but the color is pulled directly from the gray-green graining in the marble countertop.

A large peninsula separates the kitchen from the dining area and gives the homeowners a spacious breakfast bar, perfect for grabbing a quick snack or working on homework. The color palette and similar finishes unite the two spaces.

From the kitchen, the cook has a perfect view into the family room. Mixing patterns and varying shades of a few colors helps a room feel cohesive and well-collected.

In the family room, slipcovered sofas and a pair of small tables with shelves to store games reflect the home's family-friendly style. Bold yellow draperies draw attention to beautiful French doors that allow access to the outdoors. The coffered ceiling was the architect's creative solution for disguising a structural beam.

The lemon-yellow lamp coordinates with the drapes without being too matchy-matchy. The lightness of the glass base reflects light and gives this corner of the family room a soft glow.

As much as the family loves their togetherness, each member still cherishes "me" time. Built-ins with adjustable shelves and an attached window seat provide a cozy reading spot for the family's resident bookworm.

Efficient storage is a must in this compact home. An open shelf on the bottom of the vanity and a ledge on the mirrors give easy access to bathroom necessities. A large built-in cabinet provides closed storage for bath essentials such as towels, soaps, and cleaning supplies.