Collected Calm: Turning a Blank Builder Box Into a Home With Heart
There’s a funny little trick builders like to play. They hand you the keys to your brand-new “dream home,” and instead of feeling like a dream, it looks more like a box of gray Legos. The walls, the floors, the fixtures, all the same shade of blah. Technically finished, sure, but emotionally? Nowhere near home.
That’s exactly where my clients Dick and Sharon found themselves. They’d downsized into a 55+ community with gorgeous bones, but the house had zero personality. Imagine moving into a hotel suite permanently and realizing you’re supposed to make it feel like yours. Not easy.
The challenge was simple: how do we take this blank slate and inject color, warmth and soul without overwhelming the couple or erasing the furniture and artwork they already loved? Spoiler alert: it’s all about layering.
Start With What Matters Most
Every great design begins with listening. Dick and Sharon had collected artwork from their travels and meaningful pieces. Tossing those wasn’t an option, and it shouldn’t be. A home without history feels like a stage set. So, we used their existing items as anchors.
The trick is integration. Place beloved items in prime positions, then build around them. A cherished painting becomes the inspiration for a color palette. A sofa gets new life with custom pillows and a complementary rug. Suddenly, old feels intentional instead of dated.
Add Light (Literally)
Lighting is the magic wand of interior design. In Sharon’s powder room, for example, we added wallpaper with subtle shimmer and a chandelier that sparkles like jewelry. Instantly, the room went from “builder-grade bathroom” to “guest-ready showstopper.”
In the kitchen, sculptural fixtures set the tone. Light doesn’t just illuminate, it establishes mood. Do you want cozy, dramatic or energizing? Start with lighting.
Wallpaper: Not Just for Grandma’s Dining Room
Wallpaper is back, and it’s the quickest way to add depth and texture. We installed custom wallcoverings in key spots, from accent walls to the primary bath. It turned flat drywall into art. Here’s the rule: don’t wallpaper every square inch. Be strategic. Powder rooms, niches or behind a headboard are perfect places to make a statement without overwhelming the space.
Window Treatments = The Outfit Finishing Touch
You wouldn’t put on a cocktail dress and skip the shoes, right? That’s what bare windows look like. Custom drapery and Roman shades gave Dick and Sharon’s home softness and privacy. Bonus: they frame the views instead of leaving windows looking naked.
Bring in the Color
Builder homes love their gray tones, but life needs more than grayscale. We added color strategically in rugs, artwork and accessories. Nothing neon, nothing screaming. Just layers of warmth with deep blues, earthy greens and subtle patterns. The result? A calm yet vibrant backdrop for the couple’s daily lives.
The Final Layer: Personality
A house feels like home when it reflects the people living in it. For Dick and Sharon, that meant displaying travel mementos and family photographs in curated arrangements instead of scattering them randomly. Personal items should be celebrated, not cluttered. Group similar items together, give them a spotlight, and let them tell your story.
The Big Reveal
When installation day arrived, we layered in every finishing touch. Fresh flowers, candles, pillows, art arranged just so. Sharon walked in and gasped. “It feels like us,” she said. That’s the best compliment a designer can get.
Your Takeaway
If your forever home feels anything but, start small. Pick one beloved item and design a vignette around it. Replace a generic light fixture with one that sparks joy. Add wallpaper in a powder room. Treat your windows like the eyes of your home and give them something stylish to wear.
Before long, you’ll move past the gray box and into a home that feels like a reflection of your life, not a page from a catalog. The real secret to design is not about the stuff. It’s about creating a space where your history and personality can finally exhale.
Before becoming an interior designer, Kathleen Jennison worked as certified public accountant for a national firm. A near-fatal car accident changed her career path and life forever. She suffered serious brain injuries, and her doctors suggested she take art classes to help with her rehabilitation. With her newfound love for design, she studied at the Art Institute in Sacramento, obtaining her bachelor’s degree in interior design. She is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and has served as the director of marketing for the National Association of Remodelers for the Greater Sacramento area. In 2009, she started KTJ Design Company.
404 N. Harrison | Stockton, CA 95203 | 209.915.0442 | kathleen@kathleenjennison.com
