“I always say to start with the shell of the house and then work your way into the fine details,” said interior designer Robin Strickler. The founder of Orange County-based interior design firm Design Works has a soft spot for finishing touches, but only after the “big picture” has been set.

To begin, Strickler spoke to the owners of a Newport Coast home about changing the existing Tuscan-inspired design theme to something more modern and coastal— more Santa Barbara, less Mediterranean.

“When we started, there was gold and granite and travertine and a lot of things were pillowed and rounded,” said Strickler.

Now, the home feels open, airy and organic. It is contemporary, but timeless.

A striking, navy blue antelope rug runs up the curved staircase and segues into more blue hues throughout the home. The patterned carpet is forgiving in high-traffic areas making it a great choice for those who want something bold yet, practical.

Custom, wide-planked bleached oak floors balance the pops of blue and create a sense of continuity in the home as they connect the kitchen, dining room, living room and foyer.

In the kitchen, pristine white cabine

The kitchen has several brass finishes including a set of library lights in front of two small windows that frame the stove and range hood.

“The brass juxtaposed nicely with the navy and added another classic tone to the mix,” said Strickler. “We don’t want everything to match, we just want it to flow.”

The brass color continues in the dining room with an Odette Cabinet from Mr. Brown furniture. The updated 1950s original with sliding doors fits into a nook covered in agate-patterned Philip Jeffries wallpaper.

“The pattern here is soft, not so bold and mimics the stone backsplash in the kitchen,” said Strickler. “Combined with the antique mirrors, buffet and wallpaper, the dining room feels more formal.”

Keeping the blue-gray palette alive in the living room, Strickler added interest to the space with varied patterns and textures. Even the fireplace, though neutral and unassuming, provides textural charm in a modern way.

Strickler and Design Works built this custom fireplace with antique brick and reclaimed wood.  Its rustic appearance is both clean and full of character.

Upstairs, the master bathroom has a spa-like feel with a Japanese soaking tub separating the two sink vanities. The mostly-white space includes a book-matched marble shower and marble countertops all with noticeable gray striations.

The owner’s affinity for brass is shown again with Kelly Wearstler lighting fixtures on the ceiling and beside the mirrors.

“We helped (the owner) curate a space she could come home to and feel relaxed in,” said Strickler. “We started with the kitchen which is the heart of the home and moved out reflecting the client’s individual style throughout.”

ts with wooden shaker doors line the perimeter of the space, focusing attention on the large, center island in a navy shade of paint called Freedom Blue.

“We wanted something different here. We wanted the navy to pop,” said Strickler whose design style typically leans towards monochromatic because of the flexibility it lends to adding accent pieces.

The blue was something Stickler could feel the homeowner was drawn to and so the Design Works team paired the color with whites and grays as a background.

Fireplace feature

For homeowners interested in creating their own custom fireplace, Francois Tiab of Embers West said not only does it add value to your home, it adds comfort and ambiance too.

“The whole fire thing— it’s in our DNA. People have been mesmerized by fire since the beginning,” said Tiab.

Having designed and installed fireplaces for both commercial and residential spaces, Tiab said that the feature is typically a focal point of the room. More than just a heat source, a fireplace can add style to a home’s design.

Trending now are modern, linear fireplaces with length  emphasized over height, said Tiab. His team once constructed an exterior fire feature that stretched 38 feet long.

Other popular fireplace materials include stacked stone or reclaimed wood and Tiab, who has six fireplaces in his own home, said you can’t go wrong with stone.

“Limestone is one of the most beautiful stones. It doesn’t have sheen or texture and it is timeless like a fireplace itself,” said Tiab.

Tiab, who recently constructed a fireplace inside a large fake tree at a Los Angeles restaurant, said there are endless possibilities when choosing a shape and finish to meet a homeowner’s particular needs.