Painting the Perfect Picture

Jeff Schlarb Design Studio transforms a Hillsborough home into a gallery for the future

“Our clients are passionate collectors—of both art and sneakers—so we approached the home as a framework to support and celebrate those collections,” says Bay Area designer Jeff Schlarb on this 8,900-square-foot home that he transformed for a highly artistic family in Hillsborough. “We knew many of the pieces that would ultimately live in each room, and we built the color palettes around them. Their collections are vibrant and playful, and we wanted the interiors to reflect that energy while remaining highly functional and family-friendly for their two children (and, as it turned out, a puppy who joined after the project wrapped).”

Inspired by the grand Mediterranean estates in Santa Barbara, the clients—who are existing clients—wanted the home to feel spacious yet provide spaces where each family member could explore their own creativity. “Their son is a multifaceted creative who needed dedicated areas for music, sewing, and art, and their daughter is an early entrepreneur with an Etsy jewelry business and required flexible workspace for making and storing her work,” he notes. “The clients also needed additional room to house a growing art collection and to comfortably host friends and family.”

Keeping durability as a top priority, the team designed custom rugs throughout, using indoor/outdoor fibers. All bathroom flooring is porcelain or terrazzo, and many of the stone selections are quartzites or granite. “The kitchen countertops feature an anti-etch top layer, and all fabrics were custom-selected for durability—able to stand up to kids, pets, sunlight, and daily life,” Schlarb says. “One of the client’s primary requests from the outset was opening up the dining room wall and transforming an existing butler’s pantry into a bar—specifically one that was beautifully green. This space was actually the first room we designed. More broadly, the existing kitchen and bathrooms weren’t fully maximizing their footprints, so we reworked those layouts. Expanding the kitchen, we took cabinetry all the way to the ceiling and added a buffet area adjacent to the dining space. In the bathrooms, we focused on increasing storage while improving overall flow and functionality.”

With so many standout moments throughout the home, he gloats over the bar and dining entertaining areas as his favorite. “The green bar, painted in a high-gloss finish using Fine Paints of Europe, immediately commands attention,” Schlarb proclaims. “Its custom bronze base features intricate detailing, and the storage above the back bar—as well as the shelf along the side wall—was entirely custom fabricated. That shelving detail carries through to the adjacent dining room, creating continuity between spaces. The marble wainscoting is another highlight and adds a sense of richness and permanence.”

When asked how the client felt about the finished home, Schlarb notes, “She loves how personal and artistic the home feels, and how seamlessly it complements their collected artwork. Most importantly, the home now truly supports their family’s lifestyle—providing space for all of their creativity, hobbies and everyday living, all while feeling intentional, expressive and deeply their own.”

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