Traditional and Modern Tango at a Spanish-Style Ranch
Shaw Coates and her husband, John, loved living in their four-level downtown San Diego house. Shaw, specifically, loved little spaces, having lived in Paris apartments. But when the couple — she is a promotion manager; he’s a hardware engineer for Qualcomm — unexpectedly learned that Shaw was pregnant, they went into overdrive to find a more habitable space in which to raise their family. The concept of owning a nursery on the floor level and their master bedroom all the way in the top has been far from perfect.
Rancho Santa Fe, a neighborhood north of San Diego with 1-acre a lot, a state vibe, proximity to the city and shore, a horse culture and amazing schools, seemed like the best fit. But the traditional style of these houses worried Shaw, who was hoping to get something more modern. A late-1970s house and its clean lines quickly grabbed her attention, however, offering the chance to bring some midcentury classic flair to a timeless design. John was less enthused. The ranch-style Spanish house had not been lived in for 2 and a half years; there were escapes and it was falling apart. A massive revamp has been in order.
Shaw championed the high ceilings, open floor plan and special views of the valley because a good base packed with potential, finally winning John over. Greenline Construction plus landscape designers Kendra Berger of Revive Landscape Design and Steven Letz of Letz Design stepped in to carry out the vision.
in a Glance
Who lives here: Shaw and John Coates, 2-year-old daughter Charlotte and poodle Monte
Location: Rancho Santa Fe, California
Size: 2,710 square feet on 1 1/2 acres; 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths
Budget: About $250,000
Year constructed: Late 1970s
Shaw Coates
The Coates family was quite cost-conscious throughout the revamp. Among the few splurges has been replastering the walls to make them simpler. Shaw added Benjamin Moore’s Vanilla Milkshake paint into the walls, fireplace and ceiling.
Looking for a statement piece which would complement the Spanish design, Shaw added an outside lamp from Restoration Hardware into the living area. Black and chartreuse accents upgrade the predominantly white and gray interior. She picked the color scheme since she wanted something serene and restful for the busy family; plus the greens work with the exterior plants.
Sofa, rug: Room & Board; tables: CB2; floors: French white walnut
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: Shaw had this initial brick inlay fireplace coated in Santa Barbara smooth stucco to get a more modern feel. French white oak replaced the original tiled flooring.
All of the original windows have been replaced with more effective low-E dual-pane ones.
Shaw Coates
More chartreuse — Shaw’s favorite color — and black adorn the minimalist dining area.
Table: Design Within Reach; chairs: Room & Board; chandelier: Restoration Hardware; lamp: mix
Shaw Coates
Shaw loves the spacious kitchen and household room, where she can easily observe her daughter.
Sofa, coffee table, side chairs: Room & Board
Shaw Coates
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: The Coates family doesn’t cook much, so that they left the kitchen layout pretty much intact, moving a few appliances around. Sustainably harvested wood cabinets now stained espresso provide the kitchen a warm and sophisticated look.
Shaw Coates
Shaw also included a single-sink basin big enough to hold big pots and pans. The countertops are Caeserstone blended with recycled glass to sparkle.
Shaw Coates
The art is lean but well chosen. This Andy Warhol”Dual Elvis” print adds a snap of hipness.
Chairs: Room & Board
Shaw Coates
The Coates family utilizes this space, technically a fourth bedroom, as an office and library. They mostly use laptops to work, meaning no more unsightly cords dangle, and they put the desk at the”power place,” Shaw says. Four bookcases out of Room & Board fit perfectly on the back wall, giving the look of built-ins.
A hidden cupboard houses a video surveillance program.
Bookcases, chair, rug: Room & Board; desk: West Elm; prints: antiques
Shaw Coates
Referred to as the Gold Room, this guest bedroom is splashed with all the color. A cupboard previously spanned the back wall, but Shaw had it chopped in half. “I would not want guests to stay that long where they would want all that cupboard room anyhow,” she states.
The carpeting has a plastic-wrapped pad underneath, making the floor kidproof and petproof.
Headboard: Ikea; bed frame: Design Within Reach; comforter, side tables: West Elm; lamps: mix; sea urchins wall installation: SoLo
Shaw Coates
John’s mother hand tinted the photos of Midwest landscapes which hang above this workstation in the guest area. The gold eyeglasses made them a perfect addition to the Gold Room.
Desk: West Elm; seat: Room & Board; side table: classic
Shaw Coates
Often confronted with more guests than there was room for, Shaw put a full-size bed in their kid’s room.
Crib, lamp, drapes: Ikea; dresser: Room & Baord; decals: Etsy; side table: mix
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: The master bedroom came with a nook that was tough.
Shaw Coates
Among the questions: how high to hang the drapes? Shaw chose to hang them on the exterior ceiling of the corner to match the ones covering a window opposite.
The headroom throughout the house was a big selling point. “I always feel as though high ceilings are somewhat less oppressive,” Shaw says. “So that has been our wish list when house hunting, for sure.”
Bed, stools: Crate & Barrel; rug: West Elm; dresser: Room & Board; sleeper couch: Design Within Reach
Shaw Coates
The household uses the corner as a reading area which looks out to a courtyard terrace.
Shaw Coates
There was extensive water damage in the master bath, so the Coateses took that as an chance to knock down superfluous walls and interior doorways to open the area. They included classic subway tiles and a soaking tub.
Shaw Coates
The washer and drier area was at the garage. Shaw transformed a storage room and purchased the smallest units she could detect. She then used a leftover slab of rosemary Caesarstone to create a workstation to conceal soaps in and to lay clothes on.
Shaw Coates
To help the outside mix in with the surroundings, she had it redone with smooth Santa Barbara stucco to get a more natural color.
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: So much work has been needed on the outside, Shaw notes. From the heavy lace-white stucco caused the house to pop out.
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: The pergola deserved some particular attention.
Shaw Coates
Adding a modern customized iron gate, hammering the pergola’s beams and wrap it into a grapevine helped spruce this up.
Shaw Coates
The entryway now features Spanish tile, a fountain and lush ornamental grasses.
Shaw Coates
The family didn’t want a massive lawn such as the previous homeowners needed and a lot of their neighbors have; water bills for those, Shaw states, can run around $1,000 per month. The family included decomposed granite and succulents, including gold barrel cactus and gloomy fire agave.
The low-maintenance, minimal-water approach was a success. “I interviewed landscapers and basically told them I didn’t wish to do anything,” says Shaw, adding that the water bill is between $70 and $150 a month.
Shaw Coates
An orchard is teeming with grapefruit, lemon, orange, peach, apple and apricot trees.
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: The pool area was a massive mess, Shaw states.
Shaw Coates
AFTER: The equipment was ruined, so that they switched the pool from contamination to saltwater and added an azure stone into the interior to make it sparkle. They also enlarged the entertainment area.
Before Photo
Shaw Coates
BEFORE: On the older outdoor terrace, a large wall would block the view of the valley if you sat down.
Shaw Coates
AFTER: A simple, affordable Home Depot fence now lets the view take over.
Sofa: Room & Board; pillows, coffee table: Restoration Hardware; dining room table: Pottery Barn