In This Santa Barbara Home, the Kitchen Backsplash Set the Tone for the Whole Property's Design — a Mediterranean-Inspired Nest Sculpted From Glaze, Textures, and Memories
A leak in the existing kitchen expanded the scope of the 1980s renovation, leaving room for interior designer Abbie Naber to create layered spaces and add depth through tiling and color
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"One of the first things we picked out was the kitchen backsplash, it pulls so many colors," California-based interior designer Abbie Naber of A. Naber Design recalls. The kitchen features multicolored zellige mosaic, which has been intentionally repeated in new architectural features like the wall niches created by T7 Architecture. This family renovation project began in the winter of 2023, and ended just as the clients were expecting their third child.
Their brief was for a complete makeover of the multi-level 1980s property. Drawing on inspiration from their travels around Europe, they were particularly taken with Portuguese tiles and, more locally, Santa Barbara's Spanish Modern vernacular homes.
The kitchen hadn't even been a part of the original plan, but a leak changed everything. "In the beginning, we were not going to touch that space," Naber explains. "At the last minute, we had to include it and work within the footprint that was already there because everything else was already set." The constraints turned out to be a gift. The resulting kitchen, with its dark ocean-blue island and the statement backsplash, sets the tone for the entire scheme.
The blue and green colors were inspired by the family's travels around Europe, while the neutral walls are a nod to Santa Barbara Spanish Modern style homes.
You enter the house through frosted crittall-style doors onto one of the upper floors that hosts the open plan living area. The main living room is considered and welcoming. Here, a Community Manufacturing sofa provides ample space for everyone to gather in front of the modern fireplace.
In large part, the interior walls remain neutral, the main living spaces, kitchen, and breakfast nook are kept in Simply White by Benjamin Moore.
In the nook, Naber enhances the natural wood finish of the beams and engineered flooring with an original painting by Solomiya Zelenska and a distinctive Pinch pendant light, offering additional illumination for the family to enjoy casual meals.
"The beams are plasterboard and have been wrapped in a veneer," explains the designer.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
"Arches were introduced throughout by the architect, and we used some leftover tiles to add further interest," she adds.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
"The result really is a testament to the client trusting and collaborating," Naber explains.
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"When we first met, we spoke about what they liked, and the husband mentioned traveling to Europe, particularly Portugal, and talked about the green and blue colors."
Naber translated these memories into everyday tactile experiences throughout the home, giving each zone a personality while remaining unified throughout.
Original artwork features throughout and the Isobel Harvey canvas adds depth to the living area. "The coffee table is from Sun at Six, and the wood vases were hand-carved by Eiji Miller, who did all the joinery," Aber explains.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
"The den is where the family goes to watch TV and relax," she says. The space has been painted in warm hues, and complementary wood furnishings make it feel cozy.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
The breakfast nook gives the family room for casual dining. The Solomiya Zelenska painting, meanwhile, adds color that both complements and revives the neutral scheme.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
In the lower-ground den, which the family uses to gather and watch films, Naber applied a peach hue that makes the West-facing room feel like a cocoon.
The roman blinds draw down to further cloak the room while the matching custom-made poufs provide a footrest for comfort. There's a sideboard and a media unit sourced from CB2, while the rug is from Armadillo.
Further down on the basement level is a pool room that has received a more restrained treatment. Naber has chosen to hang prints instead of original pieces of art.
"It's a flexible space where you can entertain or watch sports," she explains. "We didn't put anything in there that's too precious, and the price point of the furniture is lower than in other areas." Even on a modest budget, Naber still manages to deliver a tasteful finish.
Another peak inside this characterfully reinvented kitchen and living area by A. Naber Design, where Mediterranean vibrancy is reinterpreted for the Californian eye.
In one of the children's bedrooms, artwork by LA-based Colombian artist Shaskia Cuaspa draws you in, while the textiles play further with patterns and geometry. Although layered here, the deep shades help it remain restful and not cluttered.
In the associated bathroom, a unique skirting design on the lower part of the wall adds an element of fun. The checkerboard is in the same style, but a different size and color from the blue and white of the floor tiles.
"I enjoyed being more playful; you could argue that the checkerboard effect is in this case both trendy and timeless," Naber muses. This energy is amplified in a "pint-sized" powder room where color really comes alive.
The work of artist Shaskia Cuaspa features as a main focal point in this intimate bedroom space.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
A fun floor finish in the children's bathroom has been created by combining two different types of checkerboard, while the rest of the scheme is neutral.
Image credit: Charlotte Lea. Design: A. Naber Design
"I love that the wife wanted something wild and off-the-wall," she enthuses. "You can do that in a small space." The best part was her commitment to the wallpaper and to painting the remaining walls in terracotta.
The project came together in two years, ending just as the clients welcomed their new addition.
While unforeseen delays led to a change of plans, it also opened up the opportunity to create a considered scheme that speaks to family memories of sun, sea, and European travels, one that plenty of other people will be able to resonate with, too.
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The playroom is as tasteful and considered as the rest of the house, this has all been achieved at a lower price-point.
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Ifeoluwa Adedeji is a Nigerian-British journalist who is based in Milan. She studied journalism and French in the UK and has written for The New York Times, The Observer, Wallpaper*, and more. She was a member of the jury for the 2025 Milan Triennale Bee awards and acts as a consultant for emerging brands, designers, and small organizations.