Welcome back to our new favorite segment where we feature the incredible homes shot for Emily’s book, The New Design Rules. This home tour you are about to see is by design duo Annie Segal and Marieke Ochtman of ASOM HOME, whose work we’ve featured on the blog before. As a team, Annie and Marieke create eclectic, inviting, inspiring homes that have a ton of soul, and yet are packed with approachable design choices. They are experts are melding styles, textures, and patterns in order to create a home that feels pulled together and personal. So today, I am so excited to walk through Annie’s beautiful home which has some really fun actionable design tricks that anyone can do. Let’s begin.
Add A Whimisical Rug To Your Entry
The entry is so stimulating and fun from top to bottom. The tiles have a hexagon shape and a continuous stripe pattern going from wall to wall, which is incredibly pleasing to the eye. It’s a really innovative way to incorporate two shapes, making the floor pattern feel bold but not too loud. The animal rug then adds warmth and playfulness which plays into the large-scale botanical wallpaper. All of these elements together create a space that feels layered and intentional. If you have the space, adding an unconventional rug to your entry can help it feel pulled together, a little whimsical, and welcoming.
In such a small space, they managed to mix styles and colors in a way that looks bold yet effortless. The wall hanging brings a Bohemian vibe that quiets the boldness of the wallpaper, and the bench and footed planter read very simple and Mid-century modern. With all the patterns in such a small space, the variety of scale is what makes this design so successful. The wallpaper is big and bold, the floor pattern is small and simple, and the wall hanging and rug fall somewhere in between. Finally, the clean lines of the bench and planter give your eye a break so you can take everything in easily. They really managed to create the perfect formula for a maximalist entryway.
Go Minimal, But Include A Ton Of Texture
This living room is such a good example of mixing materials, patterns, and textures while sticking to a minimal color palette. The colors are neutral, but each piece of furniture and decor introduces a new texture, creating contrast and so much visual interest. The result is a very warm and inviting living room that feels elevated but super lived-in.
Okay now please note the ceiling fixture. A flush mount light is usually understated but this one is anything but. Its shape is bold and unique and the brass finish creates the perfect contrast to all the warm wood tones.
All of that natural light coming through is intoxicating. Often when we see homes like this that are located on hills and have a good amount of privacy, there are a lot of window-treatment-less windows. I LOVE this choice and think it’s so smart and impactful. There is really no competition with natural light so for common areas, the more large, naked windows you have the better in my opinion (if you have the option).
This built-in bench/storage unit is BEAUTIFUL. I love the gray cushions that lay flush with the top of the drawers, which give it such a seamless look. It has a classic mid-century modern vibe that complements the rest of the house so effortlessly.
Fill Up That Awkward Wall Space
The short wall between the living room and kitchen ended up being the perfect space for a MCM dining table and chairs. If they wanted to keep this space even more open, a small bench or credenza could easily work here, too. Without furniture or the wall mirror here though, this area could look forgotten and unfinished, so setting the dining table here was a great choice to create an intentional look.
Hang Art In The Kitchen
I love all of the materials in this kitchen. The wood is so rich and stunning, the marble countertops lighten up the space, and the tile wall brings in so much texture. This kitchen is so beautiful on its own, but I love that they didn’t pass up the opportunity to hang art. If you have open wall space or even a spot on the counter or shelves to lean art, it’s a great way to add more personality to the space.
There is another star here which, of course, is the skylight. The kitchen window has a part of the home partially blocking it, so the skylight is essential to bring in as much natural light as possible.
The stacked zellige tile adds so much organic texture and movement to this contemporary kitchen. It’s so lovely because each tile has a slightly different gradient, so the wall looks dynamic and less structured than the rest of the kitchen. Also, the green cabinet color is STUNNING and works so well with the light marble countertop.
Ahh, just look at those integrated appliances. I really love the extra-large handles on the refrigerator doors, making it look even more like a built-in cabinet. This is a fantastic example of leaning into a mid-century modern kitchen while incorporating contemporary elements. Again, they are the masters of mixing styles effortlessly.
These floating open stairs are so dreamy and I love how they added floor cushions and pillows underneath to make that space useable.
Lean Large Scale Art For An Effortless Look
In the primary bedroom, there is a lot of white happening so small pops of pattern and color do a lot of heavy lifting (in a great way). I actually love how they kept most of the walls blank save for the art leaning on the fireplace hearth. The fact that these are such large-scale pieces makes the leaning art trick feel very intentional and cool.
Again, with a limited color palette, all of the textures shine through. Even with the large-scale tile flooring and white walls, this room doesn’t come across as stark or cold because of the colorful textured rug and blanket, plus the leather bedframe brings an added softness to the space. Oh, and those dotted pillows are really special.
The primary bedroom flows seamlessly into the bathroom making it feel a lot like a hotel suite (which is not surprising considering Marieke spent 10 years renovating hotels in the US and in Holland). I love that the partition that has small spaces between each beam, which creates separation but doesn’t block off the bathroom completely.
Hang Art Without A Frame
I love the choice to hang unframed art over this freestanding tub. For such a luxurious space, it’s refreshing to see art hanging freely, and it adds a relaxed playfulness. It also helps that the art and tile have similar tones and colors so they look tied together and intentional, but not identical.
Over the wall-mounted vanity, they hung two pendant lights asymmetrically, which is an unexpected “risk” that totally paid off. The pendants are different in shape and style, so the choice is very bold and elevated. With the light fixtures making the biggest statement, the rest of the bathroom remains minimal which keeps the space from feeling too loud or overwhelming.
Let Your Instruments Be Decor
The entire composition of this room gives me butterflies. I love the illustrative rug that incorporates so many colors. It allows other colors to be sprinkled throughout the room effortlessly, like the stacked orange floor pillows and the round ottoman. This room is a great example of minimal maximalism, and part of that is because the room doesn’t have too much decor. Annie and Marieke are not afraid to leave white walls blank in some areas, so the decor they do have can make a statement.
Aside from the obvious decor pieces, the instruments also play a role in decorating the space. Having one guitar mounted on the wall, the other leaning on a stand, and the keyboard placed in the middle creates a conscious decor moment. And because this isn’t a full-on music room, the instruments create movement and personality that is just as impactful as the other decor in the room.
Create A Personal Gallery Wall
Listen, gallery walls can be difficult to envision, curate, and execute. Art can also be expensive and one way to combat that is to frame things that are meaningful to you. In the above gallery wall, it’s immediately evident that the pieces are personal which gives so much character to the room. Gallery walls are a great place to flex your personality and interests so if you want to lean into that in your home, don’t take them too seriously 🙂
Side note: the hanging chain pendant light is so special and clearly vintage, which brings a lot of soul to the space.
Add A Wallpaper Accent Wall
Wallpaper isn’t a permanent design decision thanks to temporary wallpaper, but it can be a big commitment to choose to wallpaper every wall of a room. In a bedroom like this, putting wallpaper on the wall where the bed makes a bold statement, but isn’t overwhelming. It also can create the illusion of a headboard and adds a bold pattern. Also, please note the awesome black rug. Texture is never missing from these designers!
Or Paint An Accent Wall
In the kid’s bathroom, a double triangle shape is created over the sink wall by just using black and white paint. This is a great way to add a pattern without going too overboard, and something like this would be fairly easy to execute with painter’s tape and a ruler (and it’s renter friendly!).
A kid’s bathroom is definitely a safe place to play with funky choices, like that animal wallpaper and the giraffe bust. Using a rug in place of a bathroom mat is one of our favorite design tricks that we will never tire of, and I love the bright purple and pink colors on this one. The bright pops of color in this mostly black-and-white bathroom are really fun and incorporate so much personality.
I truly wish this home tour would never end, but this is where I leave you. Huge thanks to Annie and Marieke for sharing their creativity with us and continuing to inspire us with every home they design. If you want to get yourself a copy of the book with more homes like this, feel free to snag it here. xx
*Design by Annie Segal and Marieke Ochtman of ASOM HOME
**Styled by Velinda Hellen, Emily Bowser, and Julie Rose
***Photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for The New Design Rules
THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE.
