Formal yet relaxed

Sunset, Nov, 2000 by Mary Jo Bowling

"The careful placement of traditional furniture creates an understated sense of order; the subtle continuity of color ties everything together." -- jury comment

He wanted formal and traditional. She wanted Casual and comfortable. Their home had to be finished and furnished in six months. Interior designer Janine Regina reconciled the opposites with an eclectic mix of European antique and reproduction furniture and textiles. "I wanted it to look like it had evolved over time," says Regina. "I don't like interiors that look too staged. I wanted to create something that looked personal."

The home is an East Coast-meets-West Coast story. The architecture, with its tall gables and wraparound porches, is reminiscent of New England, but the interior finishes-- featuring rough-hewn beams and adobe-like tinted plaster walls--are pure American West. To make the large, high-ceilinged rooms flow together seamlessly, the designer repeated tones of sage green, raspberry red, and gold in the fabrics. Oriental rugs over large antique pine floorboards soften and warm each space.

A comfortable formality is deftly achieved in the living and dining rooms, where polished wood antique chairs are combined with upholstered pieces. Jurors admired the consistency and sophistication of the decorating scheme: It's traditional without being stiff. DESIGNER: (650) 591-9172