Nestled in the upscale, picturesque coastal village of Montecito, CA, Butterfly House, a project by LA based Interior Design firm Jennifer Miller Studios (JMS), reflects elegance and natural landscape through introducing the studio’s artisanal wallpaper, Miller House.
The 1924 Mediterranean-style estate was purchased by a long-time client of JMS, and Montecito resident, with the intent to restore and preserve a property in their community. Prior to the current owners, the estate has passed down through one family for three generations, and modifications were made that compromised the original design and character of the home. Jennifer Miller and her team sought to connect the home back to its original design and to the land through color, materials and layout.
Inspired by the home’s surrounding gardens and architectural detail, JMS saw an opportunity to draw from and utilize their newly launched wallpaper, Miller House. Aptly named, Miller House’s California Garden collection is a series of earthy hues and natural patterns, hand drawn by studio principal Jennifer Miller, that aim to connect indoor spaces to the serenity of nature. Each of the four bedrooms showcases a different earth tone pattern from the line and matched with crisp neutral paint, muted linens and vintage rugs.
The house naturally boasts a grandness, as it sits on top of a hill with a gracious property surrounding it. The design team enhanced this feel by accentuating the architectural features and celebrating the views of the grounds. Natural and tonal textures are layered with muted neutral tile and stone. Each bathroom hosts its own earthen color story with subtle tonal variation. In the kitchen, cabinets are painted in an ivory that pulls on the subtle vein tones in the Calacatta marble counters. The natural wood floors were stripped, sanded and left in their natural state to emphasize a relaxed beach house feel and elegantly balanced by vintage, artisanal and custom lighting that was chosen to feel like well-made jewelry.
Jennifer Miller, JMS Principal and Miller House Principal/Creative Director notes, “The bones of the house were so charming. We were excited to freshen up a neglected home and bring it back to its original spirit. The house architecture and land really was its own inspiration, so we created a smoother flow through the house, selected timeless materials and celebrated the charming elements and views”