Home Blogger Almafied's Globally Inspired but Classically Styled Space

Hoping to brighten up your Monday, we have SUCH a good home tour today! The incredibly chic Alma Arietta from Almafied is here, opening up her sunny California doors and sharing some insider tips on what it means to design thoughtfully and without stress. I've been a wee bit obsessed with her organic meets global aesthetic for a while now and am always inspired in the way that she beautifully mixes chain store finds with one of a kind moments. It's all goodness and there is SO much more on her blog and on her gorg insta account too.

When we bought our 70’s ranch styled home here in the Bay Area 2 years ago, we knew there was a lot of work to be done but we loved that the home was in the same community as our home church and loved the neighborhood so we sold our last home and got to work!

How would you describe your design style?I’d say my design style might be best described as California casual modern, embracing neutrals and expressing my love for simple+ casual+ fresh spaces! Being a neutrals lover, I find adding in texture and layering helps keep things interesting!

I also love a good trend, and love bringing them in through simple and more affordable pieces like a blanket, a bench, pillows, etc. That way, if I don’t love it for very long, I won’t feel bad to filter it out!

Our living room is the perfect example of my style mash-up - classic neutrals, dressed with tons of texture. A combination of big box items and flea market finds. We went with a global inspired theme for our main room (you can see ALL of the details and resources right here).

Our living room has gone through more than one design iteration. When we first moved in to our home, I wanted to feel the space out before deciding where we would take the design. I truly believe that you should let the location and structure of a house have some say on where you take the overall design.

The one thing that really spoke to me about this house, was the humble ranch style, clean and simple in structure, ceilings low at 8-9 ft tall all around. With the simple elements the house already offered, along with the neutral white walls, I knew I could give it personality with accent wall treatments, fun and interesting lighting, going bold but still warm with mainly brass finishes, and adding textural elements throughout.

How do you express your style through your design aesthetic?The way I express my personal style, whether it’s the kitchen or a small little office, is by incorporating each space with touches of natural elements - wood finishes paired with organic but refined details. By staying true to this approach in each room, we've woven a sense of consistency through the spaces that makes our home feel so much more intentional.

What do you do when you just know a space needs a little extra love but you don't have the budget?Living in California, it’s only right to have some sort of greenery around year round, but especially in summer. That said, I prefer to not spend that much and just let the touch of nature speak for itself with a pretty glass vase. A little dose of green always makes things more beautiful.

Another easy move...baskets. I love a neutral, modern yet inviting space but the way I try to keep it fun and youthful is by adding modern textiles and textures. One of my favorite textural object would have to be baskets. Baskets easily add natural storage and interest!

Any great big box stores that you love?Yes! TJMaxx, Homegoods Anthropologie, Target, Ikea are some of my go tos for places I know I will find something I like!

What space in your home do you love the most?Well, truthfully, I love all of it. But I'm a little partial to the way that our closet turned home office came out. I don’t know about you, but for the every day mom who needs an easy access work space, but still needs to be with the kids or at least be nearby.

We could have used an entire room as an office (after some careful reshuffling), but we also needed a space for the kids to hangout - so the idea of transforming the closet into an office nook was born. My husband and I are both really pleased and so glad we did this! The kids love it also!

Any designers that you particularly love or find inspiration from?I definitely look to Studio McGee, Amber Interior but also find so much inspiration on Instagram and get so much ideas from Chris Loves Julia, Eye For Pretty and House Seven Design! I could go on!

All of your spaces seem to have this same airy California vibe...laid back, while still being impeccable and thoughtfully designed. Can you talk a little bit about your design process?To me, a new couch cover is like a blank canvas, pillows and throws are the art mediums and the different patterns and textures are like the different painting techniques. Sounds silly but it's true. I look at every room as a chance to be creative, to design a space that is functional and yet beautiful and I give myself permission to take my time and to make changes when things need a little refresh.

Now we know you love a good neutral, but do you have any tips for sprinkling your home with pops of color?My sweet little girl's room is full of color! But despite her ask of having pink on the walls, we instead embraced color in other ways with accents pieces. And her toys bursting from every basket will add the perfect amount of color anyway. It’s fun and playful like our big girl and easy to switch back to neutrals if that is what she wants to do as she gets older! So if you are in need of a little color, just throw some inexpensive pillows, blankets or artwork in the mix and you'll get that look without a total commitment.

What has been your biggest mistake you've made when decorating your home?Probably my biggest mistake I made while decorating was thinking to go bold with a super large main wall (about 7 years ago) before even trying it on something smaller and the color I went with was yellow! It’s funny because it was totally out of my comfort zone but I went for it! In hind sight I’m glad I did, because I learned, girlfriend don’t be so impulsive! Test it out first if you’re gonna do something that bold!