7 Quick & Easy Home Makeover Tips
High style, low fuss—that was Rachel and Michael Graves's goal for the 1951 ranch house they purchased last summer in Ojai, California. The couple, who owns the home-goods store Summer Camp, shares their budget-minded formula.
Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
1 of 7 Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
Exterior: Paint
"Choose a color that's noticeably different than the previous hue for maximum impact," suggests Michael. The couple opted to treat the trim in the same moody shade for consistency and easy application.
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Courtesy of Fireclay Tile
2 of 7 Courtesy of Fireclay Tile
Interior: Tile
The big fall reveal from Sunset fave Fireclay Tile comes in 24 stunning colorways and mix-and-match matte and polished finishes. The inspiration for this glasstile collection came from John James Audubon’s 1821 painting Great Blue Heron.
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Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
3 of 7 Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
Exterior: Front Door
"Nothing drags down a house like a tired front door," says Michael. In keeping with their streamlined sensibility, the couple picked a mahogany one with slats of frosted glass and accented it with matte black hardware.
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Courtesy of Caesarstone International
4 of 7 Courtesy of Caesarstone International
Interior: Stone
Caesarstone’s versatile new quartz marries casual sophistication with earthy elements.
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Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
5 of 7 Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
Exterior: Plants
Sculptural, drought-tolerant greenery was the ideal counterpoint to the house’s dark finish. “We went with cactus to continue the midcentury look,” Michael says. Pea gravel tops the previous mulch-and-dirt mixture.
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Courtesy of Elworthy Studio
6 of 7 Courtesy of Elworthy Studio
Interior: Wallpaper
The latest pattern from Half Moon Bay designer Kate Miller—a painterly take on the California poppy—is a lovely motif for a contemporary dressing room.
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Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
7 of 7 Courtesy of Rachel and Michael Graves
Exterior: Fixtures
Powell LED Wall Sconce in aged brass, $119; Architectural Mailboxes Brass 5-inch Floating House Numbers in antique brass, $5.79/each
The couple installed the new lighting themselves, replacing an old gas lantern post with a Plexiglas fixture and pairing a brass globe light with brass address numbers as a finishing touch.
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