Industrial-modern ranch house in SLO gets warm makeover, then cool modern feel

Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series showcasing the homes of local interior designers.

When designer Heather Tissue first moved into her 1977-built San Luis Obispo ranch house, she had a 4-year-old and a newborn. The needs of her family informed her process of creating a comfortable home that melds modern architecture with eclectic décor.

Tissue’s design sensibilities haven’t changed appreciably, but her family has. Her daughter Carly is now in college. Tissue lives with daughter Miranda, now 16, as well as two dogs and two cats. Tissue, a creative and resourceful designer, has found simple and inexpensive ways to keep the house fresh, up-to-date, and comfortable for her family.

The original remodel, performed not long after the family moved into the house, was designed by San Francisco architect Bruce Tomb. It included creating an open floor plan and adding built-in furniture. Industrial-modern elements throughout the 2,100-square-foot, single-level home have proven to be timeless, creating a clean and sleek foundation for any decorative flourishes Tissue would ever choose to add.

For instance, her front door is a showstopper, yet simple in design. It is a glass pivot door, commonly used in office buildings and storefronts, that brings in both light and views.

When Tissue first decorated the house, she went warm, with earthy colors and organic textures, that she said “were my taste at the time.”

Over time, she has moved the space in a cooler, more modern direction. None of it happened overnight, but rather as a series of experiments that Tissue said “keep me on my toes professionally. It’s fun for me to re-imagine a space in a new palette and try out trends.”

Tissue likes eclectic furnishings that make it possible to subtly shift the look of a room with a few careful swaps. For instance, in her dining room, she replaced sea grass parsons dining chairs with new modern Eames-style white molded plastic chairs. The simple change “brightened the room and put more focus on the walnut live edge dining table,” she said.

In the living room, an upholstered leather ottoman was a safe choice for a household with toddlers. But as the kids began to grow, it was more important to have a surface for activities like homework and games, so she substituted a glass-topped coffee table that has the bonus of being easy to clean. It also visually expands the space and shows off the modern, geometric wool rug beneath it.

Tissue believes that creativity and the willingness to look for a bargain are not only budget-friendly, but make for a more original home. A fan of Craigslist, she once fell in love with a “fun, funky” modern upholstered side chair on the site. The seller turned out to be a neighbor, so she paid $50 and drove the chair around the block to its new home. Even after it suffered damage from a playful feline, she salvaged it by draping it with a faux flokati shag rug. “Now the cats can’t scratch and it adds an element of texture and fun to the room,” she said.

She frequently shops at local consignment stores. Her glass-top coffee table came from SLO Consignment. Made by a well-known manufacturer, it was a bargain at around $175. “And it’s a green way to decorate,” she added.

When considering what to do with a south-facing sliding door that blasted the kitchen with sunlight, she covered the glass with a piece of art that is actually a painting rendered on an inexpensive plastic roll-up blind. She noted that someone with artistic inclinations could easily do the same.

Paint happens to be one of her favorite ways to remake a space. Tissue started her career as a color consultant, eventually expanding into full-service design with an emphasis on sustainable materials. “I think I’ve changed wall colors in every room more than once,” she said. “Walls get dirty and you have to repaint. Why not change color too?”

Wall colors have reflected Tissue’s cooling trend. Originally clad primarily in hues like deep gold, she has injected gray, white and navy blue, which she felt were more of-the-moment.

In Carly’s former room, Tissue started a major redecorating with paint. “It was Pepto-pink with turquoise furniture and yellow panel drapes — very bright, teen colors,’” she said. She tempered all of that vibrancy with a coat of Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster, which she calls “a great white that isn’t too bright or too reflective.”

Everything else in the room followed suit. She added white furnishings and accents, and a monochromatic color scheme that she finds “very soothing.” She chose lighting and linens in the Pantone colors of the year which are rose quartz and serenity blue, both pastels. “It’s a small room, and the minimal use of color keeps it tranquil,” she said.

Tissue understands that interior design is a never-ending process. “There is still more that needs fresh paint, hallways, a bathroom…,” she said. “The house is a good fit for us — for now.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 4:59 AM with the headline "Industrial-modern ranch house in SLO gets warm makeover, then cool modern feel."