Mediterranean FLAVOUR

Once something of a 2000s time capsule, this American villa has been given a European feel by interior designer Evgenia Merson

- JULIET BENNING

‘THE DESIGN FOCUSES ON COMFORTABLE, CURATED, LIVEABLE SPACES, NOT PASSING TRENDS’HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT?

The clients are a couple with young children and the female client had been following my Instagram page. They were interviewing designers and we felt that there was great chemistry between us. I also live close to the house and, since the project, we've become friends as our kids are the same age and we move in the same social circles.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROPERTY AND YOUR GOALS?

It's a Spanish Revival home that survived the big fires that hit Oakland in 1991. They were similar to what happened in LA last year but the fire actually stopped about one house before this one.