Designer Visit: San Anselmo Bungalow by Jute Interior Design

To put together a well-curated collection of objects, it helps if your interior designer is experienced in art and antiques, as is the case with Alison Davin of Jute Interior Design in Mill Valley.

Davin (whose firm is a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory), spent nearly a decade working for galleries in LA and San Francisco, and switched over to interior design when she found herself not only consulting on artwork, but everything around the art. "Clients would ask me, 'What sofa should go here?' 'What color should I paint the wall behind the art?'" says Davin.

For a young family who had recently moved into a 1920s Spanish-Revival bungalow in San Anselmo, Davin found furnishings that "had a history and a story" to them. "My client had spent time in the Peace Corps in Africa, and was very particular about where things came from, which I loved," she says.

Photography by Matthew Millman.

Above: To match the Spanish Revival architecture, Davin added wooden beams to the ceilings and a new fireplace surround (her firm also offers architectural services). The lamp and coffee table are from Arteriors Home.

Above: A vintage barrel hoop adds a distinctive sculptural element to the mantelpiece.

Above: A wall shelf features vintage wooden Quranic Teaching Tablets from Morocco, sourced from Colonial Arts in San Francisco.

Above: The dining area is decorated with a collection of African platters from Floreal in San Francisco. The dining table and bench are custom-made from reclaimed pine by Peterson Antiques in LA; the 19th-century rush stools are from Nicky Kehoe.

Above: The pendant lamp is the Teardrop Light from New York-based Tucker Robbins; it's made from a Indonesian fishing net, lined with rice paper.

Above: For the bedroom of the three-year-old girl, Davin created a toy storage system by wiring together nesting wicker cubes from Roost. The rug is Madeline Weinrib's Camel Brooke Rug; the table-and-chairs set is Kids Table One and Kids Stool One from Another Country.