Steven Miller: The Soul Solution

Written by Donna Sapolin

When designer Steven Miller first visited the newly built home of a professional chef in Los Altos, California, two things immediately struck him: Its stunning views of San Francisco Bay, Belvedere Island and the city, and its cold spec-house appearance. His design goals for this well-traveled, entertaining-focused family of four were to maximize the Riviera-like vistas and minimize the soul-less character of the structure while honoring its Mediterranean references. “I wanted to give it a true sense of history—to make it look as if the owners had lived there a long time, amassing pieces culled from many years of travel to far-flung places,” says Miller.

Construction was the first order of business: The designer relocated the kitchen to the southeast ‘view’ side of the house to make it more central, and bleached the dark Brazilian Cherry and African Mahogany floors, which lent the home a contemporary, casual air. Miller took his decorative cues from the surroundings, shaping a coastal Mediterranean palette rife with golden hues and a decorative scheme comprising mostly new European-flavored pieces that convey a ‘collected’ look.

FAMILY ROOM:

A new kitchen that absorbed part of an existent family room now opens to the reshaped space. Prominent views of Angel Island and Tiburon captured by oversized windows in the sitting area suggested the creamy yellow wall and ceiling tones as well as the striped fabric on the Ted Boerner sofa and the pale green upholstery on the pair of swivel chairs; these were selected for the extreme comfort they offer.

Built-in cabinetry that matches that in the kitchen houses media equipment; the bronze side table and bronze sculpture echo its knobs. A custom braided wool rug repeats the color value of the floors.

CHINESE CABINET IN PASSAGE TO KITCHEN (OFF DINING ROOM):

An antique Chinese cabinet, one of only three pieces brought by the homeowners to their new house, anchors an alcove leading to the newly configured kitchen and creates an intriguing sight line from the dining room. Its tone and form harmonize beautifully with the McGuire rattan dining chairs and the mix reflects the sort of balance of old and new that can broadcast a vibrant sense of character. The rich yellow paint in the alcove also coats the kitchen walls.

DINING ROOM:

The owners’ frequent dinner parties necessitated a sizeable and commanding table. Sporting turned and quartered legs, the Silhouette table from Therien Studio fits the bill perfectly. In tandem with Barbara Barry’s tobacco-finished dining chairs from McGuire, it fosters an elegant Mediterranean atmosphere charged by the moderne look of Donghia’s Murano glass chandelier and Michael Berman’s spare leather-dressed sideboard.

Says Miller: “The furnishings are intended to look as if they might have been cast-offs from a Parisian residence‑unmatched but beautifully harmonious.”

The linen curtains’ scroll motif, like that in the chairs, adds a lyrical rhythm to the room that is also embodied in the whimsical abstract painting. The wool-and-silk rug offers a calming statement underfoot—vital since the room is open to other formal spaces.

LIVING ROOM:

To set the stage for the living room’s Euro-eclectic scheme, Miller left the windows uncovered and replaced the tract-home-looking wooden fireplace surround with Renaissance’s beveled concrete model. He then circumscribed a black Chinese-style coffee table brought in by the owners with a Donghia French-style sofa upholstered in a blue Pierre Frey fabric, an undulating Dutch reproduction commode, a custom lacquered pedestal table from Holly Hunt, a Wiener Werkstatte-inspired mirror, and an Italianate Michael Taylor side chair. Anchoring the arrangement: A silk and wool rug of Miller’s own design featuring a scroll pattern based on an illustration of a Versaille garden. Good things that came in twos here: Baker’s Tommy Parzinger-designed floor lamps and Miller-designed floating ottomans—fabric-covered poufs resting on Viennese-style plinths.

LIBRARY:

In the library, Miller enhanced the appearance of the built-in cabinetry in a manner that draws attention to the objects within by lining the rear panel with subtly textured silk wallpaper. A Berber rug in the same pale gray-blue hue underpins less subdued furnishings: a pair of the homeowners’ armchairs newly upholstered in JP Garten printed cotton fabric, a Miller-designed ottoman, and unmatched side tables from McGuire.

“These embody the ‘instant age’ concept–the notion that you have collected a bunch of arresting things and then can simply put them where they need to go,” says Miller.

The graphic striped drapes accentuate the verticality of the room, heightening the impact of the décor.

LIVING ROOM VIGNETTE:

A burled Dutch-style commode tucks neatly into a niche by the window. The figurative painting above echoes the room’s warm palette punctuated by touches of cool blues and dramatic blacks.

MASTER BEDROOM:

Miller, who is not a fan of tray ceilings, sought to minimize the one in the master bedroom by creating a floor-to-ceiling headboard upholstered in Edelman off-white leather. Abutting ash shelves extend outward to the sidewalls. The shelves, bed pillows and enameled copper side lamps from McGuire establish a powerful sense of symmetry dashed by distinctly different night tables.

“The concept of a ‘bedroom suite’ is anathema to me,” says Miller. “The closed cabinet on the left side suits the sense of enclosure there and the delicate one on the right is fitting for the openness that prevails there.”

This side flows into a sitting area that contains a chair cushion upholstered in the same printed silk fabric used for the sleeping quarters’ drapery. A Hirsch Rubin bench chosen for its delicate sculptural legs picks up the drapes’ light blue tones.

MASTER BEDROOM SITTING AREA:

This master sitting room reinforces the sleeping area’s elegant Moderne sensibility with purposefully mismatched seating linked by their neutral colors and clean forms and further unified by the carpeting, which runs through both sections of the master suite. The over-scaled 4’x4’ ottoman allows the homeowner to put her feet up and spread the newspaper out. The table lamp, which features a Murano glass base, casts abundant light to ease reading. It rests atop a metal-frame side table with leather shelves.

MEDIA ROOM:

The media/recreation/computer room is located on the basement level and Miller designed it to be a virtually indestructible party space. Its most prominent feature is a custom sheetrock cabinet with a base covered in two shades of orange laminate and side panels formed of two-toned orange dot fabric sandwiched between translucent plastic sheeting. On one side of the room, the cabinet holds a large screen TV backed by cork wallpaper and, on the other, a computer station. The carefree design elements: a pair of large floor pillows, leather chairs, a stone-topped game table, and steel cocktail table. “I’ve seen kids performing Karaoke on that thing,” says Miller.

PINK GIRL’S ROOM:

The two girls’ rooms contain four identical pieces of furniture—a double trundle bed with a matching bookshelf and dresser, and an armchair with an ottoman. Yet, the rooms’ distinctive arrangements, fabric patterns and colors lend each space an entirely personal character.

“The pink room is a girly girl’s folly,” says Miller. “With the wall design, I was going for a painted panel with a garland swag above it.”

BLUE GIRL’S ROOM:

The daughter who occupies the blue bedroom loves the ocean and all its life forms so the custom murals feature a mermaid and on the opposite wall, a school of fish. Both girls’ spaces incorporate artful mixes of patterns—in the drapes, the bed linens, carpeting and slipcovers.

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Steven’s Decorati Favorites
Bough Sconce by Moth Design	Cubis Dresser by Conde House	Slender Chair by Ted Boerner Inc.	Skoop Sofa by Ted Boerner Inc.
Mota Shang by Studio Printworks	Helena Chandelier by Susan Fanfa Design	Fabric Chandelier by Gulassa & Co. Inc.	Leonardo Pillow by Holland & Sherry
Aspen by Tuell + Reynolds	Etienne Sofa by Ironies	Mongami by Nuno Textiles	Verner Panton Pendant Lamp by Denmark50

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Resource List

FAMILY ROOM/KITCHEN: Skoop Sofa by Ted Boerner, Waterfall Stripe fabric by Groundworks. Jalor swivel chair fabric by Castel. Chair Pillows by K. Lang, Odette Irisa Weaves fabric by Osborne & Little. Sofa Pillows by K. Lang, Samira fabric by Creation Baumann. Jackfruit Block End Tables by Greystone. Custom color Rope Side Table by Christian Astuguevielle. Breakfast table by Kartell. Breakfast chairs through Limn. Flotation Ceiling Lamp by Ingo Maurer. Spoon Bar Stools by Kartell. Globe Sphere by Paul Ferrante, Stand by Paragon.

LIVING ROOM: Ogee Sofa through Donghia, COM Cassis through Shears and Windows. Christian Liegre Table through Kneedler. Chanel Tightback Chairs by Marco, COM Vano by Castel. Brea Drink Table by Troscan. Regency Chairs in house, Sabrina leather through Spinnybeck. Dutch Commode by Rose Tarlow. Ottoman by Hildebrand, Hossegor fabric by Pierre Frey. Pillows for Chanel Chairs by K. Lang, Tepesta Weave fabric by Lee Jofa, trim through Britex. Secessionist Mirror above fireplace by Aesthetic. Obelisk Floor Lamp by Tommi Parzinger. Custom rug through Stark. Eastwood Console by Ironies. Stratton Mantel by Rennaisance.

DINING ROOM: Table runner through K. Lang. Alpujara Rug through Galleria Floors. Lucerne Buffet Cabinet by Michael Berman. Silhouette Dining Table by Theirien. Script Dining Chairs by McGuire, fabric by Bergamo. Marina Table Lamp by Marian Jameson, Pacific shade fabric by Savel. Pair of Draperies by K. Lang, Portavo fabric by Nina Campbell. Signature Chandelier by Baker. Stellare Chandelier by Donghia.

STUDY/LIBRARY: Stonehenge Rug by Timberlake. Melon Taboret Side Table by Therien. Spot Cocktail Table by Cloisonne. Draperies by K. Lang, Big Stripe fabric by Decorators Walk. Tufted Ottman by Hildebrand, Kensho Lin Epingle fabric by Henry Calvin. Floor Lamps by Cedric Hartman. Silk pc8 4506 Wallpaper by Wolf Gordon.

MASTER BEDROOM: Headboard through Hildebrand, Velluto Pelle leather by Spinnybeck. Fireplace surround and hearth pattern/mold work by Kilnworks. Larkin Chest by Gerard. Serling Chair by Gerard, Bristol Woven fabric by Travers. Tusk Table by Bill Sofield. Shell Cut Loop Rug through Stark. Bead Table Lamp by McGuire. Duet Round Side Table by Ironies. Reve End Table by Newell Design. Coverlet through K. Lang, Marmara fabric by Osborne and Little. Carnival drapery fabric by Christopher Farr.

MASTER BEDROOM SITTING AREA: Flat Panels by K. Lang, fabric by Holland and Sherry. Alice Sconce w/ Star Glass by Kerry Joyce. Funsov Ottoman through Art.com, Velluto Pelle by Spinnybeck. Sofa by A. Rudin, Puma Cloth by Larsen. Chenaux Chair by Ironies. Square Top Facet Table by Gary Hutton. Custom Lacquer Side Table through Thomas Sellars. Louis Ghost Chairs by Kartell, Seat Cushions w/ ties by K. Lang, Carnival fabric by Christopher Farr.

MEDIA ROOM: Llama wall to wall rug by Bellridge. Pillows by K. Lang, Ava fabric by Lulu DK. Whimsey fabric on chairs by Luna Textiles. Sabrina leather on lounge chairs by Spinnybeck. Circles fabric on sofa by Galbraith and Paul. Desk Chairs through Classicon, Marini Collection fabric by Lulu DK. Drapery panels by K. Lang.

BLUE GIRL’S ROOM: Casa Mila duvet & bolster fabric by Twenty2. Schooner chair & ottoman fabric by Pindler, Carsillo Stripe welt through Summer Hill.

PINK GIRL’S ROOM: Verona Repp duvet fabric by Calvin. Cosmopolitan chair & ottoman fabric by Laura Ashley, Stripe welt by Kravet. Lucite Boxes through Paragon. Table Lamps through Kartell.

BOTH GIRLS’ ROOMS: Custom trundle beds, bookcases, and dressers through Tom Sellars. Arianna Stripe wall to wall rug by Gramercy. Pair of draperies lined by K. Lang, fabric through Osborne & Little, Solid Chintz lining by Pindler. Duvet, Chair Pillow, Bed Bolsters, and Bed Pillows by K. Lang. Decorative wall painting by John Baden. Drapery Hardware by Davis.

All room photographs taken by Matthew Millman.

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