Beautiful vignettes. A park-like setting. 42 COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012
SHOWCASE Brad & Barbie Witmer By Melody young PHoTogRAPHy By PATRICK TRegenZA The home of Brad and Barbie Witmer sits unassumingly on a quiet street in a country neighborhood. The soft grey board and bat exterior belies what waits inside. Although the Witmers purchased their lot and built this home almost 20 years ago, the simple classic ranch style looks like it could have been built yesterday. Barbie has done some slight re-decorating over the years, but the home is still the same as when they moved in. The Witmers graciously opened their home to this year s Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Berries and Branches Home Tour. These beautiful photographs show the home all ready for a fabulous holiday season. Usually visitors would enter the home and look through to the living room with its incredible view. However, during the home tour, guests were immediately drawn to the dining room on the left. This room had a soft shimmering sparkle to it because of the lovely table settings and holiday decorations brought in especially for the event. Barbie, along with Cindy Hattersly of Cindy Hattersly Designs, worked with a team of event elves to create a warm atmosphere of quiet sophistication. No detail was left to chance, which was evident throughout the home, but no more so than in the dining room. The table was set with beautiful treasures from Barbie and Brad s family, and new elements such as sea fans and topiaries to add a fresh new look. The final touches in the dining room were fun little personalized wreaths on the back of every chair. Everything was designed to make each and every guest feel loved and special. Barbie s favorite touch was the greenery added to the lantern overhead. She said she might just leave it up after the holidays. A place setting full of family tradition. COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012 43
A lesson in elegance.
A special place for new memories. 46 COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012
A kitchen view that looks like a painting. A cute holiday corner. The living room was a lesson in simplicity and casual elegance. Cindy is a master at design aesthetic, which is much more complex than it appears. She blended natural textures and colors with small touches of wow to create a look that was welcoming and glamorous at the same time. The room was a collection of family pieces. The use of natural wood elements and Carmel stone, fur for warmth and texture, and light, airy pieces let the eye flow. The combination of crewel window coverings and woven wood blinds draws the visitors attention to the view beyond. This view is one of the foremost reasons the Witmers chose this property. Castlerock is a natural phenomenon often mistaken for a manmade structure. The Witmer s home has a fabulous view of this beautiful site from several vantage points. It is still one of their favorite things about the home. The holiday décor in this room was purposely understated in keeping with the rest of the home. Meandering down the hall, on one s left was the first of three guestrooms. Again, the palette was soft with small fun pops of color and texture. Barbie was especially proud of the antique twin beds inherited from her mother. Lighting from Wisteria in Santa Cruz and new linens combined with other family heirlooms from Ready for Santa. 47 COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012
Brad s mother to make a sumptuous little space. Just a touch of holiday décor was needed here. The whitewashed oak floors of the kitchen flow through to the family room where comfy slip-covered furniture sat atop a sea-grass rug. The quiet furnishings throughout this open space were all chosen to hold up to everyday living as this is where Brad and Barbie spend the majority of their time. The woven shades and the lantern light fixture made another appearance, echoing the same elements in other rooms. All this added to the seamless flow of the home. The décor for Berries and Branches highlighted Barbie s extensive collection of green Duncan Todd stoneware. This collection is very special to Barbie as she and her mother both collected it over the years and it is a full-time feature in her home. Cindy Hattersly brought in darling fruit paintings by local artist Pat Huber. They added just the right touch to either side of the kitchen window. Natural sprigs of green, as well as apples and pinecones, were added to traditional stockings and Santas to make the room a fun cheery place to spend Christmas morning. The master suite was down the hall on the opposite side of the home and up another small set of stairs. Again, it had the stunning views of the Pastures of Heaven and Castlerock. The cream color palette, with its variety of textures, enveloped the space. This room holds a beautiful antique English pine cabinet one of Barbie s most prized possessions. It had been retrofitted to hold a flat screen TV that was almost unnoticeable. The custom window coverings and pillows in the room are adorned with dressmaker details such as fringe and French pleating, which added a touch of pretty to the room without being too feminine. All of this created a fabulous backdrop to add a little holiday morning escape of breakfast and Champagne. The master bath was, again, a study in cream. The green from the outside landscape was all the color needed. The dressmaker form adorned for a party was a unique and whimsical holiday touch. When the Witmers designed the home, it was of major importance that the view and the outside living were incorporated into the plan. Their outdoor space beckons from almost every room. The barbeque, pool area, and outdoor fireplace are perfect for entertaining, which happens often. It was a privilege for the guests of the Berries and Branches Home Tour, as well as readers of Coastal Grower, to get a glimpse into this lovely and comfortable home. Country living doesn t always mean country living! The Witmers, along with Cindy Hattersly, have found a way to bring soft elegance to the country. The rough luxe style a favorite of Cindy and Barbie s made the surrounding countryside even more beautiful. Merry Christmas to all! Comfy and cozy master bedroom. 48 COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012
A restful spot. A soothing place. COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012 49
All set for a party. 50 COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012
An intimate outdoor space. Oh the view! COASTAL GROWER WINTER 2012 51