After months of renovations on their California home, Glee actress, author, and LadyGang host Becca Tobin and her husband Zach Martin were finally ready to add fresh design and personality to their living room. “We bought our home and immediately started renovations on the kitchen, and once those were complete, we knew we wanted the attached living room to feel just as fresh and full of light!” Becca said.

Seeking a solution, they called upon LadyGang co-host, Keltie Knight, for advice. After Keltie’s successful Havenly home redesign, they knew just who could help them bring their dream home to life. 

“We wanted to create a space that felt really chic but also very comfortable and not too stuffy,” Becca said. “We use this space the most out of any other room in the house, so it was important for it to feel like us.” Havenly design lead Shelby Girard got to work by creating a color palette around the sofa Becca loved too much to part with and finding a place where their favorite piece of original art, a photograph by Alex Prager, could shine.

“We drew inspiration from all sorts of places, but mostly from Instagram and our designer’s personal portfolio,” Becca said. The couple’s design style is a mix of bohemian and pacific natural, which manifested as an airy space full of mixed textures and neutral colors inspiring calm, relaxing beach days—appropriate for their California lifestyle. 

Piles of throw pillows striped with tan and darker gray kept the palette warm and the space inviting while adding contrast to the plush gray couch. Mixing and matching similar patterns within the same color palette helped create more interest without making the room look too busy. To bring a natural element to the space, Shelby brought in a pair of woven wooden chairs for either side of the coffee table. They add a touch of bohemian flair and reflect the wood beam ceiling. “I absolutely love the Lulu and Georgia wooden accent chairs and the Citizenry pillows on the sofa,” Becca exclaimed. 

Becca’s light-filled living room is full of windows. Instead of covering them up with shutters or blinds, off-white white linen drapes enhance the natural light of the space while allowing for a bit more privacy. To completely cover the two symmetrical windows, Shelby advised Becca to hang the curtains from a long rod extending the span of the back wall.

“I always had trouble with curtains, and we have tons of large windows in this house,” Becca said. “Discovering the white curtains from Barn and Willow that we were able to customize around the window’s dimensions was amazing!”

Uniquely-sized arched windows were no match for a seasoned design pro. Sometimes all it takes a trained eye and a fresh perspective to find a creative solution. The custom curtains elongate Becca’s space without weighing it down.

It truly is all in the details. The items on the shelves take on the room’s warm tones and add a modern touch. Books in shades of cream, white, and baby pink are stacked next to a collection of various pottery pieces, and a black vase juxtaposes the otherwise light color scheme.

Choosing decor in a consistent palette keeps bookshelves from feeling cluttered or busy. Placing a mirror on the mantle above the fireplace bounces more light around the room for a larger, open and airy feel. 

“I was so delighted to receive the very first renderings of the space! I couldn’t believe how quickly the room could be transformed from a relatively empty space with no character to a really exciting and stylish room,” Becca said. 

For Becca, working on her living room with Havenly brought much-needed simplicity to the design process—especially during a time when leaving home isn’t quite what it used to be. “We are busy people who don’t always have time to spend the weekends furniture and decor shopping, so I loved how we could make decisions from the comfort of our own home,” said Becca. “I loved how easy it was!”

Collaborating with a Havenly designer allowed them to see their space in a new light. “Our designer had such a great sense of our style from the beginning—but she took that and elevated it with creative ideas and really great pieces we would have never chosen on our own.” 

For Becca, it was important the living room was more than just a pretty design. She hoped it’d be a true reflection of who she and her husband are. “We are relaxed and modern people with a twist of bohemian…exactly like the design!” Seeing themselves reflected in the room creates a true sense of coming home, which is especially important during a time when we’re spending more time than usual at home.

“Our new space feels so fresh and bright and airy—I feel instantly relaxed when I’m in it,” Becca said. “Home means comfort, love, and warmth to me.” And with some help from Havenly, she finally has a living room that feels just like that.

Craving a space that’s both as inspiring and livable as Becca’s? Our designers can help you get there. Get started with our style quiz.