Ten years ago, interior designer Anja Michals was driving around Mill Valley, California, when she spotted a house being built. It was located in the idyllic Sycamore Park neighborhood, where she was hoping to move with her husband and two young sons, so she called the architect, Kelly Haegglund, to learn more. “The minute she started describing the home, I was like, This is so meant to be,” Anja remembers. “She told me it was going to be this modern farmhouse with light floors, and it really spoke to me because I’m Swedish, so I love this clean, Scandinavian feel.”
Anja was just starting her own interior design firm at the time, so the property became her first real project. She didn’t need to change much in the way of finishes, since her aesthetic was so aligned with Kelly’s, but she was able to add layers of coziness and personality to the crisp white walls, paneled ceilings, and white oak floors. The space quickly transformed into a lived-in family home.
But interior designers are famous for designing, so of course Anja has made a handful of updates to her house throughout the past decade. She swapped out the limestone fireplace for a plaster version, replaced the subway tile and white marble in the kitchen with a dramatic Calacatta Viola, and outfitted the white Shaker-style cabinets with brass Rocky Mountain Hardware pulls and knobs. She also installed metal Forbes & Lomax electric switches and cover plates for a special touch.
The furnishings and decor have evolved over time too. Anja’s current living room setup embodies her California cool–meets–global eclectic vibe, with a contemporary Lawson-Fenning Curved Back sofa, a striped John Derian ottoman, an Argentinian handmade wool rug, and a pair of 1940s Swedish chairs that she reupholstered in fluffy shearling. “It’s a real, true reflection of me,” she explains. “Nothing too serious, nothing too precious, but what I love is mixing textures in a room.”
The open shelves, which feature a rich, reclaimed wood backing, are now filled with beloved books, art, and pottery pieces that Anja has accumulated over the years. An aerial seascape by Cornwall-based artist Nina Brooke is displayed near bowls and vases from Oaxaca, Mexico. “I consider myself a ceramic collector, if you will,” Anja says. “The art to the right of the fireplace is Heather Levine, who I love. She does a lot of wall hangings out of ceramic.”
Anja’s dining area combines a long, rustic Nickey Kehoe table with a 1960s brass Danish pendant and a graphic, black-and-ivory Ethan Cook painting. Meanwhile, her kitchen peninsula is equipped with a trio of Lawson-Fenning cantilevered Cruz Barstools for quick, casual meals and the nearby powder room is revamped with a custom stone sink from Turkey.
Now that Anja’s sons are nearly teenagers, she knew she needed to curate a relaxed lounging zone. She designed a custom sofa that stretches the length of the wall, so everyone can sit comfortably at once. Its soft cotton linen upholstery encourages a full Netflix binge, while the accompanying plaid Amber Interiors ottoman offers a place to put your feet up. A mauve Armadillo rug completes the inviting look.
The primary bedroom, which is accessed by a sliding barn door, is just as calming. Though Anja employed bold prints—a gingham Heather Taylor duvet cover juxtaposes floral Kerry Cassill pillowcases—the muted tones keep the space mellow. Art by Heather Day and Serena Dugan adorns the walls, lamps by Victoria Morris top the Design Within Reach Raleigh bedside tables, and a Superordinate Antler chandelier by Jason Miller hangs above. “It’s funny, this one’s stayed with us since we moved in,” Anja says of the latter. “I like it because it’s just different.”
