Some projects begin with Pinterest boards; this one began in a parking lot. In a true design community meet-cute, interior designer Michelle Bulriss spotted the company name “AllHaus” splashed across a truck and strolled over to introduce herself. “I said ‘AllHaus … what do you do, exactly?’ ” They introduced themselves as general contractors, and she revealed her own design studio name: Lively Haus. “We kicked it off from there just because of the commonality of our names,” Bulriss recalls with delight.
A few days later, AllHaus introduced Bulriss to a homeowner who’d raised his children in his current residence. Though emotionally attached to the space, he was toying with the idea of some design changes. “There were just so many memories that he was scared to lose,” she recalls. After their initial consultation, she didn’t hear from him for a few months. “I thought ‘Oh well, that happens. This is just the life of the industry.’ ” But patience paid off, and he eventually reached back out, ready to create an idyllic backdrop for memories to come.
Aesthetically speaking, the house was a de facto hacienda. “Beautiful, but it had more of a Spanish Tuscan vibe,” the designer recalls. Bulriss stayed true to those roots but contemporized them with the help of architect Jim Moffatt and designer Lindsey Schultz. “We leaned into the architecture versus trying to deny what it was,” she says. The team embraced centuries-old European aesthetic choices, introducing new lime plaster walls and re-staining the exposed beams. “It’s almost like putting a new toner on your hair,” Bulriss says of the latter. “It’s glossier, it’s shinier—it just makes everything pop.”
Home Details
Architecture:
Jim Moffatt, J. Moffatt + Associates, Inc.
Interior Design:
Michelle Bulriss, Lively Haus and Lindsey Schultz, Lindsey Schultz Design
Home Builder:
Bill Edmunds and Dustin Cumming, AllHaus
Landscape Architecture:
Mark Jones, Desert Earth Works LLC
Designer Michelle Bulriss incorporated a piece of reclaimed wood from the homeowner’s childhood barn in Minnesota within the Madeline Stuart bed’s headboard. The wallcovering is by Winfield Thybony, and the Hickory Chair armchair is from Alexander Sinclair Showroom.
Cisco Home swivel chairs upholstered in Métaphores velvet beckon in the living room under a bronze ring chandelier by Visual Comfort & Co. Above the fireplace, a piece by Romona Youngquist from Bonner David Galleries overlooks the RH coffee table.
In the kitchen, new perimeter cabinetry painted Sherwin-Williams’ Honed Soapstone and studded with hardware by Armac Martin plays well with the Arabescato Vagli marble counters from The Stone Collection. A sconce by The Urban Electric Co. lights the Wolf range.
After dusk, a chandelier by The Urban Electric Co. casts a flattering glow over the white oak RH table. Reclaimed brick from Solstice Stone adorns the ceiling, while a rug by Loloi Rugs adds texture underfoot.
Honed Arabescato Vagli marble from The Stone Collection frames the primary bath’s Kohler tub. Behind the Palecek chandelier is a Roman shade crafted with a Zak+Fox textile.
French limestone pavers from Craftsmen Court Ceramics, RH dining and lounge chairs and a Stone Yard, Inc. dining table foster a welcoming ambience on the terrace. The light fixtures are by The Urban Electric Co.
In the kitchen, replacing a structural wall with a beam to support the span and moving the range to a window wall opened the floor plan dramatically. The team made the most of the space by introducing a new oak island topped with Arabescato Vagli marble. Rather than piling on wood perimeter cabinetry, the homeowner opted for a green finish—his favorite hue—in a soft tone that harmonizes with the desert flora beyond the windows.
The nearby dining room’s vaulted ceiling begged for drama. “Ceiling treatments are a stunning way to enhance a room without going above and beyond with light fixtures,” Bulriss says. An applied veneer suggestive of old Chicago brick gives the space the vaulted-stone gravitas of a European castle or fortress, creating a cinematic place for lingering dinners. “It was really fun to do,” she adds.
From the primary bedroom, an arched built-in wood storage cabinet draws the eye to the bathroom. Inside, Bulriss brought an equally storied feel to the new tub and shower surround, clad in the same marble used in the kitchen, this time with picture-frame detailing. Reeded glass framed in faux brass exudes classicism while allowing light to filter into the previously dark shower. “It was really difficult to get right,” the designer recalls. “But we didn’t stop until we did.”
As the client frequently hosts guests, the exterior was reconsidered with entertaining in mind. Accordingly, an upper patio was transformed with limestone fireplaces and lighter tones for a warm welcome. Overlooking grounds by landscape designer Mark Jones, the terrace feels like Provence by way of the desert—sun-washed stone and flickering firelight.
The kicker? All of this happened in a strict nine-month timeline. “It was literally all hands on deck,” Bulriss says. But the rush was worth it. When the doors finally swung open, the space felt not only renewed but emotionally restored—a perfect mix of nostalgia and modernity. The designer is smitten; the homeowner is thrilled; and the house now supports new memories layered atop the old ones. Fate couldn’t have designed it better.
In the kitchen, new perimeter cabinetry painted Sherwin-Williams’ Honed Soapstone and studded with hardware by Armac Martin plays well with the Arabescato Vagli marble counters from The Stone Collection. A sconce by The Urban Electric Co. lights the Wolf range.