I have said it before and I am sure I will say it again, practicing patience and restraint is by far the hardest part of my job!! Fact is, I am so fortunate to have developed my passion with the support of a loyal following and an incredible clientele!  As to be expected, as my company has grown and exposure to my projects has increased, some clients just can’t get down with me posting images of their homes after we wrap a project. I mean, the Internet is forever and that thought can even be overwhelming to me at times! Of course, I am 100% respectful and have learned to abide by their wishes, which occasionally means having to keep some really good ones in the vault! The project I am about to show you happens to be one of those!  And it is no secret that I was super sad when my clients said ‘No Photos’!!! I had all but given up on the idea that this house would see the light of Instagram or Pinterest, so imagine my excitement when I got the green light to unveil this hidden gem!

This Venice bungalow belongs to my repeat client turned friend Kasey Crown, a fellow design lover with whom I partnered to do the remodel after almost a decade of living in these digs. With the addition of a brand new baby (her third girl by the way), the family is bidding farewell to their cozy sanctuary in search of new beginnings for their seemingly ever growing brood!

Kasey’s reluctance to share photos makes sense if you know her. She is very private and humble, and given her work as a therapist, she prefers to keep most things behind closed doors. She did, however, promise me that when she had something meaningful to share with the world, she would do so with my audience first, because lets be honest, you’re the coolest! And that time has come!

When I say Kasey is interested in Interior Design, I mean that at every level! I have a hard time articulating so eloquently all that Kasey does, so I snagged this from her soon-to-be wellness education website coming in the new year (I got a sneak peek)! Trust me when I say she is a pretty remarkable human — and lucky for us she is bringing her work to a larger audience.  “Kasey is a psychotherapist and educator aiming to re-wire our understanding of Wellness by introducing tools for individual and interpersonal health that are both scientific and Spiritual. She and her teaching partner, energy healer Jakki Leonardini, have rolled out a workshop series designed to introduce the concept of Integration (for the lay person this is optimal mental, emotional, relational and spiritual health) in a grounded, practical and accessible way.  Their weekends are educational, experiential and get this…fun!  Participants learn about how life’s distressing events embed in the psyche, drain the Spirit and influence biology, relationship and choice.  Most importantly, they offer mindfulness based cognitive and energy healing tools for upending that trauma, sharpening intuitive clarity, and exercising conscious awareness in our efforts to heal, protect and direct our own energy.”  Their first workshop in Ojai last fall was a success and they are now prepping for upcoming events throughout the country. As if this weren’t enough, Kasey maintains her clinical practice, is developing a wellness education website designed to connect people with resources for Spiritual psychological growth and is a mom of three!

To give you some backstory, when we first met a few years ago to work on another project together, she emphasized the importance of creating a space that is a direct reflection of how she wants to feel. It’s actually an ingenious philosophy that has helped me change the way I approach my other design projects. While she prioritizes internal and relational well being over all else, she strongly believes that we have to be intentional about creating conditions that aid us in the process of achieving a state of harmony. She really wanted her living space to be a safe, beautiful, inviting, calm and nurturing environment. Kasey is quick to emphasize that for some, this privilege is not an option and is mindful not to take for granted how fortunate she and her family are. She also jokes that despite her best efforts, when all three of her daughters, husband and dog are home, “calm” is not exactly the word she would use to describe the space. Nonetheless, she believes in setting up the conditions and as often as possible makes efforts to return her family to a state of equilibrium.

From a design standpoint, Kasey is the ideal client, not just because she is genuinely super cool but because she has great taste, and the willingness to make bold choices. Plus it really helps that she makes decisions like a stealth ninja! Her clear communication, sense of humor, and flexibility make her easy to partner with and as evidenced by the fact that she and I continue to find opportunities to do creative projects together we have become great friends.

Without further ado, I am beyond thrilled to finally reveal this home we had the pleasure of designing. 

Kasey Crown, MA, MFT is a psychotherapist and educator specializing in the treatment of trauma, relational conflict and existential issues. Her approach to whole person wellness is both scientific and Spiritual with an emphasis on cultivating practices to achieve healthy Integration using mindfulness based psychotherapeutic and energy healing tools. For information about Kasey’s workshops visit www.kaseycrown.com.