Heather KW Styles

A Christmas flood is not how anyone plans to start a renovation. But when water took out this Long Beach family’s basement, we saw an opportunity hiding in the damage.

Before: a dated bonus room with a 90’s mini bar that had one job — slime production. (The kids were the only ones using it, and definitely not for cocktails.)

We reworked the floor plan, combining a cramped bathroom and laundry area into one larger, far more functional space (reveal coming soon). Then we tackled the thing every family with young kids battles: storage. The answer was a full built-in entertainment center — tons of hidden storage, a proper home for the TV, and one very clever design solution behind the scenes. When we opened the walls, we found plumbing running right where the built-in needed to go. Instead of moving it (and blowing the budget), we designed around it. More on that in the next post. 👀

Furnished and finished, this basement finally matches the family who lives here — creative, fun, and up for anything.

Swipe to see it all and the befores. ✨

Photography: Charlotte Lea Bailey
Design & Styling: Heather Knight-Willcock | Interior Designer & Stylist
Photoshoot styling: LE MO

Project Julian is officially done and I’m so proud of this one 🤍

This kitchen is a perfect example of what I love most about this work — layout revisions. Most homes weren’t designed for how we actually live now. The square footage is usually there, it’s just not working hard enough. So before we even talk finishes, I’m playing a game of inches: where can storage live, where does traffic actually flow, what’s getting in the way of how this family really uses their space.

For these clients who love to entertain, that meant rethinking the whole footprint. The biggest win? We turned a glorified hallway into a full pantry and laundry room — which sounds small on paper but completely changed how this kitchen functions. Washer and dryer are still accessible, but no longer smack in the middle of the back door traffic zone. And that shift alone freed up so much more counter space and storage in the main kitchen.

Then came the fun part — the hood feature, the stone and tile backsplash combination, that island leg detail. All the pretty stuff means so much more when the bones underneath are actually right.

Layout first, beauty always. That’s the work. Swipe through to see the before ✨

Photography Charlotte Lea Bailey
Design - Heather Knight-Willcock | Interior Designer & Stylist
Styling - Heather Knight-Willcock | Interior Designer & Stylist & LE MO

📍Long Beach interior designer | Orange County kitchen remodel

Project Julian — sneak peek 👀

We’re so excited to finally start sharing this one.

When we walked into this home for the first time, this fireplace had so much potential — it just needed a little help stepping into the spotlight. The living room floor plan wasn’t quite letting it shine, and once we reworked the layout, everything shifted. (Swipe to see the before — the transformation is wild.)

The reface was the game-changer. The client had her heart set on green marble, and the vision was clear from day one. Part of our job is honoring that vision while keeping the full renovation budget healthy, and we landed on a handmade-feel green tile that brings every bit of the drama and depth she was after.

There was a real debate about the mantle — this kitchen renovation leans beautifully feminine, and the clean modern surround brings just enough counterbalance to feel collected and grounded. A little something for everyone. 😏

Here’s the design note I’ll leave you with: when the floor plan allows for it, a fireplace almost always deserves to be its own moment - not a glorified tv stand. Not competing for attention, just quietly commanding the room.

This fireplace is now a full showstopper, and we are just getting started on sharing this home renovation. The kitchen is coming and it is a lot in the best way! ✨

📍 Long Beach, CA