Tour Casa Alpaca with Barette Widell

Barette Widell, one half of design duo Widell + Boschetti, takes us through her design process of her forever home, "Casa Alpaca", featured on the latest episode of Designer Home Tours.

Photography by Brian Wetzel

5 MINUTE READ

Favorites

What is the story behind your home's name? What was the deciding factor with purchasing it?

When we purchased this home, it was originally called Suris of Swan Lane as the previous owners had an alpaca farm with the specific Suri type. Once we purchased the home and inherited the farm, with adding on to the amount of alpacas we had and types (32 in total) , we wanted to change the name of the home to "Casa Alpaca" so it felt unique to us. The deciding factor of purchasing this home was that we saw ourselves growing old and living in this home forever.

What makes a home a “forever” home?

To me, it’s all about the feeling that you have when you are in the actual home. The layout of our house makes every square inch usable space, which to me is the most important factor in functionality and, in turn, being there forever.

Tile creates a big impact in your home – with endless choices, how did you decide on your final selections? How did you make sure to incorporate the signature Widell + Boschetti style?

I really knew that what I wanted to create in this home was timeless elegance and something that I would never get tired of. With that said, being a designer and co-owner of Widell + Boschetti, my personal aesthetic always has an eclectic, bold, and no boundaries approach. However, by incorporating neutral color palettes, it balanced that.

Terrazzo Renata 12" x 12" Fluted field in White

How did you achieve unique spaces while maintaining a cohesive look and feel throughout your home?

Each room needs to be unique to its own, having its own personality and purpose. However, it should all play a part to the full story and experience in the home.

Liaison by Kelly Wearstler Obelisque mosaic in Verde Blend

Did you receive any feedback or must-haves from your family when designing their personal spaces?

Being fully honest and transparent here, anyone's feedback or direction did not matter as I had such a clear vision and was going to trust my intuition and gut when designing the home. With that being said, my family fully trusts in my vision and capabilities of designing our forever home with everybody’s interests and personalities in mind!

September 10, 2023

Also in Designer Profiles

A Pool House Hideaway with Lexie Saine

Born in France but raised in California, designer Lexie Saine mixes her multicultural upbringing to create clean, modern interiors with warmth. We spoke with Lexie about her inspiration for her Menlo Park pool house that is just as stylish as the main house.

5 Questions with Amy Storm

With over 20 years of experience, Amy Storm, founder of Amy Storm & Company, believes that a flair for stunning style and intuitive understanding of livability is great but a comprehensive knowledge of structural and architectural design is even better.

5 Questions with Laura Brophy Interiors

Southern California based designer Laura Brophy spoke with us on her design philosophy and how she creates organic, peaceful vibes throughout her projects.

Products