The Stylish Bernal Heights Digs of Kelly Lack & Jon Solorzano

First off I would like to thank Kelly for graciously allowing me to interview her. I spotted her darling house on Refinery 29 (you can read more about it here). She and my daughter were childhood friends, and swam and played waterpolo together from the time they were tots. I have watched Kelly grow up. When Kelly and Jon married in Big Sur several years ago we got a peek at what was to become her bespoke signature style. Let’s take a peek at her stylish bernal heights home.

source kellylack.com

So many of Jenna & Kelly’s contemporaries have opted for “instant decor”, a look easily achieved by ordering from one of the “big box” decor stores. They have busy lives and want to spend their spare time doing what they love. I get it. Kelly and Jon have opted for a more collected personal look. It is hip and stylish yet their home has soul. On weekends you will probably find them culling the Alameda Flea Market or local resale stores for treasures for their home.

courtesy of Julia Robbs for Refinery29

They enjoy spending weekends doing home projects. Kelly came up with the idea of this built in and Jon (a lawyer by day) researched and executed it.

courtesy of Julia Robbs for Refinery29

Recently Kelly agreed to let us in on some of her design tricks and tips and where she finds her inspiration.

What is your personal style
Chic, rock’n’roll, heavy on vintage, with a dash of SF utilitarianism. In much the same way, my design style is a little boho, a little goth, a little global, layered over the traditional bones of my house in a way that feels eclectic and collected.

courtesy of Julia Robbs for Refinery29

What or Who Inspires you?

The first thing that comes to mind is travel. It’s the obvious answer, but totally true. Almost everything in my house comes with a story whether it was a piece we scored abroad or dug up at a flea market or antique shop. I love seeing the colors and patterns that people across the world incorporate into their day-to-day lives whether its a wrap they have tied around their waist or their baby, or the crazy colors the taxis are painted. But it’s not just the pretty stuff. I also get really excited by those more utilitarian items like spice grinders or wood spoons or planters.

courtesy of Julia Robbs for Refinery29

What do you love most about your home

I wanted an old house with character, and what we ended up getting was a quirky 1906 Victorian. Though it’s small, you really feel its history. (And it’s all good vibes—no scary ghosts in there.) I’m nuts about the old details that remain—the crown molding, the built-ins, the beadboard, the five-panel doors. Our house has lived many lives and I love that. I’m also kind of plant-crazy, so I’m practically growing an interior jungle, which makes me really happy. I have a handful of the bigger guys like a fiddle-leaf fig, a rubber plant, tall cactuses, and a couple of split-leaf philodendrons. And I have smaller ones on different surfaces—tables, counters—like cacti, ferns, air plants, and vines. (I also have a thing for carnivorous plants like Venus fly traps).