Cozy with Character

dining nook in renovated cozy home with character

Photography by Bret Gum

A homeowner finds creative ways to update her 1950s home on a budget, making it cozy with character.

Deema Lopez is a self-described “obsessive redecorator” who had a stressful career in politics before her personal compass led her to finding herself more at home writing about her home. She shares the journey of her home’s renovation in her blog Pretty on Fridays and on her Instagram page of the same name. Her weekly email newsletter, Merci Ktir—which hits recipients’ inboxes on Fridays, of course—includes her personal musings. “It’s usually whatever awkward scenario I found myself in that week, books and shows I’m loving, podcasts that made me think and things that made me laugh. It’s my most popular content,” she says.

When Deema was house hunting with her husband and two children, she knew a cozy home with character would make her heart happy. “I wanted an older home, and I fell in love with the character of this one,” she says. “I loved the wainscoting, the vaulted ceilings, the dormer windows—it had so many cozy features.”

The house was built in a Los Angeles beach community in 1950. The family moved into the four-bedroom home in 2019, and Deema began the journey of reimagining it.

art above piano in renovated home with black contrast against white wall

Renovations and Redesigns in the Cozy Home with Character

Deema fell in love with the home at first sight. “I love all the original architecture, from the vaulted ceilings to the doors, some of which are super-thin and abnormally small—I love the juxtaposition in sizes; the tiny windows to the wainscotting,” she says. “I loved how cozy the home was.”

gallery wall in living room with leather sectional sofa

The first room to be renovated was the kitchen. “I was really inspired by Nancy Meyers movies. I wanted a light and airy kitchen, but with vintage touches,” Deema says. “I painted every room and made several changes, like built-ins, bench seating and wallpapered ceilings. And, of course, we had a full kitchen renovation. We expanded our kitchen and added a built-in mini library connected to our breakfast/dining nook, and it’s one of our favorite places to sit.”

white painted brick fireplace and paintings as decor in white renovated kitchen and dining room — The juxtaposition of the renovated kitchen’s modern white island and cabinetry next to a traditional painted brick fireplace and painting provides the delicate balance Deema wanted to achieve throughout her home.

Overcoming Obstacles

As with most home projects, there were a few speed bumps along the way, but Deema relied on her creative spirit to carry them through to completion in her own special style.

“We were on a budget the first two years we moved in, so I got creative,” she says. “I hand painted wallpaper in our hallway, hand painted checkers on our patio floor, drew Sharpie subway tile in a bathroom and sponge tile in another bathroom, hand painted wallpaper on my office ceiling and in my bedroom, I used pencil to sketch out molding for our bedroom wall—people still ask if it’s wallpaper. I also used paint in all the rooms and swapped hardware and lighting.”

renovated white farmhouse kitchen — Deema’s vision to design the kitchen to look light and airy but with vintage character is evident here. The color palette and windows keep the space bright and open, and the floor’s classic black-and-white diamond design adds character.

Creative Room Redesigns in the Cozy Home with Character

“I’d call my style modern traditional with eclectic touches,” Deema says. The living room redesign illustrates her point. “We painted all the wainscoting black. That has been the most challenging room in our home projects because of the awkward layout,” she says.

The kids’ rooms also benefitted from Deema’s creative instincts to transform a space. “I bought a dresser and created a built-in bench for my daughter’s room,” she says. “For my son, I also added a built-in bench with storage (placed between the windows in both rooms), painted them and swapped out the hardware. I also changed all the lighting fixtures. My son has a soccer-themed room. I made him a gallery wall of vintage prints and framed a jersey with a massive vintage frame. Other than that, I try to balance modern and traditional in each room.”

Sputnik style chandelier and gramed art in bedroom with high vaulted ceilings — Patterns, colors and textures add cozy warmth to a room and Deema used that design principle in this bedroom. While the walls and bedding provide a serene, neutral backdrop, a woven rug and painting add warmth and character through color.

Budget Minded

Deema advises homeowners not to give up on their design dreams because they think they will exceed their budget. “With the exception of our kitchen renovation, so much of the work on our house was done on a budget,” she says. “I also thrift a lot. In fact, a lot of my favorite art pieces, furniture pieces and lamps are all thrifted. It’s such an affordable and sustainable way to bring soul and character into your home. I love the balance of vintage pieces with modern touches.“

reading corner with painting of dog and white armchair

“And the power of paint can work wonders—on wainscoting, on ceilings, creating faux backsplashes and wallpaper, etc. And the best part? It’s so easy to change up.”

Simply Vintage Home at Christmastime

The result of Deema’s creative renovations and redesigns is a home that’s not only “pretty on Fridays” but on every other day of the week as well.

renovated bathroom with gray accent tile and white walls in cozy home with character

kids room with built in window bench — Each of the rooms photographed above illustrates Deema’s skill at adding elements to a room to create a cozy ambience. Here, she layered throw blankets over a chair and bed—and even draped a pretty textured towel over the bathroom sink to soften the hard surfaces in the room.

The Artful Home

Deema discusses how art makes a powerful statement in any space.

“Art is the first thing I look for when walking into a room, and it is my absolute favorite part of designing a room,” Deema says. “Art can make or break a space: It sets the tone and brings life into a room—and without it, a room falls flat.”

blue and white striped wallpaper in bathroom of renovated home — “I bought a dresser and created a built-in for my daughter’s room, painted it and swapped out the hardware,” Deema explains. She mixed patterns and textures in the room to add softness and contrast to the furniture like the beautiful wrought-iron bed, built-ins, chair and footstool.

She is drawn to the history of each piece of artwork. “The pieces I pick have a story and appreciating that story and an artist’s creative process to get there is something I’ve learned not to take for granted,” Deema says. “It’s my favorite way to add personality and character. I love a good conversational piece and bold and whimsical pieces, but I also love classic pieces.”

green dresser with black and white portrait framed above it in cozy home with character

hallway vignette with vintage instrment, small chair and framed art

If you loved this cozy home with character, you may also love Getting Cozy in a Curated Farmhouse. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!