California Home & Design: Feb 2026
Written by Lindsey Shook | Photography by John Merkl
layered in love
Julie Rootes Interiors wraps this Menlo Park home in warmth and light
“At Julie Rootes Interiors, we begin by understanding how our clients live day-to-day, how they entertain and how they want to feel in their home. From there, we develop a clear design narrative that guides everything from architectural decisions to material selections and bespoke furnishings,” says designer Julie Roots about her firm’s approach to projects that stretch across Northern California. “My goal is always to create environments that feel deeply personal to each client while truly supporting how they live—layered, livable, cohesive and thoughtfully detailed rather than trend-driven. I want every home to feel unique to the client, not a replication of past projects.”
The living room sofa is from Holland and Sherry and is covered in fabric from Scalamandre. The armchairs are by A. Rudin and the ottomans were found at Bungalow Classics. Photos by John Merkl.
In the dining room, the pendant is from Urban Electric Co., the wallpaper is by Cowtan and Tout and the dining chairs are from Hewn. Photos by John Merkl.
She and her team leaned into their philosophy when hired to design this 3,800-square-foot home in Menlo Park for clients who wanted to move out of the city. “The clients wanted a home that felt elevated yet comfortable and one that capitalized on the California indoor outdoor lifestyle,” she recalls. “They are from the East Coast and still wanted to incorporate that aesthetic with a California twist.” Together, they honed in on the main priorities of the redesign that included creating inviting gathering spaces, integrating high-quality materials and custom details and ensuring the home felt both timeless and uniquely theirs.
