In just over five years, the couple transformed their 1990s bungalow from a one-note, wood-drenched space into a home that reflects the family’s collective personal style. “It was actually our son Felix who requested more color throughout the house,” Alex says, noting that Felix loved the poppy hues in his and his brother’s bedrooms and asked if they could bring more color into the rest of the home. “I bought two striped mustard yellow pillows for the couch, and then that was it,” Elizabeth says. “I knew it was what I wanted.”

Elizabeth proceeded cautiously at first, determined to create a palette that felt fun and elevated rather than chaotic. The couple began by painting the trim in the living room Farrow & Ball’s Card Room Green, a light gray-green Elizabeth says was comfortably within her wheelhouse. Using Canva, the free beginner-friendly graphic design program, she experimented with different paint combinations before ordering swatches in mustard yellow, shades of blue, red, pink, and white—the neutral was essential.

Credit: Brie Williams

Credit: Brie Williams

Brie Williams

“Our first samples were one level brighter than what we were going for,” Elizabeth says. She and Alex then ordered mini pots in tones that were lighter and muddier until they landed on their signature six-color paint palette. The capsule color story not only made the selection process feel less overwhelming—narrowing the choices from thousands of hues to just a handful—but also helped them save money by reducing the number of paint cans they needed to buy.

Since then, the couple have drenched every nook and cranny of the house with their personal flair, though they emphasize the importance of starting small. Adding color, they say, can be as simple as introducing a playful accent in the decor or painting a few picture frames. “We use sample cans for a low-barrier entry,” Alex says. “In about 20 minutes we can have an accent,” rather than committing to painting an entire room.

Credit: Brie Williams

Credit: Brie Williams

Their advice is to layer in color gradually until the space feels exactly right. The dining room is a good example of this: wood elements—original beams and a few pieces of furniture—help ground the space and balance spirited colors and whimsical touches. The Brookses are quick to repurpose and repaint to suit their whims: Elizabeth lightened the walls (formerly a mauve-brown) to Farrow & Ball Matchstick and settled on Templeton Pink for the details.

Once you start adding color you realize how easy it is. It doesn’t have to be a huge thing. It can be as simple as picking colors you really like—and that work well together—then feeling free to use them all over your house.

Credit: Brie Williams

Credit: Brie Williams

In the living room, Alex built a custom frame for their TV, while Elizabeth camouflaged it with a lively gallery wall. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the couple renovated the 1990s design to a design that suits their whimsy. They designed it with their sons, Felix (8) and Ansel (5) in mind, too, so they could enjoy Sunday morning pancakes and their signature ice cream parties, a family tradition whenever the family hosts friends, they say.

Brie Williams

The house looks good and works hard because Elizabeth and Alex are a strong duo: Elizabeth handles the aesthetics, drawing on her experience in packaging design to create the family’s signature, cohesive look. Alex’s background as an engineer and contractor helps him envision spaces—and then build them. Alex dreamed up—and built—the breakfast nook in an unused corner of the dining room. He and Elizabeth then brought it to life with three shades of Farrow & Ball paint: India Yellow on the trim, Matchstick on the walls, and Card Room Green on the banquette and sideboard.

The butler’s pantry off the kitchen didn’t exist when the couple bought the house in 2020. To create more storage, they borrowed space from the guest room and an oversized, awkward entryway. Alex built the entry with windows salvaged during a renovation at one of the couple’s previous homes. Today, the pantry houses snacks, nonperishables, appliances, cleaning supplies, the couple’s collection of East Fork pottery, and, of course, an essential coffee station.

Brie Williams

Their upstairs is also a masterclass in color and pattern mixing—and serves as the ultimate kid zone. A large landing serves as a playroom, connecting the boys’ bedrooms and displaying expansive gallery walls of framed art and pennants. Elizabeth says her best finds are from Artfully Walls—and originals by Ansel and Felix. She looks for frames at thrift stores (and paints them to match, naturally).

The boys’ bathroom is a mini lesson in pattern mixing. Using Little Greene wallpaper in Animal Kingdom as her guide, Elizabeth brought the paper’s colors into the rest of the room through details and accessories: red in the mirror and striped sconces, blue trim, and yellows using textiles and tile. The wood vanity provides a moment of calm.

Brie Williams

In a subtle departure from the home’s signature palette, a checkered mural in Felix’s bedroom embraces brighter versions of all six of the Brookses’ go-to paint colors. Kitschy decor, decorative dinos, and artwork chosen by Felix echo the bedroom’s color story—and lend an appropriate dose of youthful playfulness.

Credit: Brie Williams

Credit: Brie Williams

Alex reimagined a closet in Felix’s room as a secret hideaway for him to read, play, and hang out. “Elizabeth and I try to involve the boys in design decisions too,” Alex says. (Felix and Ansel even know the names of their parents’ go-to paint colors.) Alex DIYed Felix's headboard with "plywood and a little imagination."

Credit: Brie Williams

Credit: Brie Williams

In Ansel’s room, metal beds from Wayfair (painted in Farrow & Ball Romesco) pop against a blue patterned wallpaper. Gingham, one of Elizabeth’s favorite motifs, shows up on the bedspreads and rug. The mix-and-match patterns work since they stay within the parameters of the home’s cohesive palette.