This Painter’s Art-Filled 1910 Palo Alto Home Was Once a Barn

When artist Sandy Ostrau and her husband first bought their Palo Alto home, they knew it needed work. The house had been built as a barn in 1910 and later converted into a family home, and over the years Sandy and her husband had filled it with an ever-growing collection of art and objects they loved. As their children grew up and the needs of the family changed, they decided it was time to rethink the interiors—not just to update the house, but to create a home that could properly accommodate their collection while still feeling warm and welcoming.

Sandy, a painter herself, worked with designer Chantal Lamberto on the renovation, approaching the project as a collaboration between two people with a strong appreciation for color, pattern, and art. Rather than creating a neutral backdrop, they embraced the house’s eclectic character, using deep greens and other saturated hues to frame the artwork and unify the rooms. Original built-ins were refreshed, new cabinetry was designed to echo the lines of the existing woodwork, and carefully chosen furnishings helped the individual rooms feel connected without looking overly matched.

The living room establishes the palette. A patterned rug inspired by artist Anni Albers anchors the unusual-shaped space, while original redwood shelving provides a home for paintings, ceramics, glass, and art books. Many of the pieces have a personal connection, whether they were made by friends, discovered while traveling, or collected over decades.

That same mix of personality and practicality carries into the kitchen, where an orange stove became the starting point for the room’s colorful palette. Moroccan tile adds another layer of pattern, while the existing wood floor was painted in blue-and-white checks rather than replaced. In the dining room, a custom-sized table makes the most of the space, while vintage fabric and collected artwork continue the layered approach.

Some of the home’s most meaningful pieces are tied directly to Sandy’s family. In the primary bedroom, a chair belonging to her grandmother was given new life with graphic upholstery and colorful trim. Sandy also made the quilt on the bed herself, spending months piecing and hand-quilting it—a project that brought her back to the needlework her grandmother had once done.

The renovation also allowed the couple to rethink how they used the house. A former office became a ground-floor guest room, making it easier for older family members to visit, while their daughter’s former bedroom became a sewing and project room with a built-in bed for guests. Throughout the house, practical changes were made without sacrificing the character that drew Sandy and her husband to the property in the first place.

Today, the 1910 Palo Alto home feels distinctly personal: colorful but comfortable, historic but not overly precious, and filled with pieces that reflect the people who live there. For Sandy, that was ultimately the goal of the renovation—to create a place where art could be lived with, not simply displayed, and where friends and family would always feel welcome.