A California Cottage That Celebrates Collected Style

When Michele Hofherr first walked through her cottage in Piedmont, California, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. The walls were painted in shades of yellow and red, wallpaper covered nearly every room, and dated light fixtures distracted from the home’s architecture. Her husband had doubts, while she had a vision.

Two years later, the 3,000-square-foot home looks dramatically different. Hofherr repainted every room in warm neutrals, replaced nearly every light fixture and layered the interiors with reupholstered furniture, contemporary art and vintage finds. She said her goal was to create a home that feels warm, eclectic and inviting, whether it’s just the two of them or a house full of friends.

“Now, it is a warm, eclectic, inviting place that we love hanging at alone or with friends,” the interior designer said.

Hofherr said the kitchen and bathrooms already had good bones, so she decided against a major renovation. Instead, she concentrated on repainting the interiors, removing wallpaper and replacing light fixtures throughout the house.

“I love a high-low mix,” Hofherr said. “There is nothing better.”

That philosophy runs through every room. Vintage pieces sit comfortably alongside contemporary artwork, while custom upholstery gives older furniture new life rather than sending it to the curb.

A Home Built on Reinvention

Long before launching her interior design firm, Sourced, Hofherr built a following for her online luxury home furnishings resale company, Previously Owned by a Gay Man. The business may have evolved, but its influence is still visible throughout her home.

Nearly every piece of furniture has been reupholstered or refinished — some more than once.

Reinventing existing pieces has become part of Hofherr’s design process. She said nearly every piece of furniture in the house has been reupholstered or refinished at least once, and some have been updated multiple times.

The same approach guides her art collection. Hofherr enjoys discovering emerging artists through platforms like Saatchi Art and Creative Growth, pairing original works with vintage furnishings and favorite pieces from design brands including Nickey Kehoe, AERO and Jayson Home.

The Room Everyone Ends Up In

Hofherr said she spends more time in the living room than anywhere else. Whether she’s reading in an oversized chair, sitting by the fireplace with her husband or entertaining friends, it’s the room she returns to most often.

Some days it’s a quiet retreat, with a book and the oversized reading chair. Other evenings, it’s where she and her husband settle into matching swivel chairs by the fireplace. When friends come over, the room easily expands to accommodate a crowd without losing its sense of intimacy.

One of her favorite details is the mantel, where objects collected during different trips are displayed together. Each one reminds her of a specific place and memory.

The objects displayed across the mantel might read as a curated collection of ceramics and found objects, but each one was picked up while traveling. Together, they quietly document years of shared experiences and favorite destinations.

Collected, Not Decorated

Hofherr’s career has taken her from talent agent to photographer, entrepreneur and, eventually, interior designer. That winding path informs how she approaches every project, including her own.

She isn’t interested in creating rooms that feel finished. She wants them to continue evolving.

For Hofherr, home is a place to gather with family and friends, a creative outlet and a reflection of the places, people and experiences that have shaped her life. It’s also proof that thoughtful design doesn’t always require starting from scratch.

Looking back, Hofherr said the project reinforced her belief that a home doesn’t have to be completely reinvented to feel new. By keeping what worked and updating what didn’t, she created a house that reflects both her design philosophy and the life she and her husband have built there.