November 22, 2022

Beaches & Beyond | Featuring Interior Designer Traci Taylor of Arise Interiors

“Mixing creates character, but it’s a challenge for both the homeowner and the designer. You have to figure it out, to ask yourself, ‘How are we going to do this?’ It is like being back in design school, solving problems. But it is so much better than seeing the same thing over and over again.” - Traci Taylor

A Santaluz Residence Gets a Makeover


Traci Taylor, the principle designer at Arise Interiors, was given the opportunity to share her expertise in the July and August 2022 editions of Beaches & Beyond magazine.

The July issue shared the details of Traci’s full remodel of the Santaluz house in San Diego. After years of renting it out, owners Paula and Mark Waxman were finally ready to move in and make it their own. The original dark color palette no longer appealed to the couple, who wanted to create something light and fresh in hopes of making the house feel more open.

The formidable project took place over the course of the covid-19 pandemic. Although Traci was further challenged with restrictions, she succeeded in creating Paula’s vision of a bright space that mixed modern and transitional styles. Traci helped the Waxmans recreate their kitchen, primary bedroom and bathroom, living room, dining room, foyer, laundry room, and guest bathroom. The process was a joint collaboration between Traci and the Waxmans; she took their suggestions into consideration and worked around the pieces they wanted to keep while using her design knowledge to upgrade the rest of the space.


A particular emphasis was placed on the kitchen, since Paula is a trained chef and a baking enthusiast. Traci helped maximize the space’s potential by reorganizing the kitchen to create additional storage space and extending the island. The result was a stylish yet functional space that made a designated place for every piece of equipment that Paula might need.

Traci is proud to add the Waxmans to her roster of satisfied clients. The couple agree that Traci’s design was clever, functional, and thoughtful. They greatly appreciated Traci’s professionalism; she never insisted on anything, instead providing the couple with numerous options that would suit their needs. Thanks to Traci’s talents, the Waxmans have certainly fallen in love with their new home.


Mixing It Up With Interior Designer Traci Taylor

The second feature is an interview with Traci Taylor on mixing design styles. In it, Traci shares her top tips for anyone curious about combining different styles of furniture, lighting, or decor styles. She believes that although mixing styles can be difficult, it makes a home feel fresh and interesting when done right.


Traci makes the challenge feel less intimidating by confirming that it’s something that has always been done. Those that want to play it safe can stick to the 80/20 strategy, where one chooses a basic style for 80% of the decor and different elements for the remaining 20%. She shares foolproof design combinations, such as minimalism and Scandinavian styles or desert modern and mid century modern.

The interview also features a few advanced design tips for those wanting to delve deeper. Traci suggests considering finishings and repeating patterns, contrasts, and colors. She also helps homeowners tackle the question of how to successfully make knick knacks and collections look good. Anyone looking to switch things up in their home will benefit from reading the expert tips in this interview.


To discover more of Traci’s work, you can read the full feature about the Santaluz house here and the style mixing interview here.