White has become a staple of the American interior design playbook. The safe and easy neutral defies association with any single era and suits almost every style. But when Curtis Weldon and Brian Kuntz set out to update their 2,000-square-foot condo in Indian Wells, they had a few anything-but-safe requests: no white walls, no white ceilings, and an emphasis on texture, depth, color, and warmth.
Their condo, transformed by Tim Tattersall of t3 interior design, is now a place where white is banished in favor of warm, saturated hues that balance classic and midcentury influences. Tattersall drew on his extensive design pedigree, from ancestors who ran textile mills to his years as director of global training at Polo Ralph Lauren.
He approached the gut renovation with a discerning eye, stripping away tile floors, a builder-grade kitchen, and two and a half baths. In their place came oak hardwood flooring, custom cabinetry, and elevated finishes that lend richness and refinement throughout the home.
Weldon and Kuntz share the home with their French bulldog, Winston. What began as a “nice but basic house,” Weldon explains, became a canvas for a personal, comfortable retreat. “A home is where you relax, spend time with family and friends, celebrate special occasions, and love those around you,” he says. “It should be unique and individualized for each person.”
For this couple, that individuality starts with a shared philosophy: “White is boring!” Weldon concedes the stance “might get some hate” but notes that true white is rare in nature. “We have clouds, snow, and even some stone. But the world is filled with so many other exciting colors to choose from.”
Thrilled with the result in Indian Wells, Weldon and Kuntz have enlisted Tattersall to remodel their primary home in San Francisco, a 1904 Edwardian. Construction is underway — and true to form, no shade of white will make the cut.
Painted Sky
When Tattersall lived in Italy, he observed that Renaissance Italians painted their ceilings. “I liked that concept, and when I returned to the U.S., I realized I was very comfortable painting ceilings anything but white.” In the living room, he painted the ceiling with a canopy of Interesting Aqua by Sherwin-Williams, giving the space a lift as serene as the afternoon sky. The fireplace presents in layers: grass cloth paired with a dark surround of variegated slate tiles.
Black Magic
“In working with Tim, we stated we wanted something a little moody and sexy, and we certainly achieved our goal,” Weldon says. Moody finds sexy in the entryway, where black wallpaper meshes with grass cloth, a texture that touches almost every room. Tattersall sourced the wallcoverings from Phillip Jeffries and Scalamandré.
Natural Attraction
Weldon and Kuntz’s design ethos prevails in the office, too. “Don’t fear color, but choose to embrace it,” as Weldon likes to say. “Go outside and look at colors and combinations you like. Notice textures in stone and plant materials, while looking at the subtle differences in hues. Now think about how you can incorporate them in your home.”
Cooking With Color
Weldon says his favorite place is the heart of the home: “I love the kitchen, and I love to cook. I love the little breakfast nook, and we use it every day.” Custom cabinetry, a new upgrade in every room, makes a cohesive storage statement. “Prior to the remodel, this is the space where we spent the least amount of time.”
French Accent
Weldon and Kuntz call their style “French midcentury modern” — a mix of earth tones, sculptural mid-mod furnishings, and European panache. The dining room articulates the aesthetic through curved chairs, an eight-shade Arhaus chandelier, and oak herringbone floors that flow with timeless warmth throughout the home.
Ornate Elegance
A mural showcases birds, botanicals, and full-bodied colors for the bedroom’s backdrop. As Tattersall says, the homeowners “wanted nothing that is expected or the norm.” Weldon reflects, “Color brings warmth and depth to a home. It’s soothing.” Although colorful, the bedroom exudes a peaceful feel, highlighting motifs from nature in the textiles and bedside lamps.
Light Meets Dark
“When we began discussing color palettes, the clients were very open to my nontraditional suggestions,” Tattersall says. Even the primary bath wears an adventurous pairing of fresh blue walls and a deep navy tile shower.
Decidedly Different
Tattersall explains that this home lies within a gated community of “nice homes with a shared wall for every two homes.” Because they all look similar from the outside, he says, one would expect them all to be rather similar on the inside. Weldon and Kuntz’s abode debunks that theory with striking audacity. Filled with clandestine corners and moody nooks, like the powder room bathed in rust and shadows, the home, Tattersall says, conveys “a type of speakeasy sensibility.”
