Inside a New-Construction Home with Character

They say the sun shines more than 300 days a year in Rancho Santa Fe, California, a small village north of San Diego that's perfumed by orange blossoms and stitched together with horse fences. Kim Schneider, who grew up here, describes a childhood that's nothing less than idyllic: "Main Street closes down each Fourth of July for a parade, and people in Rancho still go to the post office for their mail." Is it any wonder she hoped her own kids could experience the same sense of community?

So a few years ago, Kim convinced her attorney husband, Drew, to relocate their family to her hometown, where they bought bought three acres of a former orchard, on a bluff overlooking the San Dieguito Reservoir.

In this photo: Fresh paint transformed the dining table, a $100 Craigslist score. Kim bought the wicker chairs and shelving unit, crafted from salvaged elm, at R.J. Imports, a San Juan Capistrano boutique. The table is painted Eucalyptus by Restoration Hardware.

The Schneiders pictured their future home's aesthetic as coastal rustic: a happy mash-up of California casual with the old-fashioned charm Drew recalled from his uncle's Wisconsin farm. Word of mouth led them to local architect John Jensen, who helped figure out the floor plan—with a kitchen and family room at the heart of the open setup. They splurged on materials that evoke history and handicraft: wide-plank oak floors, solid-alder cabinets, granite countertops, a Wolf range, and double-hung windows that'll be part of the structure forever.

In this photo: The spindle-leg stools are hand-me-downs from Kim's parents. The kitchen island, cabinetry, and trim are painted Right White by Restoration Hardware.

Plus: 24 can't-miss kitchen islands »

The Schneiders spent a little less on the major furnishings, selecting midrange pieces like Pottery Barn rugs and a sofa from Bixby & Ball, a shop in Solana Beach. "We loved the idea of starting from scratch," Kim says of building her new home. "But we wanted a place that looked like it had a past."

Plus: 82 living rooms you'll love »

Bixby and Ball's co-owner, Melissa Anderson, became the couple's de facto decorator—just not the kind who steers her clients toward, say, fancy Scalamandré fabrics. "She's a super bargain hunter," Kim raves. Indeed, Anderson aided in tracking down a host of cut-rate scores, including benches nabbed on Craigslist, vintage treasures like 1950s flash cards, and basics—white dinnerware, vases for garden flowers—from Target and Ikea.

In this photo: Kim snagged the Windsor bench on Craigslist and the aluminum pedestal table at a secondhand shop. The pillows hail from Bixby & Ball in Solana Beach; the jute rug is Pottery Barn. The wall is painted DKC-5 by Donald Kaufman.

Bright idea: Basic metal hooks turn an antique ox yoke into a hat rack.

Displayed together, simple Ikea plates take on the air of heirlooms. Plus, an Ikea canister holds Pride of Madeira and yellow daisies, cut from the backyard garden.

Plus: 13 ways to perk up your hallway »

For the guest room, Kim selected a Wisteria nightstand and a hand-forged iron bed frame by Charles P. Rogers. The trio of aviary prints is from the Encinitas furnishings store Rustic Rooster.

A Carrara marble floor pairs with subway-tile walls in the master bath. The claw-foot tub is by Sunrise Specialty; Rejuvenation makes the light fixture, wrapped in wire mesh.

Bright idea: Repurpose a wood plank as a rustic bath shelf.

Kate Schneider, 5, horses around in her 6-year-old brother Ryan's room. A wooden toolbox corrals books on top of a vintage desk.

Bright idea: Drapery clips provide an easy way to show off flash cards.

Plus: 33 kid's rooms you'll both love »

The combination of California weather and a fireplace makes this outdoor living area a year-round hangout. Wicker chairs from a local shop surround the coffee table, fashioned out of a reclaimed wine barrel. The walls are painted Collonade Gray by Sherwin-Williams, while the fireplace is painted China White by Benjamin Moore.

Since moving in the summer of 2012, the family has shifted their focus to the landscape outside—a challenge that demands more of a wait-and-see attitude. Though Kim and Drew have rehabbed the orchard's lemon, lime, and avocado trees, they're only now beginning to produce. "The trees are young, but we're patient," Kim says. "We intend to be here a long time."

In this photo: Kim and Drew Schneider built this swing for their children, Ryan and Kate.