Step Inside a Bright and Cheery California Bungalow

When choosing the major pieces of furniture for their Westwood, California, home, Tori and Dave Hemingson played it, well, safe. There's a classic white slipcovered sofa, a traditional farm table, an upholstered khaki headboard, several simple sisal rugs—all dependable, timeless, go-with-everything basics. So how come the overall vibe of the couple's 1920s bungalow reads as anything but neutral?

In this photo: The Hemingsons chose Sherwin-Williams's Convivial Yellow for their breakfast nook, furnished with a built-in bench and a scalloped-top pedestal table from Ethan Allen.

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When the couple bought their house, they weren't looking to overhaul it so much as put their own stamp on things. "The home's layout is original," says Dave, before noting the one big exception. "We knew the kitchen had to be totally functional with a young family." So he and Tori decided to reinvent that room, enlisting the help of designer Rick Murphy to knock down walls and expand the footprint. Now glass cabinet fronts and white Viking appliances ("Stainless steel shows fingerprints," Tori says) lighten up the space.

In this photo: The couple updated the kitchen with custon cabinetry (including a built-in bread box!), an apron-front sink, and Carrara marble countertops.

As much as the family loves the kitchen's cheerful breakfast nook, it's still the dining room where they spend the most quality time—specifically, at their farm table. That workhorse piece of furniture is not only where the family eats dinner each night, but also a favorite spot for art projects. And though it's well seasoned with marks from little hands, Tori insists "the table looks better as it's gotten more play."

In this photo: Tori and Dave also injected modern touches, such as the George Nelson-designed globe lamp that hangs above their farm table and raw-steel chairs from Sundance.

"Light, bright, and fresh," is how Tori, a novelist, describes the aesthetic. "I longed for a cheerful home with a little whimsy." Mission accomplished. If ever there was a place that spoke to the wisdom of employing nonshowy staples as a blank canvas on which to layer personality, the Hemingsons' home is it. "We wanted a nod to traditionalism," says Dave, a screenwriter, "but with a few key contemporary accents."

In this photo: A slipcovered sofa (accented with graphic pillows), a weathered coffee table from H.D. Buttercup, and low-slung chairs by Four Hands anchor the living room.

A linen-upholstered headboard, vintage metal nightstand, and slipcovered Pottery Barn love seat outfit the master bedroom.

Bright idea: Not enough bedroom storage? Simply tuck a pretty straw tote under your nightstand.

In the master bath, the Hemingsons installed a Calcutta marble tile floor and painted the tub's exterior with Farrow & Ball's White Tie.

Bright idea: Perched next to a freestanding tub, a stool offers a handy spot for bath necessities.

The pair saved their wildest use of imagination for the bedrooms of their two sons, Nicky, 9, and Ian, 6. Nicky's room features a cherry-red headboard, a car jack turned into a bedside lamp, and skateboards that double as wall shelves. Vintage black-and-white photos of the Beatles reflect his musical obsession, as does a collection of guitars. "Nicky is pretty impressive," Dave says of his son's musical talent. Then he cracks a grin and adds: "As for me, I just play the fool."

In this photo: Nicky's room features a custom Naugahyde headboard and a metal desk purchased at the shop Home Economics in Grants Pass, Oregon. The letters spelling out his name are from Anthropologie.

Mounted with L brackets, skateboards function as playful shelves in Nicky's room.

The couple admit that when their neighborhood grew more popular and home values soared, they flirted with the idea of selling their house a couple of years ago. "But we realized that we just want to stay where we're happy. We worked hard on making this place nice," says Dave. "And now that's one of the things we're most grateful for—that we followed our hearts and stayed where we were as opposed to chasing something new."

In this photo: Tori Hemingson relaxes with Hermoine (center) and Monty on the family's back patio.