The San Francisco designer shares her approach to working with clients who wanted both refinement and vibrant color. 

When Kendall Wilkinson first met with her clients about designing their brand-new Silicon Valley home, they made it clear that color should not be an afterthought. “They wanted vibrant spaces that functioned equally well for everyday family life and large-scale entertaining,” she says. “Our goal was to create rooms that reflect that exuberance, while still feeling refined.”

Using a mix of plush fabrics, playful shapes and glossy finishes, she crafted a bubble gum pink–walled living room that seamlessly transitions into a cobalt dining room. A judicious edit is the secret to making it work: “Don’t overload the senses with too many color families,” she says. “Consistency in the palette, and the repetition of hues from one space to the next, can help maintain flow and sophistication.”