Treci Smith’s New Age San Diego Farmhouse
Photographs by Gary Payne. This is an updated version of an article written by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason in 2020.
Treci Smith is a woman of many talents. As the head of her self-named studio, Treci Smith Designs, she is an interior stylist, a successful house-flipper in collaboration with her husband, Amir, and a self-styled “purveyor” of fine vintage furnishings. For more than a decade the entrepreneur has made her home in an expansive ranch-style house in San Diego, California, with her husband and four kids, along with their dog, Rose, thirteen chickens and one duck.
Treci’s property is large, supporting a main residence of over 2,300 square feet as well as an 1,100-square-foot guest house. But the crowning glory of the property might just be its outdoor spaces, which include a large garden, pool, lounge space, and something special for Treci. “Recently, we converted a shed into a studio and office space for me,” the designer explains. “My favorite space is my studio because it’s my own little getaway and it allows me to feel inspired.”
Treci describes her style as centering on her: “love for vintage, afro-bohemian and mid-century modern pieces.” It’s an aesthetic that comes through especially well in her studio. Weaving its component elements together seamlessly in a palette of soothing wood tones, it’s little wonder that it’s one of the designer’s favorite places to be.
Whether she’s staging a house or designing for herself, it’s vital to have access to the pieces that inspire Treci’s creativity. “Every room I style reflects my emphasis on connection,” she says. “I love to incorporate natural elements because they bring in so much life.”
Pools may feel like standard-issue amenities for southern California homes, but as this home demonstrates, it really is all about execution. “This home was built in 1951 and remodeled in the 1970s,” Treci remembers. “It was in fairly good condition. But it needed some minor updates.” Fortunately, the pool was already part of the existing design, but getting it to the visual level it needed to occupy still took a bit of doing.
“Designing the pool-courtyard was difficult because there’s so much space,” Treci states. “It was quite a challenge to keep it from looking cold and sparse. I got around that by creating a few distinct lounging spaces throughout the courtyard and brought in lots of plants to fill in those pockets of space.”
Away from the pool, there needed to be space for rest and relaxation. Most lounges - be they indoor or out - tend to aim for including enough seating for entertaining guests. But for a family of six, that amount of seating is the bare minimum. Treci’s outdoor lounge is designed with family time in mind. The large comfy seats are perfect for getting together after a day in the sun, and the big central fire pit ensures that no one will get too chilly once the sun goes down.
“I love creating places where people can connect,” Treci confesses. And her outdoor space does exactly that. “Granted, that’s not necessarily due to the design elements, but the design certainly elevates the atmosphere of the home. I think that the natural elements like the mature trees and flowers, bring in a lot of color and warmth to a large space.”
Having so much space outside offers ample opportunity to create different environments, and Treci took full advantage, designing a charming dining area to complete her outdoor space. However, preparing the space was one of the challenges of this renovation. “The outdoor space has been a true labor of love. Although we loved how lush the property was, it was overgrown - we had to remove and trim a lot of the trees.”
Now fully renovated with the completion of her studio, the outdoors provides an entire second living space - or third when counting the guest house - complete with its own stylish serving decor. Small touches like these show the benefits of having not only a designer’s eye in the home, but also one with a vintage touch. Small statuary, sleek glassware and colorful vases are the finishing touches that complete a perfect picture.
The pool and studio weren’t the only addition the Smiths made when they moved into their home. “We added a garden, built a treehouse (which has become a nice retreat for the kids during the pandemic), added a fence and a chicken coop,” Treci lists. “The garden gate is my favorite piece! It was originally the headboard of the first bed Amir and I purchased as a married couple. Choosing it as the entrance to our garden just seemed like the natural thing to do.”
“I love that my home is inviting and has good energy,” Treci says. “This goes back to my love for creating places where people can connect.” With an outdoor area offering as much as any indoor space ever could, the designer has created the perfect place to enjoy those connections both with her family and the nature around them.
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