ABOVE The family room and kitchen are connected by more than architectural design. Both have clean lines and clever storage solutions. Dannick Design INC installed the exotic-wood wall. LEFT The fuss-free kitchen, created by Dannick Design INC, is el

Manuela Marino has yet to complete her degree in fine arts, but she is already well on her way to finishing a masterpiece.

For 11 years, the College of the Canyons/ California State University, Northridge student has worked to personalize her family's five-bedroom, three-bath Stevenson Ranch home as only an artist can.

And, like any great artist, her style refuses to be simplistically defined.

In the workout room, a Moroccan chandelier is surrounded by an intricately-stenciled ceiling medallion recalling patterns coveted by Spanish Moors. The family room's clean, modern lines are only steps away. Her eldest daughter's bedroom, painted a monochromatic pink, is otherwise distinctly European in design.

Tellingly, A Mexican-styled, handpainted sun rises above her headboard. Born in Germany to German and Italian parents (her husband was born in Italy), Manuela lived in Europe for three decades. "I spent 30 years in a cold climate," says the Santa Claritan. "The sun is very important to me. To have it [as art in the home] represents heat and warmth."

TOP The home office/art studio looks out onto the courtyard. MIDDLE A blossoming flower print and bold hand-painted sun brighten the master bedroom. BOTTOM "This is my bird bathroom," says Manuela, of the indigo-blue space. An art-class project flutt

"I do everything because I want it this way," says Marino, who completed many of her home's improvements solo.

Of course, her family's needs are lovingly reflected in the home. Her husband, a wine aficionado, recently played a large role in the kitchen's redesign. "With [local contractor] Dannick Designs, we created a beautiful wine cellar for him," says Manuela. Antiqued-wood floors throughout most of the home, as well as Mexican tile stairs, provide fine-wearing accommodation for the heavy traffic that comes with two daughters and three big dogs.

And even though the home is large by many standards, space is at a premium. "I was relocated," Manuela jokes, when questioned about the art studio/home office combination. The value on space may be most clear in their new kitchen, designed and installed by Dannick Designs. "The kitchen is 'no fuss,'" she says. "There's no moulding, no extras that take up space. It's all storage."

In the Marino home, space may be in high demand, but there is color to spare. Purple is popular, taking dramatic residence in both the master bedroom (as a duvet cover) and playing a co-starring role (with blue) in the form of the girls' glass-tiled bathroom. A bold indigo covers the walls in the guest bath. "I want to have color [in my home]," the owner reflects. "I'm not thinking about resale value. I am thinking about what I like. This is an ongoing project that never ends. It never stops changing."