Dark wood. Rich, deep colors. Exposed beams. And leopard-print chair cushions boasting antiqued needlepoint pillows.

For the Fernandez family, home is 5,000 square feet full of traditional, rustic, modern, Spanish, Mediterranean and shabby chic decorating styles.

The Valencia Woodlands estate is the fourth SCV home for the family of four. Residents of Santa Clarita since 1992, it was the architecture, Spanish style and size that drew the Fernandezes to their final, and favorite, abode.

Rose Fernandez, along with her husband Jorge, son Anthony, 7, and daughter Daniella, 4, takes full advantage of the home's generous size. With five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a living room, family room, dining room, separate game rooms for both the kids and the adults, plus a small home office, the space allows for plenty of fun, function and more than enough room for frequent entertaining.

It took Rose and Jorge nearly a year to complete the process of decorating their large home. While she admits that many of the home's accents are "distinctly Rose," Jorge also plays a significant role in the final look of their house. "My husband has a big say in how we decorate and the kind of furniture we buy. He's terrific and he has a great eye. We do it together, which makes decorating an enjoyable process. He's an awesome husband and makes shopping a lot easier, too," says Rose.

Never formally trained in decorating, the ex-premier hair colorist had ample opportunity to experiment and develop a fine sense of style while working in a luxe salon in Northern California. "The salon was very upscale and we had to learn a lot about fashion. We took decorating the salon seriously when it came to the atmosphere for our clients. I liked learning about fashion, design and color, and it stuck with me," says Rose. She later moved to Southern California, where she met her husband, to complete her degree in communications.

The understated elegant look of the home, preferred by the Fernandezes for its relaxing and welcoming feel, is filled with personal touches that make it distinctly their own. "There are certain accents that are what my friends like to say, 'so Rose.' Everyone knows that I love rich colors, jewel tones, leopard print and fleur de lis," she says. Case in point: The mural over the living room fireplace features a crest with a nearly three-dimensional fleur de lis. The artist incorporated Rose's ideas and sketches into the final piece.

While most artwork was purchased locally, Rose also had a hand in creating touching tributes to her two children. A hallway is accented with her kids' framed hand- and foot-prints, and a collage of Daniella's treasured items hangs daintily against her bedroom's sunshine-hued wall.

Still, while the work may be Rose's and Jorge's, their kids' bedrooms are a reflection of the younger Fernandez set. "I don't want to instill my likes into my children. I strategically pick certain things for their rooms that are hints of what I like, but kids' rooms are different and should be there own," says Rose. "For their bedrooms, I didn't think my home's traditional color scheme was appropriate," she continues.

Anthony's room features his favorite sports: golf and baseball. "I wanted him to enjoy his space," says the proud mom. "My daughter likes bright colors and pinks. That's why I incorporated a more youthful, shabby chic garden feel for her," Rose says of Daniella's room full of feminine whimsy. "The bed, an antique, was found when I was pregnant and had just discovered that I was having a girl. I thought it was perfect. It worked out that she really likes it!," she says.

In contrast to the kids' colorful space, the master bedroom is a subtle escape. "We wanted it to be very relaxing as soon as we walked in," says Rose. Intentionally light on furniture and featuring neutral shades of paint, bedding and window treatments, the result is a calming retreat - but that doesn't mean that the room is without well-placed accessories that add a lived-in touch. Lamp light is softened by feathered lamp shades, and tassels hang on the corner of their iron bed. A large framed photograph commemorating the pair's wedding day complete the personalized feel.

Keeping their decorating business local makes it easier on the busy family. "I've had great success with pieces from local shops and showrooms," says Rose. All of her large area rugs were purchased at Brent's Carpet One, and her living room pieces were found at Ambiance Home Furnishings. "I buy tons of my accessories from La Via Bella, and Citrus Fine Furniture is where I bought my family room furniture and also my office chair, as well as a few paintings," says Rose. "I found a great selection of pictures at Homemakers, which is where I selected the artwork for my dining room, as well as the adult game room," she continues.

As for her extensive collection of leopard accessories, that's Rose's little secret.


Click here to view the other home spread for the May, 2006 issue