Lake Forest model home by Joseph Matthews

J Matthews Design Studio. Interior designer, Southwest Florida, 20 years of experience.

The Lake Forest project is a Toll Brothers model home in Lake Forest, California, minutes from Laguna Beach, that I decorated and also lived in. My role was the interior decorating: choosing and placing the artwork, furniture, accessories, and outdoor landscaping that turn a builder’s finished architecture into a home someone actually wants to live in. The look is warm and transitional, which means classic, comfortable foundations mixed with cleaner modern pieces, plus a personal streak that runs through the art and the fitness spaces.

Below I walk through the home the way you would move through it: the open living areas, the kitchen, the art and accessories that made it personal, the indoor-outdoor fitness center, and the landscaped patio. Toll Brothers built the house. My part was making it feel finished and lived in.

You can see the full set of photos in the Lake Forest portfolio gallery.

What was my role on the Lake Forest project?

Toll Brothers, a national luxury homebuilder, developed the house and its architecture. I came in as the interior decorator, which on a project like this means styling the finished space: art, furniture, rugs, lighting, accessories, and the planting and landscaping that tie the indoors to the outdoors. The home was completed in early 2020, and it doubled as my own residence, so I lived with every choice rather than only specifying it. 

What do the main living areas look like?

The main living space is open and tall, with a dark wood beamed ceiling and a glass-railed staircase looking down over it. I kept the large upholstered seating light and simple so the architecture and the art could carry the room, then grounded it with a warm-toned patterned rug and a solid wood coffee table with real weight to it. Sculptural pendant fixtures stand in for a traditional chandelier and keep the ceiling interesting without competing with the beams.

How is the kitchen styled?

The kitchen pairs dark, warm cabinetry with light stone countertops, including a waterfall island that anchors the room. Globe pendant lights hang over the island, and the bar stools combine upholstered seats with wood legs, comfortable enough to sit at for a while. The appliances are professional grade, including a built-in refrigerator and a pro range under a stainless hood, with a tile backsplash and lit upper cabinets. 

How did art and accessories make the house feel personal?

The furniture is calm; the personality lives in the layers on top. I used bold, oversized art and a mix of sculptural objects, some playful and a little glamorous, to give each room a point of view. That carried into the more expressive rooms too, including a bedroom built around a deep red accent wall and graphic pop art. On a model home, the art and accessories are what keep it from reading like a showroom, and because I lived here, I could push those choices further than I might in a staged space.

What is the indoor-outdoor fitness center?

One feature I am still proud of is the indoor-outdoor fitness center. Inside there is a full setup: a multi-station weight machine, free weights, cardio equipment, and motivational wall graphics, all under the same beamed ceiling as the rest of the house so it reads as part of the home rather than a garage afterthought. It opens toward the outdoors, so a workout connects to the landscaped patio and the Southern California light.

How does the outdoor space work?

The patio is a covered outdoor living area built for Southern California weather. There is a stainless built-in grill for cooking outside, comfortable seating, and a patterned outdoor rug that pulls the warm tones from inside out to the patio. The landscaping does a lot of the work: layered tropical planting, palms, and dense beds of succulents and cactus that make the space feel established rather than new.

Why this project stays with me

Most of my work is for clients, so decorating a home I would actually live in was different. Living with the balance between comfortable, transitional furniture and bolder art and accessories taught me things I still use on full projects for clients in Southwest Florida. It is also the clearest example I have of what I mean by warm and personal rather than showroom-perfect.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the Lake Forest project located?

It is in Lake Forest, California, in Orange County, minutes from Laguna Beach. The home was developed by Toll Brothers, and I handled the interior decorating.

What is transitional style?

Transitional style blends traditional and modern. It keeps the warmth and comfort of classic design but pairs it with cleaner lines and simpler modern pieces, so a room feels current without feeling cold. That balance is the through-line in this house.

Do you take on projects like this in Southwest Florida?

Yes. J Matthews Design Studio offers full-service, turnkey interior design in Southwest Florida, which means I can take a project from concept through to the finished, furnished space. If you are a homeowner, builder, or developer planning a home or model in the Sarasota, Bradenton, or Lakewood Ranch area, that is the work I do.