Close-up of a white desk styled with the Robert Abbey Dolly Table Lamp in Citron glaze, a green task chair, straw hat, and bowl of green apples against floral wallpaper and a teal wall.

How Layered Lighting Transformed a Historic Pasadena Carriage House

The carriage house behind the Schweitzer family's Pasadena home had good bones, but it wasn't a place anyone lingered. Built in 1908, it was dark, long and narrow, and the couple rarely used it. 

As owners of a prominent Pasadena family law firm, they needed a place to step back from its demands and recharge. She envisioned a craft room for jewelry making and painting. He wanted space for a Peloton, a rower, and a quiet place to write.

They had worked with Gail Jamentz of Soul Interiors Design previously, so they trusted her taste and gave her carte blanche with color and pattern. "She gave us creative freedom to go for it," Jamentz says.

Gail Jamentz Soul Interiors Headshot

Gail Jamentz, founder of Soul Interiors Design, brought the Schweitzer carriage house to life with bold color, playful pattern, and a layered lighting plan.

One building, two purposes

The two halves of the home had to meet different client programming requests. "Each side of the carriage house had different functional needs," Jamentz says. One side was for the wife's creative work, the other for the husband's workouts and writing, both inside the same narrow building shell.

To keep it from reading as two unrelated rooms, Jamentz carried the same blue and green colors and the same new wood flooring through both. "That was the throughline that connected them," she says.

Wide view of a colorful carriage house craft room with a bold floral wallpaper accent wall, white built-in cabinetry on both sides, two green task chairs, pink round rugs, and a lime green Robert Abbey Dolly Table Lamp on the desk.

One narrow footprint, two functions. Layered lighting and a shared blue-and-green palette unite the wife's creative studio with the husband's workout and writing space next door.

Jamentz chose the wallpaper first: Thibaut's Honshu pattern from the Dynasty collection. The colorful, eye-catching botanical pattern was the inspiration piece for the room. Her client had grown up in South Florida and gravitated toward colorful interiors with traditional influences. "I knew the moment I saw that colorway of the Thibaut wallcovering our client would love it," Jamentz says.

Then Jamentz ran into the interior's biggest limitation. "The original space was so dark and dreary that the couple didn't want to spend time in the building," she says. The room had daylight from only one direction, and until that changed, none of the color would do its job.

With the building stripped to the studs, Jamentz rebuilt the creative workspace's lighting in layers. A venting skylight brought in daylight. Ceiling fixtures gave the room ambient light. Undercabinet lighting lit the close work of jewelry making and crafting. Dimmable table lamps handled the mood. "A poor lighting layout can make or break the aesthetics of a space," she says. "Quality lighting is also important for one's productivity, physical and emotional well-being."

Making a narrow footprint work

The building sat close to the property line, so there was no room to build out. Jamentz brought in built-in desks, cabinetry, and tall storage from California Closets.

The cabinet hardware is the Dogwood custom knobs from Modern Matter, a company with roots as a jewelry atelier. Jamentz chose its floral-inspired pulls because they echoed the botanical wallpaper and were a nod to the client's love of fine detail. For a client who makes jewelry, hardware from a former jeweler was a fitting touch.

Split image of white built-in shelving with teal backing displaying books and decor, paired with a close-up of gold flower-shaped Dogwood cabinet knobs against a navy geometric pattern

Open shelving backed in saturated teal paint sets the stage for the room's boldest pattern, while Dogwood custom knobs from Modern Matter — a company with roots as a jewelry atelier — echo the botanical wallpaper and nod to the client's own jewelry-making craft.

Choosing the right lamp

For the craft room desk, Jamentz went to Robert Abbey, where she's sourced lighting for years. "I've always considered Robert Abbey my go-to source for colorful, quality ceramic lamps," she says. "I knew I wanted something different." The Robert Abbey Dolly Table Lamp was her first choice.

Colorful home office nook with Thibaut Honshu floral wallpaper, teal accent wall, white built-in shelving, green task chair, and the Robert Abbey Dolly Table Lamp in Citron on a white desk.

Raised polka dots, a Citron glaze, and a dimmable Fondine shade — the Dolly Table Lamp softens task lighting for laptop work and paperwork alike.

When asked, what drew her to the Dolly Lamp, Jamentz responded: 

"Hands down the polka dots. Who can be unhappy in a room with that charming detail?" The polka dots aren't painted on. They're raised from the ceramic, adding texture beneath the Citron glaze.

Jamentz placed the lamp in the client's task area, where the Fondine shade softens the light and the dimmer makes it easy to adjust between laptop work and paperwork. "The fact that it was dimmable made it the perfect choice for when she was working on her laptop or reviewing paperwork," she says.

Why she keeps specifying Robert Abbey

Jamentz says she continues to specify Robert Abbey because of the customization options, particularly the range of ceramic glazes and shade fabrics, as well as the company's U.S. factory. "We feel customization is king right now for designers to combat today's fast-paced world of online generic consumption," she says. "We love how many glaze color choices Robert Abbey offers, as well as all of the beautiful shade fabrics. We get to play a little and create something personal for each room. And that keeps us coming back, as well as the reliable quality."

Quote from Gail Jamentz of Soul Interiors Design on why customization and Robert Abbey's glaze and shade fabric options keep her specifying the brand.

Her advice is to start with the glaze samples. "Using colorful accent pieces needs to be done judiciously so they stand out and don't get lost amid a sea of patterns," she says. "Once the designer shows a client the depth of color in the glazes and how much personality and texture the piece could add to their space, they will be sold."

A space back in use

Today the 1908 carriage house holds a craft room, a workout area, a writing space, and a home office, all within the original footprint. It's become part of the couple's daily routine instead of a building they walked past.

"We always strive to create happy, uplifting spaces that also evoke a connection to nature," Jamentz says. "I think we achieve that in this petite retreat."

Design mood board for the Schweitzer Residence craft room featuring Thibaut floral wallpaper, white built-in shelving and desk, green task chair, gold Dogwood cabinet knob, pink rug, and the Robert Abbey Dolly Table Lamp in Citron.

The full palette of the room, distilled: Thibaut's Honshu Wallcovering, California Closets built-ins, Modern Matter Dogwood Custom Knob in Polished Brass, 9to5 Seating Agent Chair, FLOR Made You Look Round Rug in Pink, and the Robert Abbey Dolly Table Lamp in Citron that ties it all together.

Design with Confidence

Every project deserves lighting that's as thoughtfully curated as the rest of the room. Order glaze and fabric samples like Jamentz recommends and experience Robert Abbey's craftsmanship firsthand. Apply to join our Trade Program for samples and so much more: exclusive designer pricing, personalized support, and access to our full range of customizable lighting.

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