The first house I worked on for Mary and David was a 1975 "contemporary" in the Berkeley hills. The eucalyptus trees around it filtered a greenish light that presented a challenge because it altered every color on the walls. We did a major makeover in terms of up-dating the house, still with its original dark brown tile, trim & beams, with stark white walls. I chose new light fixtures, new hardware, a sisal for the halls, and I sprayed three coats of cream on the sloped wooden ceilings and beams, which reflected a lot more light in the interior. Then in the living-sitting-dining area I put a light terra cotta on the walls at one end, a soft green at the other end, and linked them with warm manila/ tan color. The kitchen became a gold that brought out the wood cabinet color. Upstairs, the bedrooms and baths turned to coffee, barley yellow, blue-green.