A m ove from N ashville to
San Francisco sp u rred
m ore th a n o n e change for
A shley an d W ard
W altem ath.
a
new ZIP code, they went from rearing two kids
in a roomy ranch to sharing a two-floor condo
with four children.
“We had a very traditional home in
Nashville,” Ashley says. “I used lots of toile,
more masculine khakis and reds, and I stuck
with a French antiques theme.” But the family’s
move west gave Ashley a craving for a lighter
look. “I wanted a fresh take on traditional,
something that didn’t feel too expected or
dated,” she says. “I realized I could move outside
the box a little and still be traditional at heart.”
Now, pale colors rule-butter yellow in the
living room, grape green in the dining room, and
pastel aqua and pink in the girls’ rooms. She
stuck to subtle patterns and simple lines, parting
with her more fragile antiques and updating
what remained. “I didn’t want to fill the whole
house with precious furniture and not have any
space for my kids,” she says.
As the Waltemaths’ decorating style evolved,
so did their attitude toward environmentalism.
The couple teach their children simple habits to
lessen their impact, such as separating trash for
recycling and composting, and walking to
complete nearby errands. “We try to make it
fun,” Ashley says. “We can make a difference,
even if it’s just a tiny one.”
