Crafting a Modern Sanctuary

Judi Lee-Carr, owner and principal designer of Jubilee Interiors in Southern California, discusses how she transformed a newly built Ventura townhome into a warm, inviting space.

How did you get started in interior design?

I was born and raised in Singapore, and my background is actually in fashion merchandising and marketing. I was going to school for it, but I dropped out because I got a great job in luxury retail, where I transitioned into visual merchandising and designing the visuals in the stores. One day, while working on an installation, a customer commented on my work and asked me to design his home. That led to further opportunities, including working on hotel projects in Indonesia, where I lived for a year and a half.

Eventually, I moved to London to complete my degree before moving back to Singapore, where I took on more interior design projects. In 2018, I relocated to California to be with my husband. I secured a job as an interior designer for a local builder, but when the pandemic hit, I took the leap to start my own business because work opportunities were so limited. It turned out to be the perfect timing since people were spending more time at home and realizing the importance of creating comfortable, functional spaces.

What was it like opening a design firm during the pandemic?

It was a steep learning curve, especially as an immigrant still navigating a new country. Initially, I focused on channeling my creativity and helping people make their houses feel like homes. However, I quickly realized that being a business owner involves much more than just design—there’s marketing, accounting, inventory management, and client relations. It was challenging, but I truly believe in the importance of the human element of running a business and creating homes for people, so it was all worth it. It was an incredible privilege to be invited into people’s homes during such an uncertain time, helping them create spaces that felt safe, comforting, and truly theirs.

Would you describe your design philosophy?

My design ethos revolves around organic modern living: a balance of neutral, earthy tones that feel cozy and timeless. That said, design is inherently opinionated, and we sometimes pivot from our signature aesthetic to better align with our client’s vision. Whether designing personalized spaces for homeowners or curated interiors for model or spec homes, our focus is always on creating practical, timeless environments that feel like sanctuaries. For homeowners, we take the time to understand their daily habits, favorite places, colors, and even the little details that make a space truly personal, which allows functionality and individual preferences to shape the final design.

Tell us about this Ventura townhouse project. What was the vision?

The townhome is a modern, California Spanish-style new build, and we wanted to ensure that the interior reflected the exterior. But the clients were also really interested in coastal living and a more transitional style that incorporated their cultural heritage. We worked together to bridge these different aesthetics and interests to design rooms that felt cohesive and unique.

What was the design process like?

I started by creating a concept board to help me better understand what kinds of colors they like using and the type of art they appreciate. The husband is into photography, so he really enjoys a lot of architecture, black and white, and symmetrical proportions, which initially didn’t align with the more transitional style they had envisioned. So I worked to incorporate these elements in a way that felt harmonious with the home’s overall style.

I chose a neutral color palette with white walls and medium walnut accents throughout the home, including on the kitchen range hood, fireplace mantel, and stairwell, that matched the home’s exterior. A lot of the furnishings are a more simple, transitional aesthetic. They’re timeless pieces that are very classic, so they worked well with the clients’ goals and our design philosophy. I also framed his photography in the living space to create a gallery wall around the TV, which functions as an art display as well.

How did you decide what elements to include?

Generally, I consider what resonates with me and my design style. While trends come and go, I focus on incorporating timeless pieces, such as neutral colors and classic silhouettes, with materials that feel enduring. Take the light fixture in the dining room, for example. It’s a key piece to the room’s design, and I’m obsessed with it. It features a raffia-woven material that ties in perfectly with the rest of the space, adding character without overpowering the room. The natural organic silhouette of this pendant complements the overall design, and it’s a piece that won’t feel outdated in a few years.

What role did the stairwell’s wallpaper play in the design?That wallpaper was one of the most impactful decisions in the overall design. It ties in beautifully with the townhome’s unique location—the ocean is on one side and the mountains on the other. The blue and green in it naturally echo the serene, earthy tones of the landscape, as does its rich seagrass texture. I had actually kept this particular wallpaper in my sample library for years, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Once I saw this space, I knew it was the right fit!

How did you connect it to the rest of the home?

We used the colors from the wallpaper to honor the natural beauty they are surrounded by, scattering pops of blue and green throughout the home, as you can see in the wallpapers in the guest bathroom and primary suite and also in the tiles on the kitchen island. We wanted the spaces to not only complement each other but also feel very different.

We opted for a green, more geometric wallpaper in the powder room but then went with a coastal vibe in the primary bedroom and bathroom, incorporating more of the blues there because they face the sea. On the kitchen island, we used a green-and-white terra-cotta tile that features the Spanish star; it’s a very strong element that ties in with the architecture of the home as well. These aspects helped us create a very cohesive design that reflects the uniqueness of the townhome’s architecture and location while also catering to the clients’ preferences.

For more info, visit jubilee-interiors.com