Paula and Mark Waxman’s 2003 Monterey-style Santaluz home came with walls in shades of dark gray and taupe, and the flooring was dark beige tile — all of which appealed to them when they bought it in 2012. It had been a model home for the community, so it came with black wrought iron fixtures and coffered ceilings. While it had an open floor plan, the home was so dark it didn’t feel open. Eventually, the couple decided it was time to bring light into the home. Arise Interiors owner and designer Traci Taylor did just that, with a focus on trained chef and baker Paula’s large kitchen. My story in the July 2022 issue of The San Diego Union-Tribune’s real estate magazine Hot Property Estates shares the transformation and the journey to getting there.