Fall - 2022

Vance says she and Jay are lucky to be able to see dreams come to life every day, evolving with different clients. “There’s a certain fluidity to our busi- ness which is really great,” she says. “I think one of the most powerful things was when Jay and I used to do a house for ourselves, then we would sell it and start a new project. You kind of start fresh…it’s a new benchmark in life. You can get a little stuck if you stay in a house your whole life. But I don’t rec- ommend [moving] for everybody because some people need the security of staying in one place.” Jay adds that he thinks it’s important for a house to be built to last for a family, across multiple generations. “You don’t want a cartoon house that’s not everlasting,” he says. “People foolishly want to put all this square footage three feet away from the next house and it’s too much.” Vance says that instead of creating some- thing that will fade out of fashion, they aim to create an heirloom that you can pass down to future generations. “It’s just so nice not to put everything into a house,” she says.“When there are a lot of ideas, sometimes there are too many and you can save those for the next project. You want to leave room for furniture and for family parties. You don’t need to use a lot of different materials or multiple colors of paint.You want the light to hit the walls and create magic…Jay taught me about restraint and using perfect proportions.” Jay and Vance both emphasize how lucky they are to be both marriage and work partners. “At the end of my life, I will know that I lived my life as fully as I could with Jay,”Vance says. For more information, visit www.vancekillen.com or call 831/293-4893. This Carmel Valley Village home was designed by Jay and reflects the Killens’ emphasis on finding outdoor spaces for relaxation. The scenery of the Monterey Peninsula remains a large source of inspiration. Vance Killen is well known around the peninsula for her warm, inviting personality and stunning projects. Photo: Courstesy of Jay and Vance Killen Photo: TGO Photography 132 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2