One of LA's Best Interior Designers Shares 3 Simple Ways to Make Your Home 'California Cool'

Breegan Jane, interior designer and Trane Residential partner, wants your home to be just a little cooler — in more ways than one.

The designer, who's also made a name for herself on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and as a lifestyle blogger on her eponymously named website, has a signature style all her own. It's clean, crisp, inviting, and always chic. It's California cool meets functional design, which is an aesthetic Jane credits to her hometown of Los Angeles mixed with a bit of magic from her travels around the world.

"As a creative person I'm always looking for inspiration in anything I do, and my surroundings are a significant part of that," Jane told Travel + Leisure. "I've been blessed to travel often for both work and leisure, and each time I find myself mesmerized by the physical and cultural landscape of the place. I love having the opportunity to take in the architecture, hues, and hallmark decor of a city, state, or country. These elements make an indelible impression that often carries over into the way I design."

As for her favorite finds around the world, Jane says she's "entranced by the teal waters and limestone buildings of Spain, the terracotta flooring and minimalist design of Italy, and the deep, moody colors in New York interiors. If you look closely, you'll see bits of those elements in various designs of mine."

But, all these hues, materials, and vibes must also serve a purpose.

"Good design is able to meet several requirements at once. It should offer supreme functionality to its user while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic. Even more so, though, good design should be innovative in its approach to problem-solving and multipurpose needs," she said. "Those elements you can't see are just as essential to my team and our clients as selecting the right finish for kitchen cabinets or the style of sconces for a living room wall."

According to Jane, you can create a California-chic indoor oasis in your own home like those she crafts for multi-millionaires in Bel Air with these "small, yet significant" design tricks.

Invest in a purifier.

As a partner of a heating, cooling, and air quality company, it's no surprise Jane would suggest a purifier — but partnership aside, this really is good advice.

"One important thing to focus on is the air you're breathing," Jane said. "A whole-home air purifier can holistically improve your indoor air quality and reduce potential asthma and allergy triggers that your family, guests, and pets bring inside your house on a daily basis."

Pick the right paint color.

"When it comes to choosing a paint color, try selecting a shade that makes the space feel open and lets the room breathe," Jane said. "Determining how you want the space to feel can help guide our design decisions so you can achieve an airy ambiance."

Find easy, breezy furniture.

Finally, Jane suggests finding furnishings in a lighter palette to keep it feeling modern, but not so light that you're afraid to ever sit on it.

"While my clients may be wary of having a white couch, layering on more neutral pillows and throws can easily lighten up the space," she said. "Furniture is also one way we can more naturally create a focal point for other decor items, like wall art and door handles, to more seamlessly connect to and keep the flow of a room in check."