Perfect Pairing

By Cecily Hastings
January 2024

Like many couples who get together later in life, Scott Thacker and Keeman Wong had geographical challenges.

When they met four years ago, Thacker lived in San Francisco, Wong in Sacramento’s Elmhurst neighborhood. Thacker founded a software development company in Walnut Creek, but mostly worked remote.

Wong also worked remote, from his 1,500-square-foot house. When they moved in together, the couple struggled with privacy during business phone calls in the small Elmhurst home.

They weren’t looking for new quarters, but something had to give. Soon enough, Thacker fell in love with Sacramento and was ready to sell his Bay Area condo.

Three years ago, on a neighborhood walk, the couple came across one of the last homes available in the new Sutter Park neighborhood of East Sac.

It was a 3,000-square-foot two-story with Mediterranean influences, including stucco, arched windows, a port cochere and clay tile roof. The upstairs center hall extended through a glass door to a small porch over the covered entryway.

“On the spot I decided this would be perfect for Keeman and me,” Thacker says. “It was the most impulsive thing I ever did in my life. But it was the very best decision for us.”

The home was already built on spec up to the point of drywall. Finishes were selected and on order. Supply chain issues with pandemic lockdowns meant no changes. Gratefully, the design theme was neutral.

Neutrality was the perfect background for a couple with a lifetime of interesting furniture, rugs and objects individually collected. Both men traveled extensively. Their design senses were fairly aligned.

Wong’s family is native Hong Kong Chinese. Thacker spent years in Hong Kong for his business career. This established a common aesthetic as they pulled together the best of each of their possessions for their new Sutter Park abode.

“After we closed, we extensively repainted all the rooms. And enhanced the decorative lighting, door jambs and crown molding,” Thacker says. “Additionally, we built bookcases and cabinetry in the family room.”

While the background is classically neutral, the collections of vibrant ethnic rugs quickly establish a tone of excitement and international sensibility when you enter the center hall.

The first floor’s two bedrooms are now a library and home office. The living room runs across the back of the house, joined by dining space for eight with an open kitchen and generous island.

Upstairs features three bedrooms, one used as an office, another as guest room.

The master suite spans the back of the home. Warm apricot colors augment a Persian rug. A large seating area is perfect for relaxation overlooking the treetops.

While the four bathrooms share the same white cabinetry, each is painted a subtle, unique shade.

“I give all the creative credit for this home to Scott,” Wong says. “We wanted to do an interior design that reflected both of our histories. Scott masterfully created a sort of British Colonial vibe out of a mish mash of our furnishings and art. Some new things were added to make it ours as a couple.”

The couple loves their new neighborhood near Sacramento State, shops and restaurants. They also like the fact that Sutter Park has all new residents. “It makes a neighborhood where neighbors are quick to get to know one another,” Thacker says.

Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. To recommend a home or garden, email cecily@insidepublications.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.