CNN
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Since building a home for herself and her three children over the past few years, Jennifer Garner has been sharing glimpses of the sunny farmhouse in her social media posts. The kitchen’s exposed wood beams and stone fireplace are on display, while she carries her fluffy cat Moose to places in the house he’s “never seen before” (into the fridge and microwave, up high to peek into the family aquarium). She also showed off her home gym and hillside pool views, and filmed herself training to reprise the role of Elektra — and jokingly announced that she didn’t make it to the Olympics.

Until now, though, Garner hasn’t given a full tour of her West Los Angeles estate. That all changed with Architectural Digest’s latest cover story, which showcases a cheery, rustic space designed and built from the ground up by Steve and Brooke Giannetti—with help from designer Laura Putnam—who are known in design circles for building spacious and light-filled Arcadian homes that blend into nature.

“I wanted (the house) to feel old, cool and historic, but I also wanted it to work for a big family with a lot of hustle and bustle,” Garner told AD for the October issue. She had been looking for a home with privacy, but the homes she toured all seemed too “grand,” she explained. Instead, she commissioned the Giannettis to build an entirely new space, which AD said was based on the actress’s memories of her childhood in West Virginia.

“I had the idea to create something that felt like a farmhouse and a barn,” Steve said in the cover story. “We wanted natural wood, coziness — a kind of warm hug of a home for her because she’s such a lovely person.”

The home reflects this sense of comfort with natural materials and a neutral color scheme, complemented by antique and reclaimed furniture in the living room, brass chandeliers and marble countertops in the kitchen, and a nickel bathtub with views of the greenery outside.

“She has a bit of a crazy side to her too,” Brooke added. “And she likes soft shapes and curves. This place is kind of like the house version of Jen’s personality.”

There are also plenty of opportunities to get in touch with nature. The kitchen opens onto the tranquil pool and an idyllic fruit and vegetable garden, while the children’s bedrooms and bathrooms feature wallpaper with flowers and trees. It’s also a home that’s fully used, rather than isolated – a rarity for a home with several preschool and teenage children.

“I’m glad we’re using the space really well and the kids are all over the house,” Garner said. They’re just as comfortable in the living room as they are doing their homework in the dining room. And that’s the dream, isn’t it?”

That was Garner’s vision, the designers explained – a thoughtful approach to how everyone could use the space once it was built. Perhaps most touching are the stained glass windows in the den and reading room, which were inspired by the children’s book “All the World” by Marla Freeze – a book much cherished in the family. The windows were made by the author’s son, artist Reed Bradley, as a tribute to his mother’s work. But he included Garner and her family in the symbolism of the windows, with owls representing each of the children and their dog, Birdie, also appearing.