Check out this adorable home in San Rafael. It is a charming historic property that has been completely and lovingly renovated. Great views, style & charm.
Full disclosure, I worked with the owner/builder in selecting all the paint colors and finishes. And we think it turned out perfectly!
For more information contacting Bill Johnson or go to:
http://www.gothomes.idxco.com/idx/11642/photoGallery.php?idxID=047&listingID=21306948
Just checked out West Elm’s newest product line: Market. They are offering a hip selection of new items and tools for kitchen, garden and home.
New Market from West Elm
Love the fun garden hoses in Crayola colors. Now that would make a statement when you water your lawn!
Or what about their nicely edited array of candles, soaps and creams. They come is simple, industrial-inspired packaging that makes them hip and rugged.
Heritage Masons Bag
I adore this simple and sturdy Mason’s bag. Great for storing tools, toting books or organizing files.
Smeg Fridge in Red
This retro-cool fridge by Smeg will add a bold punch of color to any kitchen or bar area.What fun!
And this funky Bamboo ironing board is cute enough to make me stop sending shirts out to the cleaners.
Adding fragrance to your home has come along way since the days of the potpourri bowl. During these long Winter months, the chill makes it impractical to open up the windows and air out your home. Adding discreet and well-chosen scents can really brighten your mood and make your home feel more inviting. Here are some of my favorites:
Parfumerie Fragonard was opened in 1926 by Eugène Fuchs. It was named after the famous Grasse-born painter, Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806). The companies hand blended scents transport you to the lavender covered hills of the Cote d’Azur. Their chic line of scents for the home are some of my favorites. Their Mimosa Room Diffuser is addictive! Now available to the US market via the companies web site: http://www.fragonard.com/parfums_grasse/home-scents-c-9.htm
diptyque is another French line that offers a magnificent variety of fragrances for the home. My favorite it their Figuier scented candle, which fills a room with just the right amount of scent. Their wonderful graphics and packaging -make them a gift for any occasion.
Bath & Body Works has a fabulous line of Room Sprays. I adore their scents by Slatkin & Co. – and at just $5 each, I stock up in bulk. Their compact size makes them perfect for traveling. A great way to refresh a musty hotel room (or stale smelling rental car) and make it feel more like home.
The new San Francisco based fragrance firm Elizabeth W is making quite a splash on the retail scene. Her selection of fresh, full bodied scents is one of my new favorites. I love the cute packing and always like supporting local entrepreneurs. Try their Citrus Verbena candles in your kitchen. You’ll thank me! Go to http://www.elizabethw.com to order.
Finally Voluspa’s line of candles for the home are a cult classic. Their hypnotic scents and clever tin packaging make then suitable for any room in the house. They also work for travelling. Available at Anthropologie, Norstrom and http://www.voluspa.com/
I’m thrilled to have been selected as a Best of Houzz 2013 Award Winner for outstanding customer service.
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Neon is one of the hottest trends in fashion right now. If you’ve been to a sporting goods store or boutique recently, you’ll notice neon accents on everything from cleats to workout wear. This trend is slowly spilling over into … Continue reading
This chilly Winter weather makes crawling into a warm bed even more inviting. Here are some tips on how to make your bed both beautiful and cozy.
Start with a good mattress. If you are waking up with a sore neck, back or hips it could be a sign that you need a new mattress. Manufacturers recommend replacing your mattress every 8 years. So if you are sleeping on an old mattress you got off Craigslist when you lived with an apartment full of roommates, it could be time to upgrade. A new mattress can really make the difference in a good nights sleep.
Next comes the bed itself. You can choose from a Euro-style platform type frame where the mattress rests directly on the bed frame slats. This achieves a more Modern, uncluttered look. Or you can go the more traditional route with a bed frame, box spring and mattress. The bed frame can be the standard metal adjustable variety, or you can purchase a bed frame which includes headboard, side rails and footboard. For smaller spaces I suggest looking for a frame with out a footboard which takes up less space and gives the room a more open feel.
Your headboard is the real key to creating a statement. The style of the headboard will set the tone for the rest of the bed and the room. Pick something that you love. This is an investment piece you will be sleeping with for years to come (literally). I like a nice tailored upholstered headboard in a plain, solid fabric -perhaps finished with a nice nailhead accent. If you go with something simple, you can easily change the feel of the bed by switching out your linens. Cozy flannel for chilly Winter nights and perhaps a fun floral to welcome Spring. Wood, rattan or leather are other good headboard options to consider. Just pick something that coordinates with everything else in the room.
Be sure to cover up your box spring and metal frame if you have one. No one wants to see those ugly metal legs sticking out from under the bed. A tailored bed skirt works best. Opt for something in a nice neutral fabric like cotton or linen, so you can coordinate with a variety of sheets without tearing apart your whole bed. For platform type beds, I recommend fitted box spring covers. Again, I like the linen and matelassé varieties.
Now for the fun stuff – linens. I have to admit, I have a bit of a linen obsession. I’ve been known to spend hours digging through antique linens at flee markets and have even carried home suitcases from Paris loaded with Euro Shams and duvets in fun and fabulous prints I could never find Stateside. I suggest having at least three full sets of linens for your bed. One set to put on as you do laundry so you don’t have to wait for your sheets to dry. And an extra set of something fun to change up the look of your room when you just need a change.
I prefer the European style of bedding which includes a fitted sheet, duvet cover over a down quilt and pillow cases. I can’t be bothered with a messy top sheet and blankets. It makes things too complicated and takes way too long to make the bed each morning. With a duvet all you have to do it tidy the pillows and give your comforter a good shake and voila – your bed is good as new in less than a minute. If you suffer from allergies, you may want to opt for synthetic fiber-fill rather than down. And for goodness sake, give all your bedding a good spin in the dryer every couple of weeks to keep pesky dust-mites at bay.
There are literally millions of bedding options to chose from out there. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. You don’t need to play it safe with the bed-in-a-bag matching set (save those for college bound kids). Start with solid fitted sheets in white or cream. Then you can add in pattern, plaids, stripes and floral – have fun. If all else fails I do always love an all white bed. It is simple and elegant and always looks clean and fresh. Make your bed feel extra special by monogramming your sheets for an ultra custom look.
Lastly, add a luxurious throw folded at the end of the bed – cashmere or soft-wool are my favorites. Pick a fun accent color to add that final punch. And finally, add a beautiful patterned throw pillow in a fun print to pull it all together – icing on the cake.
If you are still scrambling to gather gifts for all the people on your list, here are some of my top favorites:
Turkish Hammam Towels
My current obsession is Turkish Hammam Towels. They are made from 100% cotton and are extremely absorbent. They have a luxurious feel and look great hanging in any bathroom. They come in a huge variety of stripes – which I adore! And they made great gifts and are available from Berber Décor.
Hammam Towels from Berber Decor
Ballard Design Antique Glass Candlesticks
This set of Antique Mercury Glass candlesticks from Ballard Design will add sparkle to any room. Group them together for maximum impact. Use long white tapers for a clean elegant look.
West Elm’s Square Trays
West Elm’s colorful lacquer tray are one of my favorite go-to hostess gifts. You can serve, stack and organize with them and they always look fabulous.
Hurricanes from Well Appointed House
This set of silver and glass hurricanes from Well Appointed House would look great as a centerpiece or grouped on a side table. The elegant lines blend well with any type of décor.
Voluspa Candle
I hope some of these gifts end up under your tree. Happy Holidays!
One of my very favorite vendors is offering an amazing year-end deal:
10% discount on any 3 items below OR…
* 5% discount on any 2 items below OR…
* FREE SHIPPING on all lighting listed below.
* Offer valid for new orders that ship in 2012 and while quantities last.
Chichester Fixture
This is a To The Trade only promotion, so please call me for details.
Herman Miller Chair
Picking the right lighting fixture for a room is a big decision. Lighting sets the tone of a room, so it is important to consider a number of factors when selecting just the right fixture.
Here are some very helpful guidelines from HINKLEY LIGHTING courtesy of lightingtrends.com to help you select just the right lighting for your space.
Chandeliers are designed to float in a room as an important part of the decor. Too large and this fixture will overpower the space. Too small and it will look out of place. Placing a chandelier that is too small in a space is likely the biggest mistake. Great designers, therefore, tend to make their decisions on fixtures that may appear slightly larger than might be appropriate. It’s generally always best to make the mistake on a fixture being too big than too small.
To make sure your chandelier is the right size for the room in which it will hang, consider the following:
How high is your ceiling? Taller ceilings demand larger fixtures.
What is the size and shape of your table? Island? The chandelier should complement, not overpower, anything you plan to suspend it over.
How big is the room you are trying to illuminate? Again, be sure the chandelier is not too big or too small for the room.
What is the form and design of the chandelier? Light, airy fixtures tend to look larger.
MEASUREMENT GUIDELINES
To size a chandelier for your dining room, or to be the focal point of your space, measure the length and width of the room and add those figures together. The sum, converted to inches, will equal the diameter that you can use as a guideline when selecting the size of your chandelier.
Example: 14′+20′=34′ Converted to inches=34′
Correct Size Chandelier=34′Diameter
If the resulting measurement (room length + width, converted to inches) seems inappropriate due to the size of your table, size your chandelier three quarters the width of your table.
In most cases, the bottom of your chandelier should sit approximately 30′–32′ above the table top.
