October 31, 2019 In Designer Words of Wisdom, Inspiring Interiors

Who’s Afraid of a Big, Bold Pattern?

Who’s afraid of a big bold pattern?  Not me!   How about some wild jungle animals for the powder bath?  Do it, do it!

While not everyone in Southern California shares my love for the bold choice, or Grandmother’s chintz and Dorothy Draper cabbage roses, most of us appreciate refined coastal aesthetics, and you can still layer patterns in cool neutrals (blues, greens, greys) and natural materials.


The important thing to remember is that pairing patterns creates more interest than letting a single pattern stand alone.   Layered patterns become more dynamic and feel more personal and more evolved.

Generally, you want 3 to 5 patterns to play together- a large pattern to command attention and smaller patterns to complement and blend into the background.  Keep in mind that natural materials and neutrals can also be a pattern when they have enough texture to them!

Whether you prefer florals, geometrics, hand-blocked batiks or classic toiles make at least one bold choice and then have the supporting cast members tie it all together!

October 3, 2019 In Artisans & Antiques, Favorite Pieces

Antiques, Treasures & Heirlooms

Shopping for antiques & collectibles and incorporating traditional elements in my designs brings me immense joy!  I love nothing more than entering a client’s home and finding they have heirlooms worthy of display, or even that they are open to incorporating some traditional designs into their habitat.   Now, I adore modern, clean lines just as much as the next person but it is just so special and meaningful to have a layered home that doesn’t look like it was decorated yesterday all procured from one big box store.
For me, there really is nothing more exciting than finding a unique, eclectic piece like this magnificent bronze statue…

  Or this perfectly patinated limestone bust for a steal!   
I take any opportunity I can to drag my husband to antique stores and flea markets, and am often waylaid following estate sale signs all around the neighborhood.  I hold a high degree of appreciation and nostalgia for the past. Though my husband will tell you I’m not very sentimental. After all, he’s witnessed me depositing the Cabbage Patch Kids my Mother had saved for 30+ years directly into the trash. I believe in sniffing out and saving just the really good stuff! In the words of Miles Redd – “Your grandmother’s Hummel figurine collection? Torch it!”
I’m always on the hunt for a good Oriental screen, Klismo chair or pair of cockatoos.
 
I find you can incorporate these timeless treasures into almost all settings and they will still hold their own and be completely appropriate. Take the enduring beauty and remarkable durability of the Bouilotte lamp, whose profile I find so attractive and timeless I inserted it into my logo.
Need help separating the proverbial “wheat from the chaff”?  Let’s schedule an in-home consultation and we will make your home functional, beautiful and meaningful!
XO