Brad + Kendra

I love the way black is used in this home.

Check out the black shag rug, aged wood floors, Jonathan Adler Dora Maar Muse vase in black, and gorgeous wallpaper. There are several different variations of black, gray, gold, pink, and white in this single image and they all come together so well.

I want this top sheet. I usually think sconces look awkard in most setups - but isn't this perfect!

Mm black cabinets!

Very dramatic custom molding that is only possible with such high ceilings and open layout. What a great space!

House tour and photos: AT + slideshow

Modern by Design 2009 Showhouse II: Going Up!

Next Stop Level One!

When we entered the Modern by Design 2009 Showhouse, we were greeted by a fresh, yet classic, Foyer designed by Greg Stewart and David Oldroyd of the esteemed design firm, Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Associates. The simple concrete spheres and classic Saarinen table contrast beautifully with the dark hardwood floors. And you can do no wrong in my eyes when you use olive branches on an entry table.

Greg and David were also selected to design the Living Room. Greg let me in on the design concept: “ Out idea was to take simple, commonly available materials and transform them into something uncommon, poetic and elegant.” Taking inspiration from the topography of San Francisco, Greg and David created a sort of topographical “map” of the furniture rising up out of the vinyl flooring covering.

The soft grey walls were plastered with a lime and marble aggregate to provide an aged look in contrast to the slicker modern furniture. I love the pop of the pink fabrics and peonies with that hazy grey. Love the Madeline Weinrib Ikat Pillows and vintage zinc architectural drafting forms.

I loved the joyful serenity in this room. Can those two adjectives be found in the same space? Clearly. In this shot you can really see how the furniture rises up out of the floor covering. This space is really an experiment with furniture and their qualities as sculptural forms. Even if this is “not your thing” the playfulness is something you have to appreciate.

This stool’s “ode to John Dickenson” flavor was clever I thought and added some softness. The thought put into how the table, lamp, accessories and the stool work with the window placement is apparent.

Greg Stewart of ODADA

Greg was so nice to talk with me about the space. I was just fascinated about how they constructed the furniture. He and David designed it all and had Plant Architectural Woodwork fabricate it from reclaimed plywood from a former jobsite. They then had Eco Vinyl Flooring from Lonseal laid over it all. So cool!

The Dining Room was our next stop where we had the chance to meet the designer Jiun Ho. Jiun is a well respected designer, as well as a furniture and lighting designer. The JIUN HO Collection includes furniture, lighting by Boyd and area rugs.

The Dining Room boasts Dining Table and Chair designs by Jiun. The insert “fabric” in the backs of the chairs is really a custom cowhide design pieced together by Kyle Bunting Rugs. Just another example of why Jiun is such a creative force.

Jiun Ho also selected light fixtures from the Jonathon Browning Studios, Inc. and placed them in an unexpected way: He put four fixtures in the corners of the room instead of one larger fixture in the center. They seem like modern adaptations of Asian paper lanterns.

Jiun layered cowhides on the floor in alternating black and brown colors creating a larger rounded shape for the room. Juin also applied dark stained sandblasted wood paneling to two opposing sides of the room which added so much depth and warmth. It is all of these details that takes a room from ordinary to extraordinary.

Jiun Ho

The Family Room and Kitchen were the creations of the stellar Steve Miller. When I met Steve, he exuded such an upbeat force. I can see why he is such a success. Steve worked with furniture maker Ted Boerner in the design of the custom sectional and swivel chair. There was much thought put into the sofa and how people would sit in it: whether to watch TV or to look out onto the patio outside. You can see that the chaise portion is made so one can sit either way. Oh! And I love the Vivienne Westwood Pillows from The Rug Company on the sofa!

Steve worked with WoodMode Cabinets in the design of the media and fireplace wall. Modern and functional, warm and stylish, I think it captures the young spirit of an active family that might live here.

I had to show you a close up of the chair just because of the “fabric”….which is actually a leather that has a metallic finish that has been scored and “aged” to look like a vintage leather-slash-velvet fabric. It was made by a company called Moore and Giles….amazing stuff they do….very custom. You should really check out their website.

The kitchen was also done by Steve Miller, and there is alot to love here. The backsplash tile is a mosaic by Walker Zanger, who has just been putting out the most beautiful stuff lately. The counters are Caesarstone, and Cabinets by WoodMode. Steve used traditional styled cabinets around the perimeter and a more contemporary style for the island. An interesting, and successful combination I think. Love the light fixtures by Circa Lighting as well. And the McGuire stools! I would not have thought they were from McGuire….they are freshening up their line!

I have to say, Steve Miller was so great to talk to. Enthusiastic and fun! I had been a fan for a long time, so it is always nice to think that someone you admire turns out to be so great in person.

Steve Miller

The First Level was a stunner.

Next up: Level Two!

Modern by Design 2009 Showhouse: Bottoms Up!

Erin Martin

I have been promising to get photos up for the Modern by Design 2009 Showhouse produced by Metropolitan Home Magazine,so let’s get started! There was so much talent here that I had a hard time decided exactly where to start…..so I am starting from the Bottom floor and working may way up to the top. There are Four Floors in all, not uncommon in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco.

The tone of the Lower Level was set by the very talented Erin Martin of Martin Interiors. Erin’s studio and showroom are located in the picturesque town of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. Her aesthetic reflects that casually sophisticated feeling of the California wine country.

I had such a fun time chatting with Erin, and to describe her in a word, she is a KICK! Irreverent and hilarious, Erin’s clients must just have a blast working with her. I took Erin’s picture in an iron swing she designed and had fabricated by Ferrous Studios, Inc. It reminds me of a giant firewood caddy….that impression reinforced by the stack of firewood in the background.

Erin travels the world to find unique pieces and inspiration for her spaces, and her creativity really shines here. Note the quote by Plato burned into the reclaimed paneling on the wall above this cozy daybed….art, pure and simple. She used linen slipcovers that look like hopsacking on the custom sofa: casual and comfortable.

The coffee table, another work of art, was created by a partnership between Erin, who created the concept, Brian Kennedy of The Freedom of Craft, who created the metal work and Delicate Cutters (m.mcguinness@mac.com) who crafted the leather top. Stunning! The area rug is from Sloan Miyasato

This mood-setting ball ottoman and cozy slippers reinforce the fantasy of a cabin in the woods….just the place to get away from a day of dragon slaying in the big city. We really could have hung out here all day.

But ……on to the other rooms we had to go! Erin was also asked to design the hallway which she outfitted with this striking light fixture from Circa Lighting, Venetian Plaster Walls and horse bust available through her own showroom.

One of the most jaw-dropping rooms in the showhouse was this Powder Room, also by Erin Martin. It caused quite a stir and a traffic back-up during the Opening Night Gala! But where else can you mount a HUGE water buffalo head above a Powder Room Vanity but a designer showhouse? That is what a showhouse is FOR after all: pushing design envelopes and creating that quintessential “stir”. “Shake it up”, I say!

The croc skin tile on floor walls and ceiling (love!) are by Walker Zanger. Vanity is by Kohler.

After tearing ourselves away from the Powder Room (and there were several trips back to show the husbands later that night at the Gala….the look of hilarity on there faces…priceless!)….we found the Au Pair’s bedroom.

Erin brought in a beautiful Indonesian four poster and covered it with soft wool blankets and a knit throw with leather tassels. The embroidered Swan pillow is a Martin design and the fabric wall hanging depicts a white peacock.

I loved the unique wing back chair and Moroccan accent table in a little nook in this room. Available through the Martin Showroom.

Erin also designed the Bathroom off of the Au Pair Bedroom using Walker Zanger tile, Circa Lighting and Kohler fixtures. Erin’s attention to detail is truly amazing……….I mean…..just LOOK at that gorgeous floor tile!! (Hehehe).

Erin Martin captures a style that is comfortable, sophisticated, and perhaps most importantly, FUN! Definitely not serious, unless you are talking serious laughter, we had a hard time leaving.

You will also have a lot of fun spending a day at the Modern by Design 2009 Showhouse. The Showhouse runs through July 12 and you can find out all of the details here. I hope you get a chance to see it! The designers really “bring it” with their creativity and truly push the design envelope. They get you thinking. And THAT is what a successful Showhouse is all about!

FREE!!!!

Dontcha just love that word? Sometimes there are things that are free that you take just because they are free. It may not be something you really want or need. Like the free mini boxes of cereal that come in the mail. Then there are the free things you seek out, like the free food samples at Costco. You know what I mean. You can make a meal out of those enchilada and potroast samples. Sometimes I wait for there to be a free gift with the "purchase of $30 or more" at the make-up counter. (I have more beach bags and make-up pouches than you can imagine).

But there is another catagory. Things that you would love to have, but they are just not in the budget right now. But you keep looking at them in the magazines wondering if you could maybe swing it.

Here's one of those kind of freebies!

Merida Meridian is having a FREE RUG CONTEST . They are giving away a different rug every month! And the more who enter, the longer they can keep doing this. This month they are giving away a 5x8 Malabay Bark Abaca Area Rug like the one pictured in the photo above. (And speaking of the photo...maybe there will be free give-away of this HOUSE! Those newell posts!One can dream....that's free too.)

So I'd thought I'd pass along the goodness. Here is the link to the Contest Page.

Good Luck!!!

(And the Modern by Design Showhouse Pictures are on their way!!!!)

So I start free-working here very soon. Pretty excited, but I suspect there will be lots o' dem chillins coming in and out.

Light well as outdoor shower

I came across this picture of an outdoor shower, also in an SF Victorian. It's almost exactly like our light well (see post below) but with rather nicer hardwood floors and walls and color and French doors. I suppose if you stand on ours as it rains... it's easily an outdoor shower that saves water? But mm French doors!

Even so, I like our container garden/secret reading/tanning alcove much more!

Photo: Sunset Magazine

San Francisco: Glamour and the Showhouse

It has been a very busy couple of weeks! And I have lots to tell you all. I was lucky enough to attend the book signing for the new Metropolitan Magazine book, Glamour, Making it Modern last Tuesday night at Gumps. It is always a thrill to meet the Editors of my favorite magazines. Donna Warner was such a nice and lovely person. I guess that sounds a little funny, but it is nice to know that the magazine movers and shakers are so approachable and gracious with their time.

The book is a compilation of the best from Metropolitan Home Magazine catagorized into three main sections: CONCEPTS (Scale, Palette, Luster, Antiques, etc.) OBJECTS (Staircases, Fireplaces, Drapery, Chandeliers, Mirrors, etc.) and ROOMS (Living, Dining...). There are subcatagories within eash of these as well. It is a very helpful way to get ideas for a particular item or idea. I will be posting photos fromt the book in the next few days.

I also attended the Metropolitan Home Modern by Design Showhouse last Wednesday. I was able to talk to all of the designers and pick their creative brains about their designs. The historic, 7,700-square-foot Pacific heights home was completely refurbished by designer Regine Callan of RBR Development and architect Mark English.

The photo above was taken during the day while the last minute details were being perfected. There were workmen rushing around like mad getting it all done!

That night, it had been completely transformed for the Opening night Gala. There were so many people, they wrapped around the block! We got to the head of the line and the security guard said..."OK, that's it! No more people can fit inside!" We just about fainted. Then he talked into his walkie- talkie and said "OK...we can have 25 more people!" Phew!!!

When we got inside for the gala, it was packed! But SO much fun! The food was hors d'oeurves and wine were in abundance, and so were the people. I ran into Scot Meacham Wood of Tartanscot and many of the designers I had met earlier in the day.

I was able to get alot of great photos which I will be posting this week! My favorite shots are of the designers in their "Natural Habitats." The Showhouse benefits the San Francisco Ballet, and heaven knows that the arts can use a boost right about now. The Showhouse will be open for the next 4 weeks, and I highly recommend it! The designs were so much fun and the designer line-up is fantastic! For more info and the designer line-up, click here.

We ate dinner after the Gala at a restaurant I had not been to before called The Salt House....I also have pictures of that for you. Great atmosphere and food!

After this whirlwind week, I welcomed my daughter back from her Switzerland, Vienna trip on Sunday (which she paid for herself, I am very proud to say!!!) and shuttled my husband off on a fishing trip to Alaska with his dad on Monday. I know I am behind....but I'm working on it!

Lots of pictures tomorrow!!!!!

Another reason why I love our attic

There's a little courtyardish area in the attic that opens up to the sky. It is ah.. peninsula-ed... by windows and a glass door. But the way things are positioned, no one can see you! The attic is still being worked on and no one else is ever up there. Tan! It has become my favorite place in the house to read/be and is complete with little spider friendses and the occasional scary crow. Also, very importantly, decent wireless signal up there!

Want to get a little Persian rug to cover the metal grating, but this old wool runner works.



You can actually crawl atop the roof from here.


Is it too much to lean this poster of Nice against the wall? I love that it's washed off-white and want to maintain how clean it feels, although it would be awesome to stick a big-leafed podophyllum or similar in the right corner to hide that unsightly pipe.


I can't wait to be out here every sunny moment of summer!

der Vatertag

The last several Sundays have been really entertaining - driving around the City with my parents, spending half an hour in each neighborhood to check out open houses. 1 to 5. You should do this even when not in the market for buying. Fantastic way to get ideas, get inspired, and as I was discussing with Lillian and Tim, to critique the hell out of other people via their homes :)
I am just curious to see how other people live.

My parents usually have a list of addresses to check out, but I've noticed that it's always rather disorganized/not kept together/composed of a bajillion post-its.

So for Father's Day, I made my dad a half-page notebook to organize his open house lists. It's a folded booklet of graphing paper, two inside-cover pockets, and a fold-out map of San Francisco's districts/neighborhoods. For the cover, I copied some of his hand-drafted blueprints (for this house, actually) and pasted it onto a harder cover (the back of the Chuck Mangione "Bellavia" cover...again. I never waste!) Elastic through the back and looped around the front. Kind of moleskine-y, but you know, with glue ripples. I need a wider flat brush to more evenly distribute glue. It's not a particularly pretty notebook, but it's very practical and very sturdily made. I think he likes it.


I definitely prefer the Ork poster, but it's not nearly as user-friendly. Maybe for my dorm room next school year...


Happy D-Day pwahahha!



By the way, I'm reminded of the first season of Secret Diary of a Call Girl (don't hate!) when Hannah and Ben go to an open house incognito as young, wealthy, first-time buyers and fuck around with the agent/the piano. How fun. Yet another reason why occupied spaces are more entertaining than vacant ones (which, yes, generously leave it all up to your well-tuned design-mind, but lends very little to your imaginative tongue).

To All the Fathers That Hang in There, Especially my Husband

A Father's Day Bouquet collected from my friend's garden for my husband

Thanks!

We wives, and mothers, and kids appreciate all you do for us. Whether it is being there for every concert performance, coaching the soccer team, or squashing the spider above the bed, it matters so much that you are here, and that we can depend on you.

Love you lots!

Have a great one everyone!

Faber & Faber 80th

For it's 80th Anniversary, Faber & Faber re-released six of its poetry classics. The book covers were designed by Mariam Rosenbloom and illustrated by six artists. The heavy lines from block printing remind me of the old The Hobbit cover.


You know very well that we all judge books by their covers. So what beautiful covers! I'm really liking the monochromatic/black+white with one other "pantone," as printmaking snobs like to say about their "colours."

John Betjeman illustrated by Joe McLaren

W. B. Yeats illustrated by Nick Morley

T. S. Eliot illustrated by Claire Curtis

The other three:
Sylvia Plath (who went to Smith!) - i by Peter Lawrence
Ted Hughes - i by Mark Hearld
W. H. Auden - i by Paul Catherall


On books, I finally finished The Idiot and am excited to start on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, much to Tim and Willy's hurrahs and Lillian's blehs. But maybe I should just read HP or Bridget Jones like my childish/trashy self wants to. "There and back again..."
Any good reads for you?

Photos via FaceOut Books (so good!)

Summer Fun

Acapulco Pillows - Summer Chic!

New pillows from Jonathan

Collections at the Fair

I can't help it. I am an Antique Faire lurker. The Sacramento Antique Faire happens every second Saurday of the month, and it is mere blocks from my house. It would be almost criminal not to attend....wouldn't it?

I am in San Francisco for a couple of days, so I thought I would leave you with a few images of collections from the last Sacramento Antique Faire:

And then there was this wicker bench that was calling my name. I couldn't just ignore it. That would have been rude. So home it came where it is sitting on by back porch.

See you Friday with some great things from San Francisco!!!