How to Create an Inviting and Functional Entryway

Helloooo! It's been way too long again, hasn't it? I've missed you! Let's get this Tuesday going with a few tips on how to turn your entryway into a space that really works for you. Marin Home Magazine's Fall 2015 issue just came out and I've got an article for you on this very topic. You can head on over to the digital edition for the full read. Here's a little teaser:

"Is your home’s entryway a welcoming space? Does it greet your arrival with a smile and give you a warm, fuzzy hug you as you leave? Although it often gets overlooked in the design process, the energy of this space is not to be taken lightly. Let’s take a look at five key components to see how your entry is - or isn’t - meeting your emotional and functional needs. Once you’ve identified the problem areas you can make changes so that your entry works better for you."

How IS that entry working for you? There's no better time than now to re-vamp a space that's most likely going to get a lot of use during the holiday season and the colder, hibernation-y weather.

By the way....notice anything different around here? I had been wanting to update my website for awhile now and...here it is! It's more of a refresh than a complete overhaul. But sometimes that's all we need, right? Squarespace was my saviour. Seriously - a great tool, a great interface, great integration of social media, great tech support. Great, great, great. And now I have my blog on the actual Story & Space website as opposed to blogger, which had been bugging me for a long time. Welcome to 2015! (Never mind that it's almost 2016...)

Thanks for swinging by! And be sure to sign up with your email address over on the swanky new sidebar (right over there on your right) so you don't miss anything really important. 2015 (and 2014 for that matter) kinda knocked me out. But I've got high hopes, plans and energy for the 2016. And I just might send you something cool. 

How to Create a Mood Board

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“The design process can get overwhelming - even the smaller projects. By creating a mood board, you are creating a reference you can return to again and again so you won’t lose sight of your intended design goals.”

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Hey, everyone. Just wanted to let you know that the latest issue of Marin Home Magazine is out. My article, "In the Mood", has some great tips on how to create an inspirational mood board. Hope you'll pop on over and read the FREE digital edition on issuu! Lots of great stuff in there, including an article on Frank Lloyd Wright's Civic Center design. (I can see the gold spire from my backyard - cool, huh?)

I know I haven't posted for awhile, but I'm still here. :)  For those of you who have wondered whether or not I'm still taking on clients - yes, I am! Please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'd love to talk to you about your upcoming color and design projects.

Starting the New Year off with Recovery

Hi, everyone.

It's been awhile. I've been on a roller coaster of health issues the past four months. I might go into the details later, but for now I just wanted to share a thank you that I posted on facebook to keep you all in the loop.

Exactly two weeks ago I was in the hospital getting a blood transfusion. One week ago, I was in surgery. Today I am happy to not be in the hospital, and am extremely thankful to everyone who has helped me on my road to recovery. This includes all of you who have sent your blessings and prayers. Those of you who donated blood (I wish I could thank my donors personally.) And the caring and skilled nurses and doctors who have taken such great care of me. Thank you. It's been a rough road, and I can't wait to come back and be present with all of you again. Hopefully soon! xo

2015 has started off in a strange way for me, as I'm sure it has for many others. Life can throw the biggest challenges at us at any given time. I hope that most of you are off to a beautiful new year. But for those of you that are having a rough start, remember to take care of yourself first. Sometimes we just need to take time and space to recover from whatever it is that's thrown our way. There is no predictable timeline for your recovery, so don't rush. Your body, mind and spirit will let you know when it's time to begin again.

Many wishes of peace, health and joy to everyone.

The Deets on My Apartment Therapy Room For Color Contest Entry

It's time for Apartment Therapy's Room for Color contest again. I entered last year and was one of the finalists in the "Dark" category. (I wish they didn't use that word, "dark". It sounds so scary! I much prefer "deep." Because a space with deep colored walls can have lots of light and therefore not technically be "dark". But I digress...)

Here's a collage of my living room entry from last year, "Kelly's Deep Teal with a Funky Vintage Vibe":

This year I almost didn't enter. Honestly, my "Mystical Atelier" wasn't done done. There are a lot of things that are kind of wacky and unfinished, but I figured what the hell. It was a good kick in the pants to spend a little time cleaning up and styling and taking some decent photos of a space that is how it is. It's a real living space, not a perfect one. At that is a good thing to share.

Before

This room wasn't much to start with. It's a 1950s box with zero detail. The glass in the window is broken, there is a hole in the floor where an outlet used to be, the door doesn't close properly, and it has a silly central vacuuming plug that we have yet to remove from the wall. (I'm sure you can spot it if you look carefully!) The furniture is mostly hodge-podgey leftovers - pieces that didn't fit in the rest of the house - and the area rug (from Overstock) was a quick fix. We needed something for the pup to lie down on so he didn't bang up his bony little elbows. Oh - and it desperately needs window treatments. But, like I said, it is what it is. And hopefully there is some inspiration in that.

After (or rather, "in-progress")

As I wrote in my entry, I was "looking to create a masculine, intellectual, artistic space for reading and playing music. Charcoal gray on the walls was the right color to help lay that character foundation. To keep the space from getting too moody, however, I came back in and painted the bookshelves in a bright red."

The walls are painted in Sherwin Williams Sealskin, a deliciously warm and deep charcoal gray. The bookshelves got leftover front door paint in Sherwin Williams Real Red. (You can see the same color on the front door in the living room pics.)

And just for fun, here's a before of the bookshelves, which we purchased from an estate sale just across the street. Keepin' it in the hood.

As most of you know, I love vintage. The chair was a find at an antique store a number of years ago. It looks pretty, but being a real Victorian piece, it desperately needs to be re-stuffed. Someday.

The mirror is also vintage from an estate sale. I stole it from the living room to fill up the wall space for the photos. But it looks so good there, I'm going to leave it. 

The armoire - which is HUGE - was made by my dad to house our gargantuan TV back in the day before flat screens. This is literally the only room in the house where it fits. It holds a lot of junk, which is good. And not so good.  

I had fun with this gallery wall. My husband has a strange collection of "anthropological" things, and one day I curated this small gallery for him. Yes, that is an actual coat of arms from his family's lineage. The desk below the display was my grandmother's.

I found the green lamp - which I love! - at a garage sale for $3. And the mid-mod end table? Free on the side of the road.

The fern was another item I stole from a different room. But, again, it looks too good in here to move back. I'll just have to buy another one.

The day bed was a recent purchase from Cost Plus World Market. It's not super fancy, and I hope to replace it with some cool vintage velvet find at some point, but for now it does its job well. And I love how the cream color brings lightness to the space. Oh- and the pillows and throws? Some are from Ross Dress for Less (I am not ashamed!) and some are vintage. 

So, now you know all the dirty little secrets behind this room. Hopefully it endears you so much that you feel an overwhelming urge to head over to Apartment Therapy right this second and give it your vote! Voting ends October 3rd. I'd be much appreciative if you can share the love. I promise to send it right back atcha. 

Small Bath Remodel: Before and After

Last week I popped over to a client's home to take photos of her recently completed bath remodel. Turned out pretty cute, right?

We had a VERY small space to work with, which is pretty common for older homes in San Francisco. We ended up keeping the existing toilet and tub to keep costs down, and it worked just fine. Not all bathroom remodels need to begin with a complete gutting.

Finding a vanity to fit in the small space was tough. The original pedestal sink looked cute, but had no storage. And with this being the only bath for two young kids to share it needed some sort of storage. Fortunately, I found this great piece, only 21" wide, with a bit of a rustic style, and sink included, by Fairmont Designs.

We kept the tile design pretty simple, using a basic white subway field tile in the shower surround, and accenting with some gorgeous marble mosaics by AKDO purchased through Ceramic Tile Design in San Rafael.

The client wanted to add a niche - a great storage option when you have none! - so we took the opportunity to highlight it with more decorative tile. The same tile, in fact, that was used on the floor. Isn't it gorgeous?

The ironic thing is, as soon as the bath remodel was completed my client bought a new house. So, the lucky new owners of this property will get to enjoy the redesigned bath more than my client ever did. Not a loss, though, as we all know that updated kitchens and baths help sell real estate properties and have a high return on investment. 

If you need help with your kitchen of bath design, give me a call or send me an email to discuss your project. Even the smallest remodels can benefit with an hour or two of design guidance. 

Before

After

Pratt & Lambert Style & Design Guild

I've got some fun news this Friday. Pratt & Lambert Paints has officially launched their re-vamped Style & Design Guild and I'm honored to be one of the members!

The Style and Design Guild is "a think-tank for the design industry composed of an exclusive team of interior designers, architects, stylists, writers and fashion-forward thinkers who have a shared passion for visual intrigue and for pushing the limits of design."

The other members are: Michael Bagley, Joseph Boehm, Luis Caicedo, Stacy Garcia, Maria Killam, Laura Kirar, Rae McConville, Kate Smith, Asler Valero, Kendall Wilkinson and Eldon Wong. I'm in very good color company!

So head on over when you get a chance. You can check out my favorite Pratt & Lambert colors and my top five design tips, including this one:

““Eliminate the need for perfection. It is the enemy of creativity. When we strive for perfection in design we can sometimes overlook the most beautiful solutions. It’s the imperfections of a space that make it feel most like home.””

Have a great weekend, everyone.