Burlingame home staging, San Mateo home staging, San Francisco home staging

Color Trends and Inspiration

Using Black to Your Advantage Notice that each of these spaces use black to highlight a focal point in the room? In the first two images the stunning light fixtures stand out on their dark backdrops, and the last image – well – there are no words for the genius of this idea. My vintage camera collection may be getting a makeover.

Staging Industry

Livable Glamour The French have effortless chic style down to a science. It’s about mixing old and new, owning only pieces you absolutely love and investing in quality so that you can enjoy your acquisitions for years to come. The same easy glamour applies not only to their fashion, but to their homes as well. Furnishings are carefully selected and then enjoyed for many years. It is elegant and glamorous without ever seeming forced or fresh off the showroom floor.

Style Tips and Tricks

Oh Joy Wallpapers for Fall Just in time for fall, my wallpaper for Hygge & West is now available in a few new sultry colors that feel so cozy for the cooler seasons ahead. Gold and charcoal grey, copper and black, and black and whites make up a new set of our most popular patterns.

Property of the Week

Samer’s 1930′s Streamline Moderne Apartment When you walk into Samer’s home you sense you are someplace special; someplace that has an interesting history. The building was originally built for actor Jack Haley, aka the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz.” Over the years it was home to many models, rock stars and writers. In the summer of 1960, the penthouse had its most notable resident – Senator John F. Kennedy. It was in Samer’s building that the senator found out that the Democratic delegates nominated him as the candidate for presidency.

Local Faves and Raves

Everything you ever wanted to know about Wiener’s nudity legislation — and more! Supervisor Scott Wiener submitted legislation Tuesday requiring that naked people – a few of whom famously parade around the Castro district – place a towel or other barrier on a public seat before sitting in it. And that they be prohibited from dining in restaurants naked. (You mean all this time we could’ve gone to a restaurant without pants?!)

Color Trends and Inspiration

This & That  …wear this Alice + Olivia dress, serve guests with that Anthropologie bowl…

Staging Industry

Style Tips and Tricks

Don’ts Worth Doing:  Design Ideas from Hotel Bathrooms  Hotels are always a rich resource for renovators and decorators.  The designers tasked with creating these memorable, welcoming places to stay often manage to elegantly walk the line between creativity and usability, a goal for any of us shooting for a truly interesting makeover at home.  Hotel bathrooms tend to be a touch more fearlessly designed than your average residential bath, which resulted in this list of ideas that all focus on don’ts that are worth doing. 

Property of the Week

Pacific Heights Pied-à-Terre We found the newest addition to our Under 500K Club! This Pacific Heights condo is located on Baker between Jackson and Washington. It’s a ground floor unit that’s being described as a “charming patio unit.” The listing also says it’s “small but sexy.” The unit clocks in at a little under 600 square feet, and there’s one bedroom and one bathroom. Asking price? $417,000.

Local Faves (& Raves)

Animal Rights Activists Name AT&T Park Most Vegetarian-Friendly Ballpark  After apparently moving on from that whole Tempeh District thing, PETA has named AT&T Park the most vegetarian and vegan-friendly major league ballpark in the country. In a schlocky blog post, the activist group says, “the only thing sweeter than a World Series championship is knowing that no animals had to suffer for a tasty ballpark meal,” citing the range of meatless concession items as reason for the ballpark’s success.

Color Trends and Inspiration

On The Hunt  I’m loving the dreamy effect these marbleized textiles have in two very different bedrooms. There is something very luxurious feeling about this texture. With one suite composed with the elements of unabashed glamour and the other in quiet neutral modernism, the pattern works perfectly in both. Consider me sold.

Staging Industry

Creating a Restful Bedroom  Your bedroom should be comfortable, peaceful, and relaxing. The best way to give this look and feel to a room is to use a quiet color scheme — think accented neutrals and light colors.  If used sparingly, dark colors are ok, but you will want to stay away from bright colors.  Instead of using a traditional blue, a rich blue/grey will be more peaceful. Instead of purple, use a soft plum.  Try using one of these hues as your accent color.

Style Tips and Tricks

Make Your Own Wallpaper Art  This amazing press kit just arrived in my mailbox and I can’t stop thinking of the things that one could do with a product like ixxi! This hasn’t been blogged anywhere yet so I’m so proud to give everyone a first peek at this amazing new product. I have to thank my friend Yvonne for sending it to me, she has been working on this ixxi project for awhile now and it’s finally been released and I love it. Here is glimpse to whet your appetite. I. LOVE. THIS.

Property of the Week

The Incredible Nowhere But Sajima House  The Nowhere But Sajima House by YSMR is strategically located adjacent to the coast near Mount Fuji, an hour away from Tokyo.  Although the local scenic views are enough to inspire a sightseeing trip, the contemporary interior of this vacation rental is definitely not to be missed. Rooms are oriented to face the staggeringly beautiful oceanscape that seems to flow into every last detail of the designer house.

Local Faves (& Raves)

The Presidio:  Historic Cavalry Barracks is Golden  The Presidio is San Francisco’s biggest historic preservation project and at the center of adaptive re-use in these parts, an unmatched opportunity to transform a military base into a place for people to live, work, and play.

Ever want to create an ongoing theme throughout your staged or decorated property?  If you are working with existing furniture, you can build around it with accents that represent the look you are going for.  If you have a clean slate, you can bring in pieces to create the theme from scratch. 

Lately I’ve had a bit of a travel bug and have been thinking of Europe, which automatically gets me thinking — French Country Style.  It’s very romantic and relaxed and perfect for  smaller homes or condos.   

Here are some essentials to replicate the classic charm in your staged space:

Fabric patterns including toiles, florals, stripes and checks, artfully paired together.

Nature inspired accents from topiaries to botanical prints.

A color palette of rich, warm, saturated hues.

Textured accents like baskets and chandeliers.

Image Source:  Etsy, Home Decorating Trends, My Home Ideas, Palm Beach Daily

Color Trends & Inspiration

Well Styled  Every season Toast creates an inspiring catalogue that combines beautiful styling and dream-worthy locations that seem to always take my breath away. When I flipped to this feature within the catalogue my heart went a flutter. The mix of blue and white has a sweet spot in my heart.

Staging Industry

Birds on a Wire  I have a really difficult time pinning myself down when it comes to choosing lighting fixtures. there’s so many beautiful bright lights out there, and they can really make a room shine, can’t they? it’s hard deciding on just the right style. they can add a modern contrast to a romantic room, or provide dreamy ambiance to a stark, contemporary interior.

Style Tips and Tricks

Stripes in a Small Space  Hotel DeBrett in Auckland, New Zealand makes use of some interesting small space ideas. Striped rugs in the rooms and hallways are an arresting design statement — they visually lengthen the space and animate a mostly-white interior.

Property of the Week

At Home with Chantal Guillemain  Chantal Guillemain is a busy gal : stylist, landscape architect and flea market hunter. Chantal bought an outdated and charmless 1970s building home and transformed it thanks to her magic touch into a cosy and modern home with a luxurious yard. Magnifique!

Local Faves (& Raves)

Rolling Through the Bay  How far would you go to show how much you love your city? Or in Scott Weaver’s case, how far wood you go? The talented (and incredibly patient) artist has worked on his painstakingly intricate tribute to San Francisco for the last 35 years, using 100,000 wooden toothpicks. The sculpture, called “Rolling Through the Bay,” is more than just a work of eco art – it’s also an interactive, kinetic “tour” that uses ping pong balls rolling along winding tracks within the piece to highlight neighborhoods, historical locations, and landmarks of the city by the bay.

A Little Extra Green…

Home Builder Turns Trash Into Green Homes  Dan Phillips is one of the most unconventional home builders you’ll ever find. In fact, he’s more an ecological social messiah than a home builder (see video below). For $10,000, he builds affordable homes for low-income people that are attractive, energy-efficient and save landfills.