I am so excited to share with you that the online design magazine Rue Daily loves our latest design project that is an “elevated shabby chic, white, clean home with a fun comic book room” as much as I do.

I remember the first day I met with the clients. Walking into their stunning Cape Cod home, in a beautiful established neighborhood, she described her love of “shabby chic”, her husband’s of “clean lines and symmetry”. It can be a challenge to unite partners differing styles, and the kicker of the project was that she wanted a special room created for his extensive comic book collection! I had no idea what I was getting into but it ended up being so enjoyable to watch it unfold during the process of the project, and to see the clients joy and love of their home when all was said and done.

Please enjoy!

Click HERE to view the article. 

When people find out that I’m an Interior Designer the first question they ask is what style I do. I find this a hard question to answer, as I don’t design in only one particular style. I find I like aspects of many various styles and don’t think any one project is confined literally to a defined, singular style. What I love most is collaborating with my clients to glean what styles resonate with them, be it traditional, transitional, or contemporary. When all is said and done, and the project is complete, I want the home to be about who the people are that live in the space. I want them to love coming home and to enjoy where they live. It gives me great joy to see my clients comfortable, relaxed, and visually stimulated by their environment.

Let’s listen to Nicole tell us about her experience.

Testimonial - Nicole from Jana Magginetti on Vimeo.

Arizona Inn Mural

What is art and what is not?  

Babs DuPont Hannerman

SF Decorator Showcase Mural

This is a very difficult question to answer. And is one that encourages us to dig deep and pay attention to what really moves us. I have found as an interior designer that placing art for my clients is a very personal experience and belies expectations. I can show piece after piece after piece of art that “works” in the space, has the right colors, proportions, subject matter etc… However, more often than not, I find my clients gravitate to the piece that moves or speaks to them…and that is hard to predict.

Prehistoric

Lithographic Print Kyra Fung

Case in point, I was working with beloved clients to place art in a newly decorated dining room. I knew they favored traditional art. Working with a favorite local gallery, we gleaned several pieces for our presentation and then, at the last minute, we threw in a few contemporary pieces “just in case”. It was an amazing experience to talk with the clients about the art and watch how they were compelled and surprised by the contemporary pieces that ultimately moved them most. It was a wonderful surprise to me. For the clients, it was the conversations that the piece stirred up in their dinner guests that were so intriguing to them.

Private Collection piece by Melinda Coots

Art can be found in the every day, in the use of ordinary items in an extraordinary way. It can be in the conversations it creates, the soul it stirs.  Art can be a flower, a pebble, a stone.  Art can be a golf tee and other found objects that fuel the imagination. Art can be BIG, art can be small, humorous, it can make us smile, recall a memory, be seductive, be ordinary, prehistoric, studied, intricate…art can be anything.

Prehistoric

Saul Steinberg "People Looking Up"

As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is art…what do you think?  What moves you?

Since moving to the Monterey Peninsula several years ago, one of my favorite ways to get involved in the community and meet new people is as a docent at the Monterey Museum of Art. Getting to know the museum, the staff, and other volunteers has been such a rich blessing to me. The museums collection portrays the rich historic art tradition of the area, as well as  features contemporary local artists in a new exhibition space named Flux.  

Monterey Museum of Art at La Mirada Courtyard

The focus of the museum for 2018 is the Year of the Woman. There were so many talented women who were part of the artists enclave, who built the community and contributed to it’s rich bohemian past. E.Charlton Fortune was one of the women who left her mark on the Monterey Peninsula through her artworks’ deep moody colors and broad brushstrokes.  She was a familiar sight in her day, riding her bicycle, paint supplies in tow, to her favorite painting sites.

E.Charles Fortune Studio Sign

There have been numerous fun events to celebrate the exhibition of E. Charlton Fortune, one being a bicycle tour of her favorite painting spots along the Peninsula.  An upcoming event will focus on her liturgical art, to be held at the La Mirada Educational Center. 

Monterey Museum of Art at La Mirada Mural

MMOA has two locations. Ongoing exhibits at the Old Town Monterey location on Pacific Street,  and the historic La Mirada site, a former Adobe residence converted into a museum and educational center.  I absolutely love it when events are held at La Mirada. It is an intriguing place, with a fascinating history and scandalous tales of celebrity intrigue prior to the landmark building becoming a museum. Read Wild Bird: The True Jazz Age Tale of Ruth Wightman Morris by John Greenwald to learn all the juicy details. You won’t be disappointed! The grounds and views alone are worth the visit, but my favorite part is the murals by Diego Rivera’s assistants…which playful depict the tale of the previous owners and their celebrity friends.

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Sacred Fortune: The Importance of E. Charlton Fortune’s Liturgical Art

July 24, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

MMA La Mirada Education Center

Sacred Fortune: The Importance of E. Charlton Fortune’s Liturgical Art

Speaker: Jewel Gentry, Carmel Mission Museum Manager

E. Charlton Fortune, at the height of her success as an impressionist painter, transitioned to designing liturgical art for the Catholic Church. In 1955, Pope Pius XII awarded her with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, which is the highest distinction for artists given by the Vatican.

Learn about liturgical art, its function, and the important role Fortune played in transforming the aesthetic of the sacred.

For more information and to RSVP for the event http://www.montereyart.org/event/sacred-fortune-the-importance-of-e-charlton-fortunes-liturgical-art/.

I consider bathrooms the jewelry of the home. By that I mean they are a chance to make a splash, add some flair, and take some calculated design risks that pack a punch.  

The material options these days are endless, which is fantastic, but can also be overwhelming. Happily, with the advancements in materials and a plethora of breathtaking tile designs on the market, remodeling a bathroom can be a very rewarding process. 

One of the latest trends in bathroom design is the focus on floors that are pretty, and pretty dramatic. In this Master Bathroom, these beautiful mosaic floors use the exquisite natural material of Calcutta marble to line the shower, which brings out the intrinsic beauty and movement of the floor tile work.  

To show just how dramatic the transformation of this Master Bath was, view the “before” shot of how this tiny 50’s pink tiled bathroom was updated to a classic and timeless marble design that is exciting, attractive and feels clean and simple all at the same time.

Before

After

This child’s bathroom was transformed without doing any structural changes. The room got a facelift with a new vanity, a paint job in a special color, a new countertop, sparkling new light fixtures, a bit of texture for interest with a vinyl wall covering and, of course, a special hexagon tile floor as icing on the cake!  

Before

After

I know it can feel overwhelming with all the choices that are out there today, however, a design professional can help you focus on your design vision, and what you want your rooms to say about you.  Be courageous, be adventuresome, explore the possibilities!  I am here to help. Give me a call to discuss the possibilities for your bathrooms or home.

As I empty my dishwasher and put away my Kate Spade dishes, I mourn the loss of this design icon.  Everyday I put on my Kate Spade sunglasses, and I have more than a few of her purses to choose from in my closet…I am realizing how much she touched my life.  Even though she hadn’t spearheaded her eponymous company for more than a decade, her designs had a fresh, youthful naïveté that was clean, perky, elegant, and refreshing all at the same time.  Everything she touched exuded restrained beauty with a nod to 50’s glamour. This strong design sense permeated everything she designed and this sensibility stayed with the company even after she sold it. 

Image from Vanity Fair

It is hard to make sense of her death, and I imagine even harder still for those closest to her.  Her suicide reminds us that no matter the achievement or appearance of success, we do not know the demons that creative people live with.  As I say this I think of Robin Williams and Anthony Bourdain. Two other highly creative people who where fearless in putting themselves out there, sharing what they had to give, but also losing the fight to what probably haunted them daily.

I have my own family history of mental demons chasing those that I love. Because it had touched me so close to home, I wanted to help shine light on how mental health diseases have touched each of us, or our families in some way. In 2010 I joined CSL (now SolMateo), a small but mighty group in the Bay Area, that raises money for the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County and StarVista’s Suicide Intervention & Prevention Center.  It has given me great joy to work alongside these women who help fight the fight against mental illness and expose the stigma of this disease.   If you grieve with me over those who lost the fight to this disease, and want an opportunity to help, consider a donation to CSL/SolMateo.  You can mail a check to CSLSM P.O. Box 117561 Burlingame, California  94011-7561 or donate on their website  https://www.cslsmc.org.

Kate Spade brought exuberance and refreshing innocence to the design world, and I will always remember her in that way.

The opening night party for the San Francisco Decorator Showcase is an event I look forward to every year…dressing up, seeing my design pals, viewing great design, what could be better?  

Benefiting the scholarship program for San Francisco University High School, this year’s Showcase was set in the tranquil, beautiful Marina District with a “not to be missed” view that  spanned from the Golden Gate Bridge to Angel Island.  Wow indeed. 

Having seen the home before the decorator’s performed their magical transformation, the Spanish Revival home was a bit of a quandary.  While the exterior of the home exuded a 1920s architectural style, the interior had been stripped of every nuance and detail depicting its original era.  Needless to say, I was fascinated to see what would/could be done with something so bland on the inside.  The home truly became a study of dark and light.

It was a delightful, albeit very crowded, party and I’m excited to share a few shots I got between a cocktail, a catch up, and an hors d’oeuvre or three.

A beautiful view and setting for the showcase

Kitchen by Ian Stallings. Contrast of dark & light Navy lacquer cabinetry and Carrera Marble Stone.

Entry by Molie Malone. Reflective of 20’s and 30’s glamour

Ian Stallings Family Room

Stephan Blachowski.  Flowers reflecting the color in the William Racke Studio Ceiling mural.

Light filled living room by Mead Quin.  A few trinkets on the shelves.

Dark & Moody Master Bedroom with fringe wallpaper, why not? By Jeff Schlarb

A light study for her by Heather Deragon

Salon/Dining room by David Bjorngaard.

The party on the terrace with living green wall by Mead Quinn

Before and After magazine spreads can be soooo inspiring!

I am fascinated by the transformation of a space, often going from outdated and drab, to lively, inspired and personal. Interior design projects, such as a recent property purchase, where the home might not have been touched for years, suddenly is given a new lease on life. The changes don’t always have to be major to be utterly transformative.

Design project beginnings are thrilling. I get swept up in a client’s excitement of their dreams for how they want their home to serve and reflect them. This planning process may be one of the favorite parts of my job. We walk through, room-by-room, discussing what is working and what isn’t. I love envisioning all the potential as various inspirations spring to mind as we walk and talk.

Before

After

It’s not only gratifying to help make a client’s home more beautiful and inviting, but also a home that functions well and serves, and enhances, their everyday lives.

I share here several images of a home we recently renovated for long-time client’s that were entering a new phase of their lives. They needed a better flow, especially from the kitchen to the family room, to make entertaining family and friends more enjoyable.

Before

After

Specifically, to create better room-to-room flow, we removed an under utilized shower from the nearby guest bath, repurposed this reclaimed floor space as additional room between the connecting kitchen and family room. The result was an open flow entertainment area that works for adult parties or play space for the grandkids. The client’s loved the changes.

Before

After

What dreams do you have for your own home? What changes would you make that would improve and inspire the way you live? Hiring an Interior Designer will give you ideas and inspiration you never thought of, resources and project management that makes your ideas come to life, and ultimately make the most of your home.

Welcome to my new website and the rebranding of my company!

It never ceases to amaze me when the stars line up at the right time. . . some people may think it is coincidence, I think it is providential. One of these very moments happened when I attended the Design Blogger's Conference in Los Angeles. It was an extraordinary three days of seminars and inspirational talks by successful designers, bloggers, and lifestyle addicts (me. . . me. . . me). The timing of the DBC just happened to collide with my process of rebranding my company and redefining my goals for my business.

I gleaned so much great information from the conference but here is my no. 1. 

Authenticity. 

People want to see your authentic self not what you think they want to see. 

I think this is so true for our personal lives as well as our businesses…which are really just a reflection of who we are.

In a snapshot My brand needs to convey who I am, my essence, and what I bring to the table. This really sent me soul searching. I had to ask myself these questions, "What do I stand for?" "What is important to me?" "What do I bring to the table and give to my client’s that is unique?"

This is not a new process to me having done this before when I started my company but since then I've evolved, grown, changed and with that wanted to update how I represent myself. This is true for any company.  I love this quote and it rings so true…

I have a perspective on life like none other. . . and so do you, we are all unique with special gifts, talents, and personalities.

So I invite you to join me in the process.  Even if you don’t own a company.  You yourself are a brand. . . you represent you. Who are you?

The Design Bloggers Conference was held at the iconic Beverly Hills Hilton. . . what do you think they stand for?

A unique event during the conference was an evening with Chef Kris Yenbamroong from Night + Market Restaurants.  Watch the video to experience his unique self.