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A B O U T * T H I S * B L O G
This blog is a collection of columns I wrote for the Lifestyles, Home and Garden Section of the Napa Valley Register . They were...
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PLC
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Allure of Craquelure ... The Inspiration for a New Accessory
It is believed that on his death bed in a cheap hotel in Paris, playwright Oscar Wilde said, “This wallpaper is atrocious. One of us has...
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PLC
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Wallpaper Revival
It is believed that on his death bed in a cheap hotel in Paris, playwright Oscar Wilde said, “This wallpaper is atrocious. One of us has...
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PLC
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Looking Through the Looking-Glass
When Lewis Carroll wrote “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There” in 1871, I wonder if he knew that mirrors had such an...
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PLC
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San Francisco’s Own Versailles Chateau ... Designers Transform Le Petit Trianon
I had a feeling that this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase would be spectacular. I had been following its progress on Instagram...
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A Dutch Colonial Revival Revived Again
In October of 2019, homeowners, John and Janet German, asked for my help in renovating their newly purchased home. It was a home that...
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Demystifying Design & PLC Interiors Bid a Fond Farewell
Dear Readers, I’ve been graciously given the opportunity to make today’s column a personal one. After writing more than 300 columns in...
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Waiting for Perfect
Today’s column is my very first prequel. My upcoming Home and Garden centerpiece will feature a renovation of a home on Napa’s Historic...
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Two-Year Design & Construction. Wine-Tasting Room Now OPEN!
RD Winery, the first Vietnamese-owned winery in the Napa Valley, has at long last opened its doors. The 1600-square-foot tasting room had...
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Before you go to a Tile Store
Have you been to a jewelry store, I mean an art gallery, I mean a tile store lately? I get these destinations mixed up. These days, I...
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Memories of Pastasciutta con Pesto
Nothing transports me to my childhood more than fresh, fragrant, sweet basil. It’s a leafy, green herb easily grown in Napa’s...
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Pantone's Color of the Year - Classic Blue
This enduring color is Pantone’s Classic Blue 19-4052. It’s a true blue, a primary blue, the first blue you think of when you hear the word.
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Less is More
What does “less is more” really mean? It applies to various areas of life but usually enters a conversation when the topic is about style,
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Add Loads of Style to Your Loads of Laundry
As published in the Napa Valley Register. A laundry room is more than a place to wash, dry and fold clothes. It’s a place where you can...
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Making Multiple Colors & Patterns Work
I’ve often maintained that a one or two-color palette with a single-color accent creates the strongest design. Such an approach reflects...
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Blue & White, Always Right
There are, quite literally, an infinite number of possible color combinations. Some have high contrast. Some are monochromatic or “tone...
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A Home’s Renovation and Connection to Napa's Malfatti
Besides being the place where Cayetano Juarez died (while sitting at the bar in 1883), the Depot is known for its malfatti. Virginia, a nati
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Another Common Problem Solved
As published in the Napa Valley Register Not too long ago, I wrote a column titled “An adjustable solution to a common problem.” It was...
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Rethinking Great Rooms
As published in the Napa Valley Register I never would have imagined that a column I wrote back in November 2019 would be so relevant...
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Hygge, Lagom and Wabi Sabi
Luckily for us in the Napa Valley, any and all colors work. In fact, any and all parts of these philosophies can bring health and harmony to
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An Adjustable Solution to a Common Problem
As published in the Napa Valley Register If you’re thinking about giving your kitchen cabinets, or any cabinets for that matter, a...
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The Mystique of Chalk Paint
I meant to write today’s column sometime last year. I was going to do it after finishing a certain DIY project, and if I had done a good...
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Art is Like a Multi-Vitamin
At the risk of sounding cliché, art can feed our spirit. To compound my risk by sounding hokey, too, I’m inviting you to do an exercise. Tha
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Choosing a Style and Sticking to it
Ask Napa resident, Holly Quate, what her favorite design style is and she’ll answer, “Art Deco or Mid-century Modern or maybe Craftsman.” As
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