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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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3 min read
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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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5 min read
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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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4 min read
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Commissioned Art Adds Final Touch to a Tiny Bath Update
Final touches to a bathroom update. It was a 1959 San Francisco flat where most bathrooms of that era and in that city, are itty bitty.
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4 min read
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Three D-I-Y Problems Solved
Today’s column comes to you by way of permission from three recent clients. Clients who, before undertaking do-it-yourself projects,...
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2 min read
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Looking at a Space with a Fresh Eye
There’s a Stephen Sondheim song titled, “A funny thing happened on the way to the forum.” That’s how I felt on my way out the door after mee
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2 min read
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How Architecture Inspired a Color Palette
Colors aside, when I pulled up to the front of the building, I was immediately struck by one significant feature — its portico. It led to th
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4 min read
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Taupe - How this Color Kept me on my Toes
What color does your mind’s eye see when you think of “taupe”? A version of beige? Khaki? Gray? Pink? You’d all be correct. But what is tau
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3 min read
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The Surprising Power of the Kitchen
No doubt, the kitchen is the heart of the home and the place where a lifetime of memories are made. I have a special story to tell that make
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2 min read
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A Nod to Water-Wise Landscaping ... An Old Garden is Redesigned with Drought -Resistant Plants
I drew scaled site plans and then dug into my box of color pencils. When possible, I kept current plants in place and filled in with more o
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4 min read
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Client Asks for a Joyful Experience
When clients, Jeff and Cathy, asked me to help them remodel their kitchen, I did what I always do. I asked them to write a list of their goa
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4 min read
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How Words Define Your Tile Style
Envisioning my clients’ goal came easily. Listening to the operatic passion of “La Boheme” while I sketched set the mood and inspired me fur
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2 min read
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Catch-All Rooms
Do you have a catch-all room? Part home office, part guest bedroom, and part storage for this and that? My client, Jane, had such a room. Ti
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2 min read
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Kitchen Countertop on the 6th Fairway
I could see the fear in my client’s eyes. Display after display begged him to make a decision. Phil wanted to be on the golf course, next to
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2 min read
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Green Galley Kitchen
Long time clients, Russ and Stephanie, love green. Not the eco-friendly kind per se, but the color - from sage to khaki and all shades of ol
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3 min read
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A Winemaker's Bachelor Pad Do it Yourself. Do it with Heart.
Martini-drinking, tuxedo-wearing, Dean Martin Rat Pack movies come to mind when I think of bachelor pads. But my client's home, filled with
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3 min read
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Inside Out
I hear this phrase all the time, “bringing the outdoors in”. Today, I’m bringing the indoors … out. Design is about space, scale, balance, f
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3 min read
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A Fabric Journey ... From Contemporary to Tropical to Traditional
In the realm of home improvement, two trends remain strong: Homeowners are focused on their kitchens and bathrooms. And, they are increasing
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3 min read
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Question: I just bought a plain, white box condo. I have zero furniture. I like many colors and ...
styles and haven’t decided on anything yet. I want to use color in a big way. I saw on your website that you sometimes used it...
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3 min read
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Tropics in the Napa Valley
My friend, Meryll, and I circled the displays at the Napa Valley Orchid Society a dozen times. Each lap delivered a new discovery. Intricate
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2 min read
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