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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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PLC
5 min read
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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3 min read
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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2 min read
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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4 min read
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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PLC
4 min read
Reviving an Old-School Practice
Beautiful stationery, refined fountain pens, and handwritten notes. Today’s times are fast, hurried, digital, and in my opinion, in need of
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3 min read
Instagram Inspiration
I admit that I’ve come late to two popular and entertaining phenomena. One is BritBox, a massive collection of streaming British...
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3 min read
Is the Gray Trend Dead?
According to design industry gurus, the gray trend is dead and the brown trend is returning. However, they’ve been predicting such changes
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3 min read
Behind the Scenes of Designer Showcases
Since I’ve participated in seven showcases, myself, I thought I’d give you an idea of what happens behind the scenes. If you’re not familiar
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4 min read
Lunch With Architect and Legend - John Pflueger
My lunch date with John Pflueger, Sonoma-based architect and head of the oldest architectural firm west of the Mississippi, included a memor
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3 min read
My Oblivious Mentor - John Saladino
After 30 years, John Saladino still makes me swoon. This New York architect and designer doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall. Nonetheles
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3 min read
Coastal Style
Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to one style over another? Did your childhood home, a vacation or other travels influence your prefe
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2 min read
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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3 min read
The Road to Remodeling Success
No matter the scope of your remodeling project, there are three words that can help it go more smoothly. “Plan, plan, plan”. I admit to bein
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3 min read
Mixing High and Low-End Furnishings
When it comes to home furnishings, I know it’s true. That is, investing in select pieces, while holding back on others, can create a well-pu
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2 min read
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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3 min read
Verre Églomisé ... A Pre-Roman Artistic Technique Still Practiced Today
Let’s get the hard part out of the way. Verre Églomisé is pronounced “ver A-glowm-ee-zay” with a slight pause after the “ver” and an emphasi
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4 min read
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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3 min read
When to Create an Accent Wall
When is the best time to create an accent wall? While the idea is still brewing in a designer’s or architect’s imagination and in time to be
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4 min read
Rock to the Rescue: The Ultimate in Low Maintenance, Water-Wise Landscaping
Landscape architects will agree that there’s more to a well-designed, well-executed gardenscape than meets the eye. As with any design, the
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