How to: Design Wine Storage

Sep 11, 2020 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

Closeup image of a pull-out wooden and metal rack of wines, bottles facing opposite directions to conserve space for wine storage. — *_{Photo courtesy Wine Enthusiast}*

Are you a wine aficionado? Do you have bottles tucked into cabinets and boxes all over your house? Would you love to see your collection organized and beautifully displayed? Then read on!

A room with four grey patterned modern chairs on white fuzzy rug facing a circular black and white table with flowers in the center. Behind, the wall is filled with two floor-to-ceiling lighted and refrigerated wine storage systems. In the center is a counter and under-counter storage, with glass shelves above for wine glasses. — *_{Interiors by SFA Design / Photo by Meghan Bierle-O’Brien}*

Wine is perishable, so wine storage is crucial in maintaining its delicate bouquet and flavors. If you have the luxury of building a wine cellar, by all means, do that! However, lots of people in the San Francisco Bay Area don’t have the space or ability to dig. If that’s you, create the perfect environment right in your home by following these pointers.

Lighting Design

A large wine storage room with lucite plastic storage display that looks like an arched cathedral, all lit up with blue LEDs. On the wooden floor are 3 round balls. — *_{Design by Beckwith Interiors / Photo by Kim Sargent}*

Ultraviolet light hurts wine, especially those in light-colored or clear glass bottles, so store your wine away from direct sunlight. Also avoid fluorescent lighting, which can give off ultraviolet light that our eyes can’t see. LED lights are preferable because they don’t heat up like traditional tungsten bulbs, plus you have many beautiful color options. Installing a timer will turn the lights off if you forget when you leave the space, and give you added sustainability points for saving energy.

Temperature and Humidity Control

Under a white set of modern stairs with silver railings, is a black metal and glass enclosed storage area for wines, that also controls temperature and humidity with a glass door and LED lighting. — *_{Photo courtesy John West Stoddard and Associates}*

Heat and humidity will change the notes of your wine. If you intend to store the wine for longer term, temperatures of 40° to 65°F (4° to 18°C) are recommended. White wines benefit from cool temperatures because the fruity character — known as esters — disappear more rapidly when warm. You can allow wines to rest at room temperature if you want to consume them right away, but if there’s any doubt, go for a refrigerated or cooled space, and make sure there’s a humidity meter also.

Clever Rack Storage

Under a contemporary set of white stairs that curves up and to the right, an arched glass enclosed room displays bottles stored on their sides, lit from underneath by warm LED lights. — *_{Design by Brandon Architects Inc / Photo by Jeri Koegel}*

The angle at which a bottle of wine is stored is important. Fortified wines and sparkling wines should be stored upright. However, most bottles should be stored on their side, to keep the cork seal fresh.

Dampen small vibrations and sway from urban traffic with a wooden rack, anchored to the wall. Woods like mahogany, redwood, maple, and beech are good choices for wine racks because they respond well to a cool, moist environment. These woods also don’t off-gas negative odor that may be absorbed into the bottle as the wine ages.

Finding a place for your wine storage might be a challenge. Under the stairs is a clever solution! In the kitchen, undercounter space might also be suitable, or in a walk-in pantry. You could also modify a built-in bookshelf.

Beauty and Convenience

A small round glass table is surrounded by dark microsuede modern chairs, atop an Oriental rug. Behind are stacks of boxes and bins, and multiple mismatched chairs in front of a large window with a pull-down shade. — *_BEFORE*

In the after image, a set of 6 red chairs surround a glass pedestal table with live plants in vases. Above is a chandelier of multiple round lights with metal arms. Behind is a blue, orange and grey modern artwork that fill the space between the built-in wine storage on the left and a column on the right, with a countertop and undercounter storage behind frosted glass doors. The flooring is warm wood, and to the left is a large window and two Guatamalan puff seats in front of it. To the far right is a hallway. — *_{AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer}*

Above is a before-and-after wine storage solution we created in a San Francisco condo’s open plan dining area. The owners wanted something contemporary and sleek, while still welcoming and convenient. We sunk the wine storage into the wall for a clean look, with slide-out racks. Beside it, a built-in credenza makes it easy to serve a flight of wines for tasting, with hors d’oeuvres. Above that, custom artwork ties in colors from their beloved vacation destination of Guatemala, so our retired couple can enjoy a glass of wine and share happy memories for many years to come.

Kimball Starr Interior Design creates wine storage in homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Nevada, and she can for you, too. Contact her today for a consultation by phone, video chat or in-person with social distancing!

Labels: contemporary interior design, custom cabinetry, dining room, modern style, storage, wine

Made by Hand

Aug 24, 2020 | Posted in Trends |

Photo of a woman with long dark hair in front of a loom, weaving fabric by hand. — *Photo courtesy eporta.com*

In a quarantine world, we’ve been spending a lot more days indoors. This gives some people time to return to traditional handicrafts like knitting, sewing, and woodworking. Now there’s a resurgence of hand-made products and goods with a handcrafted feel for your home and health. Let’s take a look at this re-emerging trend.

Photo of a sideboard made with cognac oak and rattan, dressed with a live plant and a bowl, in front of a grey-green painted wall with the top half of the wall an off-white. The sideboard sits atop brown wooden floorboards. — *Photo courtesy lind+almond*

Furniture with Woven Finishes

Furniture and goods for the home and office are appearing in the marketplace with an emphasis on woven and textural finishes. Materials like cane, rattan, wool, and bamboo are being used to creating a comforting, cozy yet still stylish environment.

Photo of a smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair in a green button-down shirt and jeans sitting with her feet pulled up inside a club chair made of light-colored rattan and off-white cushions. — *Photo courtesy Crate and Barrel*

One of a kind wall-hanging made with a woolen warp and a linen/cotton/wool weft in a textured lace-style distorted diamond, with the unwoven threads of dark brown and off-white hanging down below in alternating stripes. — *Photo courtesy Maria Sigma*

Warp and Weft Fabrics

Warp and weft refers to the pattern of threads used to create fabrics. Warp runs vertically and weft runs horizontally. Patterns such as checks, gingham, tartan and stripes show off warp and weft to full advantage.

Illustration of a woven piece of fabric, showing the horizontal weaving as "warp" and the vertical weaving as "weft". — *Illustration courtesy wikipedia.com*

Screen capture of the front page of website Etsy, showing search results for "handmade interior design" with multiple items such as rugs, artwork, wooden sculptures, floral designs, and more. — *Image courtesy Etsy.com*

Etsy Crafters, Creators, and Artists

One of the best places to find hand-made home goods is on Etsy.com. There you’ll discover handcrafted rugs, ceramics, tiles, table-runners, placemats, oil paintings and art, décor of all kinds. Even better, you’re frequently purchasing these items direct from the artist or craftsperson, helping to support small businesses in these crazy Coronavirus times. Don’t forget to pick up some handmade face masks while you’re there!

Photo of 12 different styles of ceramic tiles, all in off-white and blue-grey tones, with multiple geometric shapes and patterns available. — *Photo courtesy Etsy.com user Herbarium Ceramics*

Dream about a hand-crafted interior design in YOUR home? Kimball Starr is available for consultations by phone, video chat, or in person with social distancing, so get in touch!

Labels: custom cabinetry, custom furniture, fabric, handmade, trends

Tiny Houses

Aug 10, 2020 | Posted in Inspirations |

Two side-by-side images. On the left, the grey wooden exterior of a San Francisco condo of only 598 square feet, with steps leading up to an orange door. On the right, the interior showing a custom built lime green banquette and custom glass table, with wall vases holding small greenery and a metal wall plaque of flying birds. Three small clerestory windows show a view from above the sofa, while a guitar sits next to the banquette. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photos by Eric Rorer*

I’ve been fascinated by dollhouses and miniatures for years. Tiny houses are like dollhouses in real life!

Above is my own tiny house project, a San Francisco condo of just 596 square feet with multiple custom furniture designs like a storage banquette and adjustable-height glass table. You can read more about that project on Houzz.com

Right now, let me introduce you to three of my favorite creators from around the web, to inspire your tiny house dreams!

Zyl Vardos

Want something unique, traditionally crafted, yet engineered in a forward-thinking way? Zyl Vardos’ beautiful, flowing forms display elements inspired by woodland fairies, cathedrals, and the traveling circus.

Photo of presenter Bryce Langston dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, sitting on the floor of a loft in one of his own designs, a white and warm wood tiny house. — *Photo of Bryce Langston courtesy livingbiginatinyhouse.com*

Living Big in a Tiny House

Captivating videos of tiny houses, tree houses and more! Presenter Bryce Langston is a New Zealand-based environmentalist who travels the globe exploring the small housing movement as creator and host of the popular online web series Living Big in a Tiny House. This project is one he built himself, in cooperation with Tiny House Chattanooga.

Two photos side-by-side. The left shows the exterior of a tank and dark brown tiny house on a trailer, with three steps off the back. The right image shows the interior with white wooden walls, warm wood trim around the three windows on three walls, and a view of the bed dressed with multiple white pillows, plus a nightstand. The bed has a black-and-white patterned blanket, and two sconces shine warm yellow light down onto the bed. Above the main picture window of the sunset is a split air conditioner/heater. — *Photos of Little Zen Tiny House USA courtesy livingbiginatinyhouse.com*

Photo of a kitchen space, with cookware on top of a ceramic stove, a square sink and farmhouse faucet, pus two wine glasses on the counter next to a black fridge. A window streams light in behind the sink. — *Photo courtesy tumbleweedhouses.com*

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

Founded in 1999 by Jay Shafer, known as the father of the modern tiny house movement, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company’s website features floor plans, 3D models, a lifestyle blog, and more. Choose your floor plan, select finishes and get a quote to realize your tiny house dreams.

Two images side-by-side. The left image is of floor plans for a Tumbleweed tiny house model called the Elm, showing the loft level with sleeping and storage, and the main level with kitchen, bathroom, guestroom, and living space. The right photo is of the Elm model exterior in grey with white trim, and black roof with orange wood porch on the back. A gorgeous sunset is visible behind the tiny house. — *Floor plan and photo courtesy tumbleweedhouses.com*

Want to design YOUR dream tiny house interior? Kimball Starr is available for consultations by phone, video chat or in person with social distancing, so get in touch!

Another view of Kimball's tiny house interior, showing the lime green custom curved banquette, a custom adjustable-height glass dining table, and outside on the patio, two orange chairs and a pedestal table. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Labels: contemporary interior design, custom cabinetry, dual-use furniture, modern style, tiny house

Spark Joy at Home

Jul 27, 2020 | Posted in Inspirations |

A vignette of a living room corner, showing a gold patterned drapery with a matching tie-back, a dark wood side table with a gold and glass lamp and small vase of greenery on it. Next to the table you see part of a periwinkle blue sofa with matching gold and floral pillows. A hint of a coffee table dressed with fresh hydrangea flowers on it just shows at the bottom right corner. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

You may have heard of Marie Kondo, the home organization specialist whose ideas have taken the world by storm in the past few years.

A girlie bedroom with white walls and a white desk and chair sits next to a bed with pink tufted headboard and white sheets and pillows plus a single yellow pillow, between two white bedside tables and yellow bubble lamps. Light streams in the through the window at the left. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Kondo’s concept is to ask yourself, as you edit your belongings, Does this spark joy? If it doesn’t, thank the item for its contribution to your life and then set it free to a new home.

A light-filled dining space shows a city view out the windows, while a traditional dining table draped with a light-colored tablecloth and two dark wood chairs sit atop warm wood floor planks. The table is dressed with flowers, orange juice and fruit for two, with a newspaper folded over. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Today I’m suggesting another way to use Marie Kondo’s philosophy – by creating spaces in your home that spark moments of joy.

A living room vignette shows a pale violet three-seater sofa dressed with gold and pink fur pillows, and a pink cashmere blanket is thrown over one end. In front, a square glass table with gold cross-crossed legs is dressed with a small vase and books. To the left side, you see a small round gold side table and a white lamp. The wall behind the sofa is reflective patterns of gold plants scattered across a purple background color. In the forefront, two hot pink reclining chairs peek out at the left and right corners of your view. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Instead of thinking about how to decorate your home, think about how to design spaces that will host special memories and inspire feelings of happiness:

An L-shaped white counter surface continues around to the modern silver sink and faucet. The lower cabinets are cherry wood with silver drawer pulls and handles. Above the sink is a window with cherry wood blinds opens to allow light in. The counter is dressed with a cutting board of melon and several bowls waiting to serve. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Cooking in your dream kitchen

*Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Preparing healthy meals for and with your family

A bright yellow square melamine bedside table holds a white and yellow lamp next to a tan suede headboard and beige textured sheets with white pillows and a grey and yellow pillow just showing to the right. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Snuggling up to your partner

Closeup view of pillows layered on a bed. Behind the dark brown leather headboard with nailheads is a red curtain wall. The front pillow features graphics of London phone booth and bus, with two blue and white pinstriped pillows behind, and two textured beige pillows behind that, and finally two plain white pillows at the back. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Planning a dream vacation

A beige marble and porcelain shower corner is dressed with a seat and white folded towel with a bar of soap. Above, an inset in the shower wall holds a shower scrub and a vase with a single pink flower. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Pampering yourself

Closeup of the arm of a dark brown leather chair with bronze nailheads and cracks in the leather. An American flag pillow sits slightly out of focus on the chair, with a yellow and white chevron blanket just peeking along the edge of the image. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Reading a book to your grandchild or reading a newspaper on a lazy Sunday morning

Closeup of a black mug of coffee or tea with four bright red strawberries on a white plate, with a yellow and white striped napkin casually crumpled in front on a dark wood table. Slightly out of focus at the rear of the image is a yellow velvet tufted dining chair back. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Enjoying a cup of coffee or tea with good friends.

A closeup view of a contemporary dining room, showing a dark wood table with multiple modern brown velvet dining chairs with silver nailheads and silver rings decorating the backs of the chairs. On the table are three vases with greenery and purple flowers. Behind on the tan textured wall is a triptych of lilypads. Above everything hangs a sparkling rectangular multi-tiered glass chandelier. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Whatever your moment of home joy, Kimball Starr Interior Design can make it happen. Contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: bathroom, bedroom, contemporary interior design, dining room, home organization, inspiration, lighting, living room, modern design, traditional design, transitional design

How To: Create Home Office Space

Jul 13, 2020 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

A wooden built-in home office is created under stairs by adding both closed and open storage cubbies, plus a desk, lighting, chair, and bulletin board on the wall. This one uses blonde wood and a white chair. — *Photo courtesy HomeDoo.com*

Now more than ever, a home office is necessary for modern life. But how do you find space for a home office in your already-packed-to-the-gills city apartment or condo? I’ll show you how!

A home office under the stairs, showing a dark wood desk with two drawers, plus a pull-out keyboard surface, and open storage cubbies. A black rolling chair with silver arms makes it easy to get in and out of the space, on a white tiled kitchen floor. Small framed pictures on the wall create a pleasant workspace, while painting the underside of the stairs in white allows light to bounce around the space easily. — *Photo courtesy HomeDoo.com*

The first place to consider, if you have a multi-level home, is under your stairs! It can be as simple as placing a desk with drawers or storage and a chair at the highest end, or you can create a full built-in workspace.

A 'before' image of the client's open-plan living/dining area shows multiple open shelves, a secretary desk and piles of boxes pushed up against the back wall, with a dining table towards the front. A passthrough to the kitchen is just visible at the left, and the rest of the white wall is blank. — *BEFORE*

The next-best place to uncover space is in your living area. Bonus points if you have an open-plan living/dining room, like my client’s San Francisco condo.

After the redesign, you see a large wall of custom storage, mostly in white with one yellow square cabinet door and one red rectangular cabinet door. A television and media storage is also built-in, with a corner built-in desk and open shelving at the far right. In front is a white marble table and red modern dining chairs, with a bubble pendant light above, and club chairs in the background. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

By creating a wall of custom cabinetry, we tamed storage and organization into a beautiful, single unit with a built-in desk.

A closer look at the built-in corner desk and open shelving in white, with silver legs, and a black-and-silver rolling chair. A laptop is open on the desk, and books and collectibles dot the shelves. Natural light comes from the window just out of view on the right, with track lighting above. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Open shelving allows frequent-use items to stay within reach, while displaying beloved memories near her corner desk. The key is to edit by rotating collectibles, instead of adding to the ones already on display.

A bedroom with papers strewn all over the bed also has a desk with large Mac computer and keyboard, plus many boxes and shelves of folders, books and supplies pushed against the walls. — *BEFORE*

Another not-so-secret place for a home office is your guest bedroom, or even a main bedroom, depending on your room use. In my client’s SF bay area condo, we needed space for a bed and a second desk, but not at the same time.

A set of four photos showing a guest bedroom and home office space. In the first image, you see a large blue storage wall with white open shelving either side. Next to it is a coordinating blue and white built-in desk and office chair. In the second image, you see a small white desk folded down from the blue storage wall, with a chair. In the third image, you see a bed starting to come down from the blue storage wall. In the fourth image, you see a fully-dressed bed has been pulled down from the wall unit, with built-in lighting overhead. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Again the solution was custom cabinetry, this time creating a convertible bed and fold-down desk, plus open shelving for this guestroom/home office. There’s even a fold-down bedside table to help guests feel at home, doubling as concealing storage when in use as a home office. Easy, smart and beautiful!

A blue-grey wall is contrasted by dark wood floating shelves above a dark wood desk with silver legs, and a red chair with silver legs, next to a full-length gold drapery pushed back into an accordion fold. Warm gold wood floors shine underneath, with white paneling to finish off at the bottom of the wall by the floor. Collectibles, books and art line the shelves, and a small desk lamp shines at the edge. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Kimball Starr Interior Design creates space for home offices throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Nevada, and she can for you, too. Contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: custom cabinetry, desk, guest bedroom, home office, home office designs, living room, stairs

Quarantine Staycation

Jun 29, 2020 | Posted in Inspirations |

A beautiful sunset with pink, purple, yellow and orange, behind a single shack at the end of a long wooden dock over a blue ocean. Inspiration to quarantine staycation at home. — *Zoom background image courtesy SmarterTravel.com*

Even though many shelter-in-place orders are lifting, it’s still not the best idea to be traveling for leisure just yet. Here are some ideas for a safe, quarantine vacation at home.

Photo of a blue-green table and pink and red painted chairs in a backyard. The table is dressed with a paper pineapple decoration and paper cups and plates, plus a can with fresh flowers. Hanging above the table is a strand of large and small unfolded circular paper decorations, which could be used for a Mexican fiesta. Green plants and a blue-green fence are slightly out of focus in the background. — *Photo courtesy Etsy for Our Warm*

Have a Theme Staycation

Many people don’t have funds or time available for a long trip, even outside of the pandemic situation, so the idea of a “staycation” isn’t new, but definitely worthwhile.

Create the feeling of being on vacation at home by decorating for a theme! Hawaiian leis and grass skirts, Mexican fiesta paper garlands with a piñata, tropical drinks and finger-foods all give the illusion of being on holiday. This is a great opportunity to get out your fancy china and cocktail glasses, and try out some new recipes!

Photo of ancient Incan site Machu Picchu in the cloud-covered green mountains of Peru, with partial stone walls and stairs. — *Photo courtesy Blogspot.com*

Take an Online Tour

Many tourist destinations are pivoting to create online virtual tours of their sites. Visit the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose through their 360-degree virtual tour. If you want to go further from home, the Queen of Jordan will guide you around the ancient city of Petra through Google Street View, or you can see Machu Picchu in Peru through YouVisit.com using a virtual reality headset.

Another idea is remotely visiting museums: See the Vatican in Rome, the Louvre in Paris, or the British Museum in London, all from the safety of your home.

Photo of a desktop covered in books and supplies, with a laptop open, showing four windows in a Zoom videochat. — *Photo courtesy BusinessInsider.com*

Videochat with Friends

If you’re missing that connection with your community, or really just want to hang out with all your friends and relatives, video conferencing is a great way to both see and hear each other in real time. There are so many ways to videochat now: Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Google Duo, and Facetime are some free options, and all have paid versions as well. Discord has made their service free in response to the pandemic, and will transition back to paid service soon. So take advantage of the time and technology available to reconnect with friends and loved ones on your quarantine staycation.

Scene from the television series "Spaced" showing a couple taking fake holiday photos in front of a travel storefront window. The Polaroid shows them in front of the tropical scene in hats and sunglasses, labeled with the word "Holiday". — *Scenes from TV series “Spaced” via Pinterest user Lauren*

Take Virtual Vacation Photos

Share vacation photos with friends and family! Use virtual backdrops to create the impression that you’re someplace else. Zoom has multiple custom backdrops to choose from in both static and video formats, or you can upload your own. Apple Photobooth has custom backdrops, too, and Instagram has filters, so there’s no reason to skip the vacay slideshow, even on staycation.

Photo of a small urban patio with a lime green umbrella overhead. Underneath, two tan textured outdoor loveseats with lime green seats and backs are dressed with multi-colored floral patterned throw pillows. A matching lime green and metal chair sits next to one loveseat, with a striped towel and sunhat hanging off one arm. A blue and white striped footstool sits opposite. Between the sofas are two LED-lit cubes, one in purple and one in blue, holding glasses and a jug of water. The backdrop for the entire space is a living wall of green vines. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Want to show off a corner of your real home or garden on video, or talk with an interior designer about creating your dream space at home? Kimball Starr is available for consultations by phone or videochat, so get in touch!

Labels: inspiration, quarantine, tips, travel

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