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Design Your Home for Life

Jul 27, 2026 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

An accessible kitchen featuring cherry wood cabinet doors and drawers with easy-pull handles, a grey countertop that fits a walker or wheelchair underneath the L-shaped end of the counter, and an easy-to-use sink faucet fixture in silver. The counter is dressed with sliced melon and bowls, and a sprig of green plant next to the sink.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

Have you heard of living in place? Also known as aging in place, it’s the concept that people want to remain in their homes as long as possible, as we age and our health and lifestyle needs change. For example, in the kitchen above, a simple faucet with a pull-out nozzle will make washing up easy for people with arthritis, and a walker or wheelchair could fit underneath the countertop end. Here are a few more tips for setting up your forever home.

A pair of his-n-hers recliners in light tan leather, dressed with a white blanket on his and green pillow on hers. The chairs sit either side of a piano and a bright pink cushion on the seat. A modern artwork is propped up on the top of the piano, with red flowers in a clear vase, and an adjustable task light. A mirror and shiny brass side table are visible off to the right.
Photo courtesy Rachel Shingleton of Pencil Shavings Studio

Choose Gorgeous, Right-size Furniture

A couple where the husband is 5’10” and the wife is 5’ may have some challenges in making their home comfortable for them both, without health issues in the mix. Even if you aren’t so different in size, it’s important to have furniture that’s the right scale and fit for you. Adjustable tables and chairs can be a help in this, as can designing a bathroom or kitchen with multiple counter heights.

Also, specifying or customizing furniture to fit is a great solution. We found a smaller-scale recliner for an 85 y.o. grandmother who is only 5’. She had been struggling with a full-size recliner for years. Now she loves reading and relaxing in her right-size chair!

Senior gentleman wearing glasses in a grey sweater and tan pants walking with a walker indoors, in front of a grey sofa with lime green throw pillows on each end.
Photo courtesy Ljupco at Dreamstime.com

Create Accessible Flows

If you or your family member need to use a cane, walker, wheelchair or other ambulatory aid, it’s especially important to open up the circulation of your rooms. Ensure there’s at least a 3 to 3.5-foot pathway leading to doors and around furniture. Remove any trip hazards like loose rugs, and try to find rugs that have a low profile and rubber backing for places you still need them. Eliminate stairs and add ramps, or choose a one-level home, if you decide to relocate.

A modern kitchen with light vertically-striated wood cabinets, bronze metal handles, and a white marble countertop. One cabinet is open to reveal a pull-down metal shelving unit filled with dishes. The inside back of the cabinet is a creamy orange color, like a popsicle, and the countertops are dressed with a small framed artwork of purple flowers, a bowl of green apples, and a vase of fresh flowers in white, green, and light blue.
Photo courtesy Houzz.com

Bring It Down to Your Level

Think about how difficult it can be to get something down from a high shelf, especially if it’s heavy or bulky. Now imagine doing that while having bursitis, arthritis, or any number of painful conditions. Consider relocating heavy items to lower shelves, or installing a special pull-down shelf like the one above, allowing easy, safe access to upper shelves.

Photo of a light, bright kitchen with white cabinetry above and below, simple silver metal door handles and drawer pulls, grey countertops, and a very light diamond-shaped tiling on the vertical surfaces including backsplash. The kitchen flooring is hexagonal penny tiling in cream and tan tones with brown grout, which transitions to wood flooring in the dining space just barely visible at the bottom of the image. To the left a wooden butcher-block end counter has a wood seated stool with black metal legs. Above it hangs a circular black metal pendant with 4 lights. White recessed lights are visible at the top of the image, against a beige-painted ceiling. A window either side of the main cabinetry allows light to pour in. Shelves are dressed with ceramic pottery and plants.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Brighten Spaces with Lighting

As we grow older, our eyes change, and we need more light to see well. I recommend installing recessed lighting that’s centered over your task areas throughout your spaces for a bright, evenly lit tone. Next, add table lamps for adjustable accent and task lighting.

One place you really need to see well is the kitchen. Recessed lights create a great foundation; then add under-cabinet lighting to illuminate your countertop workspace, making prep and cooking a delight. For soft, ambient light when task lights aren’t in use, finish off with a stylish pendant light or chandelier.

A modern bathroom featuring a curbless walk-in shower surrounded by clear glass, with a silver metal grab bar on the wall next to a niche dressed with green plant and loufah. The far wall shows a hand-held shower fixture in silver against hexagonal grey and white toned tiling. Below a line of horizontal dark grey tiles, the bottom half is plain white subway tiling in a medium-size scale, and the flooring is a warm beige and tan toned porcelain, laid at an angle to make the space feel more open. To the right of the shower is a corner of the dark wood cabinetry with silver metal drawer and door pulls, and a beige countertop, dressed with a vase of orangey-white roses.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Beautify Bathroom Safety

Grab bars don’t have to be clinical-looking. There are a wide range of ADA-approved grab bars that are both beautiful and safe. You can use them as additional towel rails to conceal their purpose.

Ideally, you want a curbless, step-in shower, like this one I designed for a couple in St. Francis Woods, San Francisco. Curbless showers are highly desirable even for those who don’t medically require them, creating a beautiful, flowing look for your bathroom. Selecting gorgeous, handmade ceramic tiles like the ones above will also elevate your space.

These are just a few ways to make your home a place you can remain for as long as you wish, with independence and freedom, into your golden years.

For more ideas on how to create YOUR forever home, contact Kimball Starr for a consultation today!

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Before and After 5-Star Review

Jul 13, 2026 | Posted in Before & After, Starr Spotlight |

In January I shared photos of a recently-renovated kitchen belonging to my San Francisco clients. Now I’m here to share the glowing review they left me, and show a few before-and-after photos. Enjoy the transformation!

Kitchen before the changes was mismatched, dark marble pill-shaped counter end with black legs, a fridge behind, flooring running front to back, and some counter-height chairs with orangey wood backs and seats on black legs. Lots of paperwork and books strewn around, and an open shelf on the wall to the left full of books.
BEFORE – Photo by Kimball Starr
AFTER the kitchen is lighter, brighter, and more coordinated, with white marble-look counters and light oak uppers and lower cabinetry. The owner's counter-height chairs surround a longer, more accessible countertop that can be reached from the living room, or guests can sit in the chairs and talk with the cook. Reddish-orange pendant lights that coordinate with the chairs hang from the ceiling towards the dining room doorway. The fridge has moved to make space for the sink and dishwasher. The upper cabinets extend all the way to the ceiling now. White marble-look backsplash and counters have replaced the heavy black marble.
AFTER – Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Gao’s Cabinets

The kitchen is so much more light, open, and functional now.

BEFORE in the kitchen, looking towards the corner with the sink and dishwasher, and cherry wood upper and lower cabinets. The upper cabs don't extend to the ceiling, gathering dust and oils from cooking. The flooring is a light oak finish hardwood. A large oven and cooktop in stainless steel is visible with a kettle on the surface.
BEFORE – Photo by Kimball Starr
AFTER the renovation, there's a new prep sink in place of the full sink, and the dishwasher has moved to make space for more light oak cabinets. The oven and cooktop now has a matching upside-down-T-shaped vent hood, and the counters are white marble-look quartzite. The hardwood flooring now runs side to side to make the space feel bigger. Two orangey-red pendant lights hang from the ceiling, and you can look all the way through because part of the wall and the upper cabinets that used to be there have been removed.
AFTER – Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Gao’s Cabinetry

We opened up the wall in front of the new prep sink, creating a more unified space.

BEFORE showing the kitchen wall and passageway to the dining room, painted a bright yellow. A large medium-colored wood cabinet is next to the wall, and a dark marble counter top is visible above drawers. On the right, the kitchen counter is rounded, with a view through the living room (sofa on the left) to the backyard patio, and green space with seating and plants. Collectible masks hang on the wall above the opening.
BEFORE – Photo by Kimball Starr
AFTER looking from the dining room through the light, bright kitchen to the living room and into the exterior yard and patio. The wall has been removed to the right and left, opening up the passage further. The light oak cabinets now extend all the way to the ceiling. The white marble countertops form a U-shape to allow you into the kitchen, and provide seating and prep space. 4 pendant lights in orangey-red hang above the counter. Light streams in from a window on the left between the new cabinets. The stainless steel microwave is under the counter on the left, next to drawers and more cabinets. The light wood flooring runs left to right now.
AFTER – Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Goa’s Cabinetry

The view into the backyard is now a feature, with the kitchen and living areas feeling harmonious with each other and nature. Great result and happy client! Read for the review below or on Google.

Header for a Google Review, with the label reading: Kimball Starr Interior Design Interior Designer San Francisco Design District A photo of a lime-green corner sofa and glass table from one of Kimball's other projects is inside a circle at the top right. On the bottom left is a circle with the letter M and the name Misha W, with 5 yellow stars underneath.

Despite being a residential real estate broker with decades of experience, I knew my wife and I would need help redesigning the kitchen of our Noe Valley home, which had seen us through 25 years of hard use.

Our primary interest was in getting help on the interior design and layout aspects of our new kitchen, and here Kimball really excelled. She was meticulous in her measurements and had a great eye for the practical necessities of a busy kitchen (my wife and I both like to cook).

One small detail as an example: Making sure there’d be enough room between the open door of the dishwasher and the end of our peninsula countertop to allow easy access.

She also helped us think through the specific uses of our custom cabinets and drawers so that we’d know we had room for all of our “stuff.”

Though our primary focus was on help with layout, Kimball also helped us select finishes. My wife’s and my design aesthetics are often not the same, and Kimball was very careful to be respectful of both of us. In fact, at a certain point we asked her to be more assertive of her own opinions and she responded accordingly.

As others have said, Kimball is not interested in pushing her own views; rather, she listens to what you want and helps to execute it. We really appreciated that.

The proof of the pudding is that we absolutely love our new kitchen! It “works” in all the ways we wanted it to. Besides this, Kimball was available, organized, always pleasant, easy to deal with, and very affordable. Easy 5 stars!

~ Google Review from user Misha W.

Kimball Starr designs contemporary homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or in-person consultation.

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Tahoe Dreams

Jun 22, 2026 | Posted in Inspirations |

Do you want to live or vacation at Lake Tahoe?

A neutral light-colored beige, tan, brown, and grey living room with beige exposed-beam vaulted ceilings, two cream sofas at a 90-degree angle, a dark wooden coffee table in front of them. There's a smaller seating area in front of the window with a view to the lake, and behind the sofas there's another smaller dark striped sofa and seating area near some art. The hardwood flooring is medium brown, and a grey striped rug anchors the bigger sofas and chairs. Lighting is cast by wall sconces and table lamps scattered through the space, as well as the large window with a view to the lake and blue sky.
Photo courtesy Leeder Real Estate

A relaxing living room to enjoy the view is essential.

A kitchen with no visible upper cabinets, lower cabinets in dark grey, appliances in stainless steel, and light grey countertops contrasts with the light tan exposed beam vaulted ceiling. A window to the left shows greenery with a grey roman blind pulled up to expose the view. Open shelves are on one wall with a wall sconce above that extends out and is adjustable. A large window at the back shows the blue sky and water.
Photo courtesy Leeder Real Estate

Welcome friends and family into the modern kitchen with a window out to the sky and water.

The bedroom features a white slatted wooden ceiling running towards the window at the far end with a view of the water. A seating area with a sofa and two chairs plus a side table and television has a dresser behind the sofa, all of which is near the view. Towards the front right, the bed is dressed in white linens with an oversize tan pillow and a medium-brown wood bedside table. Beyond the bed, a map appears on the wall next to an open doorway.
Photo courtesy Leeder Real Estate

A bedroom with a seating area is a luxury, plus another stunning view of the water.

A cream and beige bathroom with grey tiling and black fixtures in the glass-walled shower, light-colored countertops that match the kitchen, and pale wood cabinetry underneath the double trough sink. Towels hang on hooks on the opposite wall, beneath a long framed piece of art, which is all visible in the large mirror. Recessed lighting shines down from the light-colored ceiling, and a framed blue and turquoise bathing suit hangs on the wall near the shower. A posey of red flowers sits in the corner of the counter by the sink.
Photo courtesy Leeder Real Estate

The spa-like atmosphere in the bathroom is a must.

Two armchairs with brown and black striped pillows against the backs and a blanket over the arm of one sit with a small glass table between them, and a round footstool in front. Behind the chairs is a floor-to-ceiling arched window to the bright blue lake and sky outside. Two wall sconces either side of the window provide additional light. A tan and black checkered rug grounds the seating area. A framed piece of art hangs on the wall to the left, while to the right is a door to an exterior deck with an umbrella, table and seating.
Photo courtesy Leeder Real Estate

Enjoy your time at Lake Tahoe! When you want help designing a space like this one, get in touch.

Kimball Starr designs beautiful homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or in-person consultation.

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Vacation Rental at Home

Jun 08, 2026 | Posted in Inspirations |

Want a vacation escape at your home, with no traveling required? Even better, a space you can rent out when you need extra income. Here are some ideas.

Exterior of a white-sided backyard building or ADU with string lights, outdoor seating and dining, and a BBQ.
Photo by Hansphoto via unsplash.com/license

Do you have a shed, exterior home office, or outbuilding? Convert to a mini-vacay spot!

A person in motion walking through a living room with white wood panelled walls, a wood-burning fireplace in the corner, a standing lamp next to a blue two seater sofa, and two arm chairs with woven blankets on the backs. A wooden coffee table is placed between the seating, and there's a table lamp visible below a round mirror on the wall. A large window to a patio or exterior space allows bright light to stream into the room.
Photo by Hansphoto via unsplash.com/license

This isn’t a full rental, so you don’t need to provide a kitchen. People don’t want to cook on vacation! Just give them a cozy spot to relax, and a table for take-out.

A white bedroom with two walls of curtains, one behind a white wooden bed and purple pillows, a purple blanket across the foot of the bed, and the rest in white linens. Two sets of towels are on the bed, one is pink and one is white in each set. A pair of matching bedside tables with lamps sit either side of the bed. A small white desk with a black chair is visible at the end of the room, and a white dresser with a television and fan is nearby the desk. Three black ceiling lights are angled at the desk and dresser. The flooring is light-colored hardwood.
Photo by Hello Aesthe via unsplash.com/license

If the bedroom is light and breezy, sleep will be easy.

An exterior view of a tree-lined small wooden deck with 2 chairs, a side table, exterior rug, and a large potted plant with flowers. Behind is a screened porch with a dining or seating area and string lights overhead. You can see through to the green trees beyond, and a red building in the distance. Grasses surround the edges of the wooden deck, with two more large potted green plants at the front.
Photo by Hansphoto via unsplash.com/license

Outside seating is perfect for relaxation and enjoying nature.

Outside a white wooden paneled building are two dark-colored outdoor loveseats with off-white cushions and a square firepit table on a small rug on the dark wood decking. In the corner sits a silver and black BBQ. String lights hang from the corner of the building into the trees, over the deck and seating.
Photo by Hansphoto via unsplash.com/license

Amenities like a dry bar, fire pit, or BBQ will attract vacationers, and be fun for you, too!

Kimball Starr designs beautiful homes with backyard buildings / ADUs throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or in-person consultation!

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Luxury Bathroom Remodel

May 25, 2026 | Posted in Before & After |

I’m frequently asked how to transform dark, cramped bathrooms into light and airy spaces. Oh, and also to make the space look high-end, luxury, or upscale as well, without breaking the bank. A request that might seem impossible, but I’ve done it here!

Bathroom remodel showing pale blue tinted wall and ceiling color, 90-degree angled white porcelain floor tiles, white wood vanity with a white counter and a mirror above with white glass sconces either side. To the left is a shower with white subway tiles and silver fixtures, and to the right is a stained glass window.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

This San Francisco bathroom was drowning in dark, outdated tiling with the toilet, tub, and sink all in tan. While I appreciate the effort from the original installer to color-coordinate everything, it unfortunately hasn’t stood the test of time, as you can see below in these “before” photos I took on-site.

BEFORE: 2 photos of an outdated San Francisco residential bathroom with tan tub, tan sink, matching tan tiling and towel rails, plus orangey-red edge tiles that are triangles pointed down, with dingy white painted walls above. This bathroom needs a luxury remodel!
BEFORE photo by Kimball Starr

The lonely mirror looked unfinished above a motel-style tiled edge, and the lighting was severely lacking. Those triangle tiles remind me of broken teeth!

Bathroom with pale blue tinted wall and ceiling color, 90-degree angled white porcelain floor tiles, white wood vanity with a white counter surface, silver hardware, and a silver-framed mirror above with silver and white glass sconces either side. To the left is a walk-in glass shower with white subway tiles, a real Calacatta and Celeste marble patterned shower wall niche, complementary angled white porcelain marble-look floor tiles, and silver shower fixtures.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

What a change in the AFTER! To make the room feel bigger, I turned the floor tiles at a 45-degree angle, which visually widens the space and feels more welcoming, and kept the color palette to pale light tones. The angled flooring is repeated in the shower pan in a smaller-scale pattern, the repetition of materials visually elongating the entire bathroom. All the flooring is durable, stain-proof, and maintenance-free porcelain that replicates the look of Calacatta marble.

Shower wall inset niche, pattern created in pearly white Calacatta marble, shaped almost like snowflakes, alternating with speckled pale blue diamond-shaped Celeste marble, framed by off-white subway tiles.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

To create a high-end look, we added a custom detail for the shower niche. We splurged on real Calacatta and blue Celeste marble, and had our custom pattern fabricated just for us. The added bonus of having the marble recessed inside the niche and on a vertical surface means there will be minimal issues with staining.

BEFORE remodel image: Open window above tan square tiles with orange-red subway tile edging plus downpointing "teeth"-effect tiles in the same orange-red, and a towel rail matching the tan squares. The tiling continues around the corner into a step-in arch-fronted shower with curtain pushed back to the right side. The rest of the painted walls are off-white.
BEFORE photo by Kimball Starr

Another way I opened up and lightened the space was by relocating the toilet where the shower enclosure was previously located. That allowed us to remove all the old shower tile, add a second window for more light, and brighten up the walls with a soft shade of blue.

Corner view of bathroom showing white counter surface and white wood cabinetry with square silver hardware that matches the silver taps and mirror frame, and one visible of a pair of silver sconces with white glass shades. Next to the light fixture and above the silver double towel rail, are two windows at a 90-degree angle creating a light-filled corner coming in to the space - the window facing the sink is a custom stained glass feature window - and to the right side of the second window sits the toilet in its new location.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

A favorite custom detail is the stained glass window. The homeowner found a pattern she loved, and we had the stained glass window fabricated for us, installed to the right of the vanity. Custom elements like this and the marble shower niche elevate a simple utilitarian area into a higher-end space that’s unique and sophisticated.

Custom stained glass window with a prairie-style pattern almost like an arrow coming down from the sky, above a silver double towel rail, and next to a sconce light fixture in matching silver with a white glass shade. The walls are a pale blue and contrast with the white trim.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

Completing the bathroom with paint in a soft powdery blue color gives enough contrast to the white fixtures and finishes to make the space interesting, while maintaining the serene and airy look.

If you’re due for a bathroom update, and are excited to bring in custom design elements for a luxurious space, contact Kimball Starr today!

Kimball Starr Interior Design works with homeowners all across Northern California to create beautiful “afters” of bathrooms, kitchens, and interior spaces throughout your home. Message her for a remote or in-person consultation.

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Award Winner + Client Praise

May 11, 2026 | Posted in Starr Spotlight |

Black background with white writing: We Won Best of Houzz! Design. A green slanted building with white Houzz logo in top left corner, bearing writing in white: 2026 Best of Houzz Design. Little green circles or bubbles in varying transparency are scattered across the black background.
Graphic courtesy Houzz

I’m so proud to announce that we’ve been awarded Best of Houzz for the 14th time, as winners of the Houzz Design category this year!

There are new projects in our Houzz profile featuring fully renovated properties and smaller projects such as custom kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms, so please go enjoy yourself.

Living room with white walls and ceiling, purple sofa with matching footrest, orange patterned rug, 2 purple chairs facing the sofa, a glass coffee table, and 3 jewel-green poufs tucked underneath a slatted wooden wall with under-mount lighting that shows off the large television. Pillows, bird sculptures, artwork, and tableside lamps provide interest. The floor is a medium warm wood color. Light streams in through the double window, while recessed lighting is also provided above.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

It’s also my pleasure to share that one of my clients wrote a glowing Yelp review of our project together. I’m thrilled that she loves it so much.

A close-up view of the corner with the purple sofa and throw pillows, 5 framed photos on the wall behind, one of which is pink and the rest are black and white, with 3 more small artworks on the 90-degree wall. A light green ceramic lamp with a gold lampshade sits on the narrow white side table, casting light and shadows.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

What a fabulous use of color – AND she’s one of my favorite clients of all time BECAUSE of her desire for color and texture!

Looking from behind the green dining table chairs and warm wood table dressed with orange and green flowers and an artichoke, we can see the living room just beyond, with the purple couch, framed photos, side tables, and lamps.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

You have to experience the space as a whole, because the colors draw you in further as you see how the dining room tones with the kitchen, and the living room contrasts with the dining area.

A head-on look at the kitchen, with upper and lower cabinets in moss green and gold hardware, contrasting the white marble-look counters and backsplash. A black and gold faucet hangs over the silver undermount sink to the right side. A black with silver range and silver hood above sit in the center. A window is peeking off to the right behind the sink.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

Green is still a popular kitchen color, especially when mixed with gold hardware, black accessories, and white marble surfaces.

A mostly-white bathroom with black hardware. A skylight above provides light in addition to the recessed lighting above the shower, which is glass with black framing and has black shower handle and knobs. A lighted recessed shower niche is filled with off-white tiles that match the rest of the shower, while the off-white and grey floor tiles are coordinating but not matching. A white toilet sits between the shower and the sink, which is finished with dark wood cabinetry and marble-look counters. Two artworks are framed in black on the wall above the toilet.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

In the bathroom, black hardware counterpoints the oversize white floor tiles, and a modern lighted shower niche inset is beautiful and useful.

A five-star Yelp review from Laura G on 1/15/26 reads: Kimball is absolutely incredible--I had never hired an interior designer in my life, but then I was so overwhelmed by the task of furnishing a new house that I decided professional help was in order. Kimball got back to my initial query right away, offered an informed and realistic quote, and outlined her process in an appealing and accessible way. Then I learned that not only is she an excellent communicator and business operator-- she is a style genius. I gave her a deranged word salad of the aesthetic I was looking for and she outlines it into an action plan, developed a gorgeous color palette, taught me how to do simple home edits and fixes myself, offered a bunch of insider discounts, provided a range of price point choices for various items, helped me place orders, and made sure every single order was correct. At one point, she even came to my house to personally install two lamps and a rug because I was out of town when they delivered. When another lamp arrived damaged, she got me a replacement for free. By the end of her process, I was living in the most gorgeously decorated house I've ever seen, and the total expenditures came out significantly UNDER her original estimate. I loved working with Kimball and would recommend her to anyone! Underneath is a reply from Kimball, which says, Thank you so incredibly much for your kind words. You were an absolutely joy to work with! I'm happy you love your newly designed space as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Client review courtesy Laura G. and Yelp

If you have questions about materials, colors, methods, or furniture, I’m happy to answer.

Kimball Starr designs beautiful homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for an in-person or remote consultation.

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