Quarantine Together: Tips for Better Work and Home Life

Jun 15, 2020 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

Tips on quarantining together for both work and interpersonal relationships. Two modern white leather chairs in the Barcelona style on a light colored carpet next to a dark, full-length curtain in purplish-blue with a gold trim about one foot from the floor. Between the two chairs is a glass side table. All sit in front of a floor-to-ceiling window with warm wood trim. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Since Shelter-In-Place orders were given by many cities, counties and states in late March and early April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have already been quarantined together at home with your family or partner for some time.

You might have run into some challenges in working effectively from home and maintaining your interpersonal relationships due to these close quarters. I’m right there with you! So today I’m sharing some of my best tips for working and living together during extended quarantine.

A casual office space showing grey tiled flooring, white and light-wood stools, plus metal chairs with lime-green padded seats and backs surrounding a white pedestal table. The two seating areas are separated by tall green living hedges in white rectangular planters. — *Photo courtesy Pinterest user Architonic for Greenworks*

Create Visual Separation

I live in a loft in San Francisco, which comes with even more challenges than for those who share a house or apartment, which at least gives you some separation by rooms with walls and doors. So my first tip for those living and working together in a loft, studio, or a single room is to create some visual separation.

In a bedroom loft with no operable window, by definition 50% of the wall area must remain open. My partner decided to build a wall, and created a large window within the wall to meet this requirement.

But what if you can’t do any construction? A quick solution is to install a drapery track and hang retractable full-length draperies. If that’s not an option, another easy way is to place tall plants, standing room dividers, or a folding screen to form a visual barrier between areas. For added flexibility, put your plants on stands with wheels!

Two men sit across from each other at a desk with adjustable task lamps. The closest person is wearing black headphones. — *Photo courtesy Valuepenguin.com*

Create Sound Privacy

Visual separation is only the first step. If you both need to be on conference calls or Zoom meetings at the same time, or one partner needs to sleep while the other works, sound privacy is essential. Using noise-cancelling headphones are key!

Wired headphones are fine, but wireless headphones will maximize your freedom and ability to move around the space without interrupting your call. Also great for watching TV or streaming movies while your partner works or sleeps. If you don’t like headphones, place surround sound speakers close to your head to minimize sound transference.

A bathroom showing a walk-in shower with blue and grey tiling on the walls and tan floor tiles, plus a corner seat. Outside the shower, the tan countertop tones with the warm red wood cabinetry and dark metal drawer pulls. A vase with two fresh white flowers dresses the counter, in front of a mirror and sconce light. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Keep or Establish a Schedule

Not knowing when things are happening can be a source of stress for people living and working in close quarters, so I recommend keeping a similar schedule to the one you had pre-quarantine, or establishing a new quarantine schedule.

Waking and sleeping at the same times each day is proven to be healthy for our bodies and minds, year-round. Having an established, set time when you’re going to be working and when you’re off the clock helps partners and children to be respectful of your needs, and stops those embarrassing video-conference background interruptions from happening as often.

A woman dressed in bright purple jacket and black pants walks her Golden Retriever dog in the park. — *Photo courtesy Pawderosa Ranch*

Take Time Alone

Sometimes you just need some me-time. Before the quarantine, you might have gotten that during your gym session or on your commute. Now that those have been eliminated or taken a different form, it’s even more important to create time and space just for yourself.

A great way to do this is to take a walk (with a face covering and socially distanced, of course). Go to the park, around the block, walk your dog, or walk to the grocery store.

Another tip is to walk to your service calls or essential in-person work activities. Yes, you can still drive or use public transit, but why do that when you can be enjoying the fresh air, birds, and trees?

If you can’t leave the house, a good way to get some alone time is in your personal oasis, your bathroom. Make sure to let your partner know you’re going to be using the bathroom longer than usual, then light some candles or incense, dim the lights, and take a long bath or shower. Maybe read a book, listen to a podcast or some relaxing music while you use a face-mask or other beauty products. You’ll come out refreshed and happy.

Use these tips to make your quarantine life easier, and carry them over into your regular life, too, when you can get back to it. A happy home life makes everything easier!

A relaxing bedroom scene showing floor to ceiling obscured window walls on the left, a tan wall color with silver, gold, and copper palms as decoration above a dark headboard bed dressed with white sheets, and throw pillows in light blue, gold, and textured tan. Two hanging pendant lights are above the wooden side table to the left of the bed. At the foot of the bed is a paisley patterned blanket in shades of blue and grey. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

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

Labels: bathroom, bedroom, home office, loft, quarantine, tips

How to Design Feng Shui Interiors

Jun 01, 2020 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

A warm wood-cladded dining room with a modern table and chairs under a circular chandelier also allows a peek into the cornflower-blue, white and silver kitchen just around the corner. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

The ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui seems mysterious, but it’s really about finding a balance between elements, and encouraging the flow of energy. One way this philosophy can be applied is in the creation and design of interior spaces. Here are a few pointers for beginners.

Incorporating feng shui goes deeper than Western design themes based on physical comfort or aesthetic. Feng shui emphasizes physical and mental health, success, and healthy relationships, all of which are brought about through positive energy flow.

Closeup of a bedroom showing two papier-mache wall sconces either side o a bed dressed in tan linens and navy blue pillows, perfectly balanced in pairs, underneath a navy blue and white striped rectangular piece of art hung above the bedhead. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Known as the art of placement, feng shui is about positioning different elements to optimize Chi, or energy. The term is comprised of two words: feng meaning wind, and shui meaning water. Both these elements are vital to human life, and also are expressed by their qualities of flow and movement.

The first step in designing with feng shui is to clear the energy that came before and still resides in the space. In Western terms, clear the clutter!

A San Francisco courtyard centered around a tiled Moroccan water feature. A modern patio table and chairs hugs the wall under an outdoor sconce light, near a bright orange bench seat in sun-friendly fabric, sitting atop large rust-colored floor tiles. Potted plants and wall planters provide pops of greenery. A green and blue patterned rug announces the transition between outdoors and indoors. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

The next most basic part of the process is to ensure you have good air quality and natural light. This means removing anything that blocks light and air circulation in front of your windows, or providing options that allow in more light, such as sheers, in addition to drapes, which hold energy in.

Color is important in good design from every tradition. Use blues and greens in calming spaces, and reds and yellows to energize. Red is also known as a lucky color in Chinese culture, so utilize that to increase your luck.

9 squares forming a feng shui bagua map. Top row is wealth in navy blue, element Wood, then Fame in bright red, element Fire, Love in darker red, element Earth. Second row is Family in lime green, element Wood, then Health in yellow, element Earth, then Children in lavender, element Metal. Bottom row is Wisdown in kelly green, element Earth, then Career in dark grey, element Water, and finally Helpful People in silver, element Metal. — *Bagua Map courtesy Invaluable.com*

Use the Chinese bagua map to analyze and create an energy map of your home. Traditionally this is based around compass directions, however, a Western method is to overlay your floor plan with a bagua map that has nine quadrants.

Align the front door with one of the bottom three squares, facing south, to maximize the sun’s energy each day. Then update each space according to its energy flow, by color and element in each quadrant.

The 9 boxes and colors from the feng shui bagua map are overlayed with a floor plan of a home, with the front door aligned at the center bottom. — *Bagua Map Floor Plan courtesy Invaluable.com*

Some general rules to go by:

Look at the big picture of the whole house, or if you’re doing a single room, how the space flows into other related spaces.
Place your bed, sofa and desk facing a door but not too close to it, to maximize power and minimize vulnerability.
Don’t leave cabinet doors open – they stop energy flow through a room.
Don’t place a mirror opposite your bed because it will reduce the energy in your romantic relationship.
Don’t use spikey plants indoors because they deflect energy. Leave those outside instead, and use rounded-leaf plants inside, providing an additional benefit of clean indoor air.

A wall sculpture made of driftwood branches dressed with air plants and mosses, hung above a bright blue modern sideboard. Below the sculpture sits a small triangular gold lamp, a silver bowl with metal balls, a stack of turquoise tiles and a vase with a sprig of greenery. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Use modern décor items as feng shui cures for specific needs, or to encourage the right kind of energy in the space. There are five major elements that affect energy in feng shui, each representing different aspects of a healthy life:

Wood – growth and vitality

Use wood items in your space to encourage personal growth. Plants and wooden furniture are easy ways to add this element.

Metal – logic and intelligence

Increase knowledge and mental sharpness with metal items. Add this element to your interiors with metal frames and lamps.

Earth – stability and balance

Helps to ground and stabilize. Bring the earth element inside with crystals, stone items and landscape imagery or photography.

Water – wisdom and serenity

Assists with clarity and relaxation. Mirrors, reflective surfaces and aquariums can add a water element to your space, and are cooling in nature.

Fire – passion and energy

Representative of transformation, expansion and volatility – hot in nature. Use candles and red objects to enhance your space with fire.

My feng shui instructor shares that in the bedroom, it’s important to use things in pairs to attract a partner. One nightstand and one lamp isn’t appealing to a second person – it would make them feel as if you didn’t take them into consideration. Likewise, arrange your bedroom furniture so that two people can easily move around without conflict. This not only attracts a mate, but facilitates a healthy relationship.

A contemporary bedroom showing a padded grey headboard and matching footboard. Three white pillows at the back, layered with three yellow pillows, layered with a further set of smaller yellow and white and grey pillows, on top of a yellow and grey comforter. Either side of the bed are yellow bedside tables, with white bubble lamps and yellow-and-white flower-patterned lampshades, nicely balanced. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Kimball Starr Interior Design can transform a single room or your entire home using feng shui principles. Contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: art, bedroom, color, Feng Shui, floor plan, kitchen, light, lighting design, living room

Gentleman’s Living and Dining

May 18, 2020 | Posted in Before & After |

A modern classic style living room in a gentleman's condo. At the front of the view is the back of a red velvet sofa. In the center of the room, a light-colored octagonal footstool used as a table, with two dark brown leather club chairs with American flag pillows either side. Beyond the club chairs, a light blue custom-made chaise lounge in front of a Crafstman-style window. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal*

Nothing is so instantly pleasing as looking at before-and-after photos. Today we’re talking about transforming a living and dining area so that the spaces flow into each other.

My client’s San Francisco Bay Area condo has good bones, with strong Craftsman lines and gorgeous built-ins. We wanted to highlight those, creating a masculine, comfortable, modern classic living room.

A living room view shows a bright blue sofa with dark blue patterned throw pillows, in front of a large Craftsman-style window, with green trees outside. The walls are half-covered in warm wood paneling. — *BEFORE*

A custom-made light-blue chaise lounge sits atop a sheepskin rug, next to a triple-legged side table, dressed with several throw pillows, a tan blanket and an open book, in front of a large picture window without any window coverings, revealing a view of green trees. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal*

To increase circulation space and take advantage of the natural light streaming through those beautiful wood frame windows, I replaced the bright blue sofa with a sky-blue custom-made chaise lounge, and a sheepskin rug. Now it’s the perfect corner for a cup of coffee with a book, or just to daydream.

A Craftsman-style wood fireplace surround, with a built-in bookshelf to the right. To the left, wood paneling and a sliver of a bright blue sofa. To the right, a grey sofa with black pillows, in front of a large wooden coffee table. Two wall sconces are lit above the fireplace. — *BEFORE*

The same living room, now with artwork above the fireplace and a large vase of flowers in front of it. Next to the fireplace, one of two dark brown leather club chairs, with American flag pillows sit atop a bright blue rug. In the center, a horsehair octagonal footstool is used as a table, with a tray of drinks. To the right, a red velvet sofa with throw pillows. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal*

I used a mix of primary colors with neutrals to create interest and bring out warm tones in the wood, especially the fireplace. An oversized octagonal animal-hide footstool doubles as a surface for a tray of drinks. The deep blue rug is cozy underfoot, while a pair of leather club chairs makes room circulation a breeze, across from a red velvet sofa to enjoy the view.

A double aspect window corner dining space is defined by a bright red carpet. Modern dining chairs are upholstered in two fabrics, bright yellow on the fronts, and stripey yellow and white on the chair backs. The pedestal dining table is dressed with tea and strawberries, plus a bowl of flowers. — *AFTER Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal*

Because the living room flows directly into the dining area, I continued the primary color palette and touchable fabrics, covering the dining chairs in a buttery yellow velvet, and the chair backs in a complementary pattern. We refrained from using any window dressings, to maximize light, views, and the Craftsman wood features. Now it’s both classy and comfortable when our gentleman wants to welcome guests, or just enjoy the spaces on his own.

Kimball Starr Interior Design transforms individual rooms or whole home spaces. Contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: colorful dining chairs, colorful dining room, contemporary dining room, Craftsman style, dining room, fireplace, living room, wood paneling

Gorgeous Gardens

May 04, 2020 | Posted in Inspirations |

It’s spring again! Today I’m sharing ideas to envy and inspire your patio, courtyard, front garden or city back yard.

Garden Pathways

A cobalt-blue bordered pathway of multicolored and patterned tiles stretches through flowers and greenery to a cottage-style shed at the back of a garden. — *Image courtesy user Homimu via Pinterest*

Wouldn’t it be a lovely way to start each day, walking along a colorful garden pathway like this one? Pick a theme or mix-n-match geometric shapes and patterns.

A pathway created of round log slices is dotted between tall grasses and pink and purple flowers, extending towards a fence at the back of this country garden. — *Image courtesy user Homimu via Pinterest*

A log pathway works well with Craftsman-style homes, or any garden space that emphasizes natural materials like wood.

Outdoor Living Rooms

Comfortable outdoor patio furniture in woven wood-tone with lime-green pillows, a lime-green umbrella with a built-in light, and blue and pink LED lighted square tables make this a fun place to socialize with friends. — *Kimball Starr Interior Design / Photo by Eric Rorer*

In my client’s Palo Alto condo, I created an outdoor room against a living wall. Sheltered by a modern umbrella with a built-in light, comfortable outdoor loveseats and chairs with pillows in colorful, sun-safe fabrics pair easily with a striped ottoman. The two color-changing cubes act as cocktail tables, providing additional light and a techy taste of fun.

Grey slatted fencing form a corner of a yard with greenery above and behind. In front of the fending sits an outdoor living room, with grey woven chairs and footstools plus a grey bench seat with striped throw pillows surround a small table. Triangles form geometric patterns on the tiling underneath, forming a visual rug on a slab of concrete underfoot. — *Image courtesy Trendedecor.com*

The tiling on this outdoor patio acts as an area rug, defining the living space. A pair of chairs, footstools and a table complement bench seating, nestled into a sunny garden corner.

Outdoor Lighting

Warm reddish brown slatted wood fencing forms a corner behind a tree. Lights wash ivy tendrils hanging down the wall created by the fence, pooling in the green plants below. To the right is a modern, white rectangular table and two white chairs. A wooden bench seat is at the front, with more plantings in the center front. To the bottom right of the image is a grey outdoor sofa with throw pillows. Large grey slate tiles are both flooring and path underfoot. — *Image courtesy user digsdigs via Pinterest*

Add lighting to your outdoor spaces, both for safety and beautiful effect. Wall-washing outdoor fencing with uplights and downlights creates a cool effect against wooden slatted fencing and greenery.

A pathway is created by mid-calf-height lights in a row either side to a pergola. A canopy effect is created with string lights from the pergola's roof interior. Tall stake-lights provide area lighting just behind the seating, while table candles give that perfect intimate touch. Trees and plants are uplit dramatically all around. — *Image courtesy BeautyHarmonyLife.com*

Here’s someone who really went all-out on their lighting design, creating a pathway to the pergola, and a canopy effect with string lights. Tall stake-lights provide area lighting just behind the seating, while table candles give that perfect intimate touch.

Courtyards and Patios

= A private interior courtyard in this Folsom Street San Francisco home looks like you’re actually somewhere in the Mediterranean or Morocco, with an intricately tiled water feature in front of a high wooden privacy fence, hung with multiple planters. The ground is covered in a coppery oversized tile, and a round table and blue chairs sits next to a plain grey wall, topped with a vase of flowers. In the foreground, an orange seat peaks through, while to the left we can just see a lime green, turquoise blue and brown geometric patterned indoor-outdoor rug. — *Kimball Starr Interior Design / Photo by Eric Rorer*

In another design for one of my clients, a private interior courtyard in this Folsom Street San Francisco home looks like you’re actually somewhere in the Mediterranean or Morocco, with an intricately tiled water feature in front of a high wooden privacy fence, hung with multiple planters, and plenty of seating options. Truly a city oasis!

Kimball Starr Interior Design nurtures gorgeous indoor-outdoor spaces in San Francisco bay area and Lake Tahoe homes. Contact her for a consultation!

Labels: backyard living, color, garden, lighting, outdoor, outdoor spaces, small space living, tiling

Winner Houzz Best Service 2020

Apr 20, 2020 | Posted in Starr Spotlight |

Left corner of a white farmhouse style kitchen showing open shelving with potted herbs and plants, a grey countertop over white cabinetry with silver drawer pulls, and a round metal pendant light. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

We’re proud to share Kimball Starr Interior Design has been awarded Best of Service by Houzz again in 2020! It’s our 8^th win!

If you haven’t visited (and you should), Houzz is a social platform connecting homeowners and residential interior design professionals.

View from a dining area into an open plan living space. At the forefront is a mid-century modern wood table and wooden chairs with multicolor fabric seats and backs. Plants and natural driftwood sculptures appears at the back walls. A bright window wall and double door all made of glass stream light into the living space. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

This award shows that our work is popular with clients, as do our 26 reviews and 15 projects with over 50,000 Houzz ideabook saves.

A modern bathroom in textured grey-brown tiling with a white bathtub and clear glass wall with door on simple hinges. A white towel hangs from a wall rail. Large tan floor tiles are just visible at the bottom, while a white ceiling shows a recessed light above the shower and tub. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

We transform kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms – any space in your home that needs some TLC.

A modern compact U-shaped kitchen, with a silver and black range and oven at the center, and matching microwave above it. The top cabinets are a light grey with round silver handles, while the lower cabinets are a darker grey with horizontal silver drawer pulls and handles. The flooring is a multicolor horizontal pattern. The countertops are an off-white, with grey multishaded subway tiles as backsplash and running throughout the kitchen walls. The countertops are dressed with fruit and vegetables and bottled water in glass, plus a topiary-style plant. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

We do new construction, and specialize in renovations. We have excellent relationships with contractors, so your project will be done on time and done right, as our Houzz award shows.

A comfortable mid-century modern living room, with an orangey-brown leather loveseat at left, dressed with fluffy and patterned throw pillows, a blue-grey sofa at the back wall, with more pillows, a fluid-shaped coffee table, two vintage lamps, and a footstool and colorful patterned chair framing the view into the space. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Our firm has been winning awards for many years now. Recently, we were named one of the top 20 interior design firms in San Francisco by Brightech, where they featured our vintage mid-century modern bungalow design.

Looking for an award-winning, fun firm for a new home design or renovation? Look no further than Kimball Starr Interior Design – contact us today for a consultation!

Labels: awards, bathroom, bedroom, contemporary interior design, dining room, guest bedroom, Houzz, kitchen, living room, modern style

Wellness Design is Trending

Apr 06, 2020 | Posted in Trends |

View into the Prado Restaurant, showing a pergola with hanging vines and greenery high above a seating area. — *Prado restaurant design by ARKSTUDIO / Photo by Rodrigo Cardos*

In advance of Earth Day on April 22, and also because we’ve been dealing with a global pandemic that’s keeping us indoors more than usual, we’re talking about wellness design for interiors.

Wellness is much more than just going to a spa or doing yoga, it’s a movement that values a whole spectrum of healthy lifestyle choices, from exercise, fitness, and nutrition to living in balance, developing healthy social connections, emphasizing relaxation and joyful experiences, and valuing mindfulness and slower living. It also means creating and living in spaces that nourish our mind and body. Here are a few concepts to get started.

Biophilic Design

An indoor-outdoor room, with a step-down pool and tall plants at the back, then a concrete flooring that runs into the indoor area, with a rattan lounge chair, wooden side table, and a floor lamp in front of thick tan curtains. A rug peeks from beneath a table and bench at the right, cut off from full view. — *Image courtesy Taylor Simpson on Unsplash*

Biophilia means that people have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and life, an inherent human connection to the natural world. Biophilic design harnesses this affinity to create more natural environments in which to live, work, and play. Designs that connect us to nature are proven by research to inspire, boost our productivity and contribute to better overall wellbeing.

A narrow hospital room is transformed by painting the walls off-white and lilac, adding window dressings, on the right wall is a full-height and full-length mural showing a lake and red flowers and greenery. A moveable chest of drawers in coordinating lilac is dressed with fresh white flowers. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

In my design work, I frequently bring the outdoors in and create indoor environments that reference nature. A few years ago I donated my services to redesign this chemotherapy treatment room at Marin Cancer Care hospital.

At bottom a bright blue console table supports a bronze lamp, silver bowl, and fresh fronds in a low vase, while above on the wall hangs a natural driftwood sculpture with airplants and moss. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

This mid-century living room is made more inviting by a driftwood sculptural wall feature with air plants and moss, softening the hard edges of modern design styles.

Color Design

A condo's living room features a white ceiling and walls next to a full-height window wall, and an inset feature wallpaper in a grey floral pattern. In front of that, at the left of the image, is a grey sofa dressed with multiple purple and yellow throw pillows plus a yellow blanket hanging over the closest arm, with two grey table lamps atop side tables either end of the sofa. A pair of small coffee tables sit atop a brightly colored huge azalea area rug in purple, pink, lilac, and grey, with a pair of yellow slipper chairs at the back, in front of the window wall. Light is streaming in. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Color has a strong influence on the mood of a room and how it makes you feel. Lighter colors are considered to be airy and make rooms feel larger and brighter by bouncing light around. Darker colors are more formal, feeling intimate. Neutrals of black, gray, white and brown can be used on their own, or to establish a balance when combined with active or passive colors.

A guest bedroom in shades of tangerine, including the walls, the triple artwork hung above the bed, tan curtains in a slightly darker orange pattern reveal a window at the right. On the wood flooring is a white lattice patterned rug with an orange field color, and two different side tables hold a small orange lamp and a vase of fresh flowers, either side of the bed, which is dressed with layers of tan, brown, grey, white and red-patterned pillows, atop crisp white linens, a tan comforter and an orange blanket on top. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Active colors like orange, yellow and pink are bright and excite the mind, boosting creativity, while red is known to stimulate the appetite. Passive colors like blue and green are cool, calming the mind and aiding mental focus and relaxation. Colors should be customized to your own personal tastes.

A high-rise condo's living room shows two window walls meeting at a corner with a view of the city at the rear, and track lighting above. In front, a red sofa with yellow and blue throw pillows, a pair of yellow modern chairs, a pair of yellow and grey patterned tub chairs, surround a glass coffee table with two red poufs nearby. All sit atop a large black rug with white radial lines emanating from one end. A dining table peeks from the right side, surrounded by red modern dining chairs. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Make sure your colors also coordinate with each other, so that you aren’t disturbed by moving between spaces, and are pleased when viewing spaces in the same line of sight together. A good designer will take all these things into consideration when creating your home’s interiors.

Lighting Design

A light and bright farmhouse kitchen features white cabinetry and silver drawer pulls and handles, grey countertops, and white and light tan tiling. A metal pendant light hangs at the center, above penny floor tiles that meet warm wood in the dining area. To the left, a wooden butcher block surface is built-in to the counter, with a wooden-seat metal counter seat. Light streams in from a window at the far right, with a hint of tan curtain pulled to the side, and a tan wall paint with white trim below. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Light is one of the most important elements in home design. Living spaces designed around natural light sources, smart lighting systems to better match the natural rhythms of our bodies, and artificial lighting that mimics daylight are all ways to address our need for appropriate interior light.

A traditional living and dining space in a high-rise condo, with a huge expanse of windows at the back, showing a city skyline. Multiple brown leather chairs and loveseats with throw pillows surround a glass and metal oval coffee table on top of a red-patterned oriental rug. To the right, a dining area is dressed with flowers and food and drink. Light streams in from the windows, hitting the blond wood flooring. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Natural daylight provides a tremendous health and wellness boost, improving productivity, alertness, and even mood. We need vitamin D from natural daylight to absorb calcium and other minerals in food. Daylight inhibits the production of melatonin, which ensures that we get tired when it’s dark outside, while cortisol does the opposite, making us alert and focused, triggered by daylight. Getting the balance right is key to enjoying your home.

Kimball Starr Interior Design can create a healthy and beautiful home environment just for you – Contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: color, green design, healthy interiors, light, lighting, lighting design, nature, outdoor spaces, paint colors, plants, wellness design

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