Welcome Halloween

Oct 07, 2019 | Posted in Inspirations |

As the nights grow longer, autumn turns leaves and pumpkins lovely shades of orange and gold, and we look forward to Halloween. Here are some of my favorite creative yard and entry designs for a spooky All Hallows Eve!

E.T. Bike Fly

Photo of a front porch with a double bicycle ridden by two skeletons in red hooded sweatshirts and a bike basket with a small dog skeleton, suspended above the porch decking, in front of evergreen trees and a large moon — Image courtesy Baxter’s Skeleton Decorations

Appealing to 80s kids as well as today’s, E.T. can still scare us just a little! A single bicycle and skeleton would do also, with a stuffed E.T. toy in the basket.

Ghostly Snack

Photo of a skeleton swathed in white gauze with a single black chain across its arms, hanging down in front. On the white cloth dining table in the foreground, a black candelabra with white candles, a black pumpkin emblazoned with Trick or Treat, a wire metal cake stand with a small skull on a bed of moss, and a bowl of orange-wrapped candies on a spiderweb table mat are ready for neighborhood visitors to snack on. — *Image courtesy diyshowoff.com*

Stop by for a bite! Whether the kids want a meal or just a snack, this ghoulish spectre offers a table full of dark delights. For a bigger display, use a full-size dining table in your yard, and set places for your in-laws!

Raven Porch

In a subtly designed Halloween decorated entrance photo, the basic light-colored front porch and black front door have a vertical left window featuring a painted white highlight wood surround. The porch is decorated with black ravens sitting atop sticks that look like bare-branched trees. All black and all white pumpkins surround the bases of the trees. On the door, a handmade black-and-white wreath hangs from a black ribbon, adorned with a black bird silhouette, holding a black branch. — *Image courtesy createcraftlove.com*

If traditional Halloween colors of orange and black don’t appeal, why not try something like this spooky raven-inspired front porch design? Black ravens are balanced with a ghostly white pumpkin arrangement and natural branches for an effective seasonal feeling.

Crime Scene

Simple to create, a clever crime scene will scare your neighbors, and might dig up some real dirt.

Haunted Foxhunt

Photo of a front yard with green lawn and bushes as a backdrop to a white skeleton of a female rider wearing black skirt and sweater with a black and white hat, atop a white skeleton horse with a saddle and bridle, followed by a white skeleton dog nipping the heels of the horse. — *Image courtesy kidfriendlythingstodo.com*

This homeowner didn’t stop with just a single dog, horse and skeletal rider in their yard – they created a whole haunted foxhunt, with 3 skeleton horses and multiple dogs! Last year, they added flickering post lamps and ghoulish green ground lights to show the way. I wonder how they’ll improve it for 2019, now in their third year? There’s a 3-minute YouTube video by homeowner Borbala Equestrian from last year.

A Christmas Skeleton Story

Photo of a green-sided porch with an Oriental rug on the ground in front of a black door with wide painted white trim. The Halloween decorations are a Christmas scene from the movie "A Christmas Story", showing a decorated Christmas tree with gifts piled underneath. A skeleton wearing a red and black checked shirt opens a silver zeppelin toy, while his older brother skeleton in black horn-rimmed glasses and a pink bunny suit holds the box for a Red Ryder BB Gun. Behind and to the left, on a side table, a lamp shaped like a leg is proudly displayed. To the right, an old-timey radio stands on a another side table. Torn gift-wrapping paper is strewn about. — *Image courtesy Baxter’s Skeleton Decorations*

This one takes real commitment to the craft – finding a Red Ryder BB gun AND a silver zeppelin, while also decorating a full Christmas tree for the enjoyment of fans will win a major award, seen here back left table.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of fun yard decor and entry designs. Have a safe Halloween holiday season!

If you want help decorating your yard or entrance, get in touch with designer Kimball Starr – she can bring your ideas to life!

Labels: decorations, entrance, entry, Halloween, holiday entertaining, outdoor, outdoor spaces, porch

Custom Designs, Bespoke Furniture

Sep 25, 2019 | Posted in Starr Spotlight |

A soft white woolly rug beckons under the light blue chaise lounge, offering a cozy spot to curl up with a book or take a nap on a rainy day, dressed with pillows and a throw blanket. Beside it is a delicate 3-legged table dressed with orange flowers, a book, and a round curio object. The whole scene is underneath a wide open picture window with warm wood trim, and a sidelight window. — Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Paul Dyer

Sometimes, ordinary just won’t do. Sometimes you need a custom-designed solution to make a space superior.

For example, for a client who loves modern and cozy — design aspects that don’t always go together — I custom-created the fireplace and surround above to contrast with the warm, knotty cedar wood wall construction, and personalized with art and pottery. The stool and rug are perfect for getting the fire started on a chilly night.

Small Spaces, Custom Solutions

View of an oddly-shaped corner space, with a lime-green banquette sofa curving around a clear glass pedestal table dressed with salad and bread for a snack. The rear wall has 3 windows, accented by 5 small wall vases filled with a single branch of greenery each. To the right is a glass entry to a small deck with 2 modern orange chairs and a silver pedestal table. More plantings appear beyond the deck. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

One big challenge in a very small home of just 596 feet was not only the size, but some really odd angles! None of the corners of the house are actually 90 degrees, because it was originally designed around the shape of a crystal.

The entry area corner wall was a 110-degree angle, much to my surprise, so I eased the awkwardness by giving it a pleasing curve, and filled in the space behind it with a wood ledge for display. Underneath the entire length of the seating is an open base where the homeowner can store his hobby items and accessories, such as his keyboard, small guitar, and extra pillows and blankets. Form and function!

Another view of this oddly-shaped corner space, with a lime-green banquette sofa curving around a clear glass pedestal table dressed with salad, fruit, and bread for a snack. The rear wall has 3 windows, accented by 5 small wall vases filled with a single branch of greenery each. On the left wall is a metal relief art piece of birds in a flock. Standing to the left of the banquette is a black guitar on a small wooden stand. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

An ingenious solution for a tiny space is the dual purpose of this glass table: It’s adjustable! It transforms from coffee table to dining table height. I also designed the shape as a rectangle with rounded edges, so nobody gets jabbed moving around the table.

Bespoke Furniture, Classic Interiors

A light-blue custom chaise long with arms is dressed with 3 different patterned and colored pillows, a book, and a textured tan blanket. Next to that is a 3-legged side table dressed with flowers and a small sculptural globe. Both furniture pieces sit atop a fluffy white fur rug, next to a window framed with warm, orangey wood, without any window dressing. Green trees are visible outside the window. — *Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal*

Here is what I like to call a gentleman’s modern classic living room. The homeowner loved his view of Alcatraz and the San Francisco bay out this window, so we needed a sophisticated solution for lounging in front of this bay window. A chaise lounge was the answer, so I designed this custom chaise lounge with arms on both sides— a bit cozier, especially when adding a fur rug, comfy pillows, and blanket. Now it’s the perfect place to read on a foggy (or sunny!) San Francisco day.

If you have a design challenge in need of the perfect custom solution, contact Kimball Starr for a consultation today!

Labels: art, chaise long, custom furniture, dual-use furniture, fireplace, fur rug, pedestal table, storage, wall accents

Design A Home for Life

Sep 09, 2019 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

A close-up view of 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. Here are a few more tips for setting up your forever home.

Photo of 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 with a bright pink seat, and a modern artwork propped up on the top, 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 my 85 y.o. mother 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 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.

Photo of a modern kitchen with light vertically-striated wood cabinets, bronze metal pull handles, 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 small framed art 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 this one, 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 a gorgeous, handmade ceramic tile like the one 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!

Labels: countertops, curbless shower, custom furniture, fixtures & finishes, grab bar, kitchen, kitchen designs, lighting, pendant lights, porcelain tile, recessed lighting, shelving, shower, tiling

Biomorphic Art

Aug 26, 2019 | Posted in Inspirations |

Image of a square hotel in Macau built with a white exoskeleton, pierced three times in the center to create walkways enveloped in the same exoskeleton material. A modern city and streets surround the hotel. — *Image Macau hotel by Zaha Hadid courtesy CommercialInteriorDesign.com*

When the weather turns warm, I love to look outside for inspiration in my work. Artists who utilize natural forms always catch my eye.

Biomorphic forms are the most perfect forms and shapes drawn from nature. They are balanced physically and mathematically, created by nature, so they will naturally be the forms most pleasing to the eye and senses. Architects, designers and artists gain inspiration from these shapes and colors, to make their work more attractive. One such artist is @javiersenosiaina on Instagram. Just look at these beautiful shapes!

Image Nido De Quetzalcoatl courtesy @javiersenosiaina on Instagram. A left wall in a stone tunnel of sparkling mosaic pieces form tall waves or flickering candles, with a sun in the middle near the ceiling. The colors are mostly midnight blue, with sky blue, orange, yellow, gold, and black. The stone is a light tan color. — *Image Nido De Quetzalcoatl courtesy @javiersenosiaina*

I imagine the artist carefully placing each tile as he builds up the pattern, while the sun moves across the sky and changes the reflections and shadows.

Image Interior-Nautilus courtesy Instagram's @javiersenosiaina. A playful, rounded interior space with a yellow built-in sunken seating area at the center is surrounded by green grass. A stone path leads away, past a wall of colorful round stained glass windows like a mosaic, and past a bubble-like shape at the center of the space. The finish of the walls is like hand-made pottery. Plants are growing playfully through holes in the edge of the floor and wall. No right angles, only soft flowing curves. — *Image Interior-Nautilus courtesy @javiersenosiaina*

Here I’m reminded of the Nautilus in Dr. Doolittle, appropriate since it’s modeled on a real-life nautilus shell, which displays its internal chambers arranged in an approximately logarithmic spiral, related to the Fibonacci sequence.

Image Casa Orgánica-Ducha courtesy @javiersenosiaina on Instagram. The photo is of a cave, with a hole in the center of the ceiling where light pours in, and strikes a glass mosaic pool of mostly green with blue and black accents. An off-white shape to the left provides water through its tube-with-a-mouth-like shape. The rest of the space is veiled in darkness. — *Image Casa Orgánica-Ducha courtesy @javiersenosiaina*

This view makes me think of serendipity – finding something unexpected along a journey.

The Wangjing Soho building looks like 3 tall pebbles balanced against each other to stand, with bold lines of windows looking like layers of rock or sediment. The building is surrounded by greenery at the bottom, and a blue sky above. — *Image Wangjing Soho courtesy Cristiano Bianchi at Dezeen*

Another artist who’s famous for her curvaceous shapes is Zaha Hadid. While we sadly lost her in 2016, her amazing work remains to inspire us, like the Wangjing Soho towers in Beijing, curved to look like giant pebbles.

A sexy, curvilicious shaped building rests lightly on a ground of shiny stones, outlined against a soft blue sky. The building itself is white, with black accent lines showing off the curves and hidden surfaces of the windows. — *Image Heydar Aliyev Center Baku courtesy Hufton Crow at Wired.com*

Her work for the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku won the London Design Museum’s Design of the Year award in 2014, embodying Hadid’s signature, voluptuous design.

Image Al Wakrah Stadium courtesy Dezeen, the building is a series of stepped surfaces clad in white that cast light shadows like a ripple. — *Image Al Wakrah Stadium courtesy Dezeen*

The Al Wakrah stadium’s shape is an abstraction of a line of up-turned dhows – traditional boats that can be seen in Al Wakrah’s port in Qatar. The internal structure of the roof was also designed by Hadid to reflect the form of the boats, which is also reminiscent of sand dunes, formed by the wind. I can’t think of a more beautiful profile for a building.

If YOU have a project inspired by biomorphic forms that you want to realize, get in touch with Kimball Starr today!

Labels: art, color, international flavor, nature, outdoor

Luxury Living Room

Aug 12, 2019 | Posted in Before & After |

In high-end residential projects, quality fabrics and furnishings, attention to detail, and partnering with artisan workrooms are what elevates a luxury interior from an average run-of-the-mill interior. Read on to see how we took an outdated, run-down space, and turned it into a timeless, high-end traditional living room.

Light and bright luxury living room showing fireplace with artwork hung above, built-in bookcases, green velvet armchairs across from a periwinkle blue sofa covered in overstuffed high-quality patterned pillows. This sits behind a brown wooden coffee table and beside a gold side lamp, with gold window dressings at either end of wooden window frames, covered by roman shades allowing filtered light into the room. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

In this project, the homeowner is nearing retirement, and wanted a quality luxury interior that complemented the traditional architecture in his “forever” home.

Creating a beautiful foundation for the room starts with the rug. This hand-knotted, hand-dyed Tibetan wool rug from Tufenkian places an heirloom-quality rug center stage.

It’s worth investing in a handmade rug, as the weaving quality and superior hand-dyed subtleties are unattainable in a machine-made rug. I also encourage clients to purchase original artwork you love, or that reminds you of a special time or destination. Here, the artwork coordinates with the rug. Compare the difference between this and the “before” image.

In love with the comfort of the oversize sofa, the homeowner didn’t want to give it up. So we had an expert upholsterer make a slipcover that is such an exact fit, you’d think it was upholstered, while still allowing for ease of cleaning.

Close-up view of the periwinkle blue sofa covered in a tight-fitting upholstered slipcover, finished with overstuffed high-quality patterned pillows, sitting behind a brown wooden coffee table dressed with fresh flowers and books. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Velvets and silks are luxurious fabrics chosen for the handmade accent sofa pillows, filled with sink-in goose down for an incredibly soft feel.

Detail of the window dressings, featuring gold dot-patterned fabric finished with a square green edge pattern and a matching tieback at either end of medium-toned wooden window frames. The windows are covered by textural grass Roman shades, allowing filtered light into the room. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

Opulence and luxury are also expressed through layers of custom window treatments, starting with the practical, woven grass shades that cover the windows in two layers. An operable lining provides privacy behind the grass shades, or a single layer brings in lovely filtered light through the natural grass.

For the decorative portion, the stationary draperies soften the bay windows with a playful polka-dot cut velvet on one side, and an outdoor fabric that is fade-resistant on the backside. When viewed from outside, the sage green lining complements the exterior house color. Linings of your draperies don’t have to be white! We finished off the draperies with a custom designed tieback, accented with raffia to complement the grass shades.

Dark wooden blinds visually block a portion of this room’s windows, and when combined with the dark wood flooring, make it feel heavy. — *BEFORE*

You can see the previous wood shutters visually cut off the windows, made the room too dark, and were impractical to use on a daily basis.

Detail photo of a periwinkle blue sofa with navy contrasting welt and multi-colored luxurious patterned pillows. The window dressings feature gold dot-patterned fabric finished with a square green pattern and a matching tieback. An heirloom-quality glossy wooden three-legged side table supports a golden glass lamp, a vase containing a small fern, and a glass fascinator. Peachy wall color and light-colored wood flooring bounce the filtered light back into the room. — *AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer*

After, quality accessories such as the Italian blown glass lamp topped with a green silk shade and scalloped-edge cherry side table are bespoke, timeless design pieces.

When it comes to luxury, details matter! Taking time to get it right is absolutely worth the attention, an investment you’ll enjoy for years to come.

Do YOU have a luxury interior design project that requires special care? Kimball Starr will ensure a perfect finish – contact her today for a consultation!

Labels: art, color, custom furniture, custom window, fabric, living room, luxury, rug, slipcover, window treatments

California Coastal Living

Jul 29, 2019 | Posted in Inspirations |

View of a living room with a single exposed beam at the ceiling, off-white wall color, curtains, and ceilings, grey and tan toned furniture, with just a few pops of turquoise color brought in with throw pillows. A black fireplace and TV screen above it are the darkest elements in the room, with everything else being soothing shades of neutral colors. — *Image courtesy Freshome.com*

Drop a pin on a map anywhere in Northern California and you’re already close to water – an important element in luxury home design. Today I’m sharing a few aspects of California coastal style that will make your spirit soar!

View of an open-plan living/dining area with off-white wall paint and unadorned white windows on all sides. Dining chairs are medium-toned wood paired with a lighter wood dining table, under a glass and dark metal chandelier. In the living area, loveseats are a pale tan, with a glass-topped rectangular coffee table on dark metal legs. Light-colored hardwood flooring is topped by a white rug to define the living area, while a herringbone brick fireplace interior calls out that element against the back left white wall, under a natural wood lintel. — *Image courtesy Coastal Farmhouse.com*

Neutral Color & Texture Palette

The coastal color palette is simple, light and breezy. Create a foundation with neutrals, then layer in some pops of color, such as the traditional navy blue and white, or a fun turquoise. Texture is also considered a key neutral element here, with use of wood, bamboo, rattan and other natural materials adding to the textural feeling.

A floor-to-ceiling window frames the view next to a round, light-colored dining table surrounded by white wooden chairs with geometric wood carved back detail. Head chairs are a darker, textured tan with clear Perspex arms. The chandelier is made from glass balls and floats tangled in nets. — *Image courtesy CoastalLiving.com*

Sun, Sand, Surf, and Outdoor Dining

Use all your senses to recall those magic moments, by bringing in the basics of water, sand, wind, and sun to your design. Indoor-outdoor dining is a key element here, year-round. If you don’t always have the best weather, pull that breezy feeling indoors, as in this Cape Cod-inspired kitchen.

East Coast meets West Coast in this Cape Cod-inspired kitchen, mostly in white finishes, with black metal accents as seen on the three pendant lights. Wooden counter seating spans the kitchen island, which is a major design element. — *Photo courtesy OneKindDesign.com*

Let Light In

Coastal designs blur the line between indoors and out – plenty of windows, glass doors and skylights, all essential elements that allow light and the sunshine to flood in. To fake it, add lamps and sconces, place a glass-topped table in a sunny breakfast nook or mount a mirror opposite a window. Trade in heavy draperies for light fabrics, or take down the curtains altogether and replace with simple shades. The hallmark color of a coastal home is white, because it allows light to bounce and dazzle.

A mostly-white living room interior with some shades of grey, tan, and off-white. A herringbone-patterned rug sits comfortably under a white sofa and white wooden coffee table with heavy crossed wood design elements. A white octopus artwork stands out because of the warm grey background against the white wall, above a dark grey sideboard. Window finishes are crisp and clean shades, designed as boxed elements rather than flowing curtains. — *Image courtesy CoastalFarmhouse.com*

If YOU want to refresh your home in the coastal style, contact Kimball Starr to make your ocean retreat a reality.

Labels: coastal, coastal design, color, lighting, outdoor, sand, sun, surf, texture, window treatments

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