KS

Blog

Holiday Entertaining Tips

Dec 03, 2018 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

Closeup view of a holiday dining place-setting. At the front of the image, two stacked white china plates are placed with a white linen napkin, tied with red and white twisted string to hold the napkin. White-lettered red namecard is attached to the string. A fork is visible to the left, and a tan fluted glass is just showing in front of the white, red and green floral centerpiece arrangement, which is cut off at the top of the image.

Photo by Kimball Starr

Are you ready for holiday guests to arrive? Me neither! But I do have some easy-to-do ideas to welcome them to a festive home! Read on for quick entertaining and decorating tips.

 

Make a Shrub to Drink

 

Holding an example reddish mixed drink in hand, filled with ice, in the bottom left of the image. The rest shows a woman making a shrub cocktail drink, holding a bottle of vinegar, with several glasses, bottles, and metal measurers on the counter in front of her. The kitchen space behind her is a modern design with textured wood grain and stainless steel appliances.

Photo by Kimball Starr

When your guests arrive, the first thing you want to do — after taking their coat and bags — is offer them a drink. Here’s a simple recipe for a shrub, a fruit-infused “drinking vinegar” that can be added to cocktails and mocktails for a delicious and refreshing twist. Prepare in advance, and store up to a year!

 

Five images of the process of making a shrub fruit vinegar drink. Top left image shows bottle of vinegar, cut rhubarb and a knife, a Pyrex measuring glass, a glass jar with top. Top right image shows the reddish rhubarb pieces in a bowl, covered with sugar. Middle left image shows the rhubarb being strained into the Pyrex measuring glass with a metal strainer. Middle right image shows an open bottle of cider vinegar next to the Pyrex glass with the bright red strained juice. Final bottom image shows a jar hand-labeled "Rhubarb Shrub 4/28" with a bright red liquid, and a spoon inside an upside-down lid sitting on the counter, in front of a cocktail glass containing the pale pink shrub as it appears after being diluted with seltzer water.

Photos and Recipe by Sylvia Fountaine via Feastingathome.com

 

ingredients

  • 2 cups fruit or berries (rhubarb used here), diced into very small 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup vinegar (white or apple cider, or any other)
  • time required: 4-11 days
  • yields: 2 cups

 

instructions

Mix the fruit or berries and granulated sugar in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-5 days, stirring every 12 hours. Strain the liquid, pressing down hard on solids. Mix the fruit syrup with vinegar and pour into a lidded jar and refrigerate. You can use immediately, but after a week, their flavors will deepen, meld and harmonize. Add to cocktails or sparkling water.

 

Top a Gift-Wrap with Fresh Evergreens

 

Beautiful gifts can adorn your holiday dinner table too, and look great as a place setting. Here’s an easy way to dress up a simple holiday gift-wrapping.

4 images of gift-wrapping options. Top left corner image shows plain brown craft paper wrapped box, with twine and string wrapped around the middle, and a roll of twine in front of the box. Top right image shows a wooden box with red and white twisted string wrapped around the middle, holding an evergreen cutting. Bottom left image shows a woman's hand as she wraps red and white twisted string around the brown craft-papered box. Bottom right image shows the final result, brown craft-papered box with twine and twisted red and white string wrapped around the middle of the box, holding a fresh evergreen cutting and a sprig of 4 red berries.

Photos by Kimball Starr

 

materials

  • gift in a small box
  • brown craft paper
  • clear tape
  • twine
  • colored string or ribbon
  • fresh evergreen cutting
  • sprig of berries

 

instructions

Wrap your gift in plain brown craft paper and tape shut. Using twine, wrap around the center of your box several times, and tie. Add a fresh evergreen cutting, wrap colored string or ribbon around the center of your box to hold the cutting, and tie. Add a sprig of berries by sliding under the string or ribbon. Optional: Write your guest’s name on the craft paper in red or green ink.

 

Dress Your Holiday Table and Chairs

 

Overhead view of a rectangular dinner table, with a white textured blanket thrown over the back of the head chair showing top right corner of image. Table has a white marble top surface. Chairs are very light taupe with a pierced pattern cane back and velvet fabric seat. The table runner is white with white linen napkins and placecards in red with white text topping the formal place settings for 6 people. Tan colored fluted glasses sit next to clear water glasses. The center of the table is filled with red, white and green plants and flowers in a festive arrangement. The rug underneath is also a light tan.

Photo by Kimball Starr

My last quick decorating tip is to throw a textured blanket over the back of your holiday dining head chairs, to make them feel more cozy. You can easily change the color scheme of your chairs this way, if they don’t go with traditional holiday colors.

If you need to dress all of your chairs, use a wide ribbon looped around just above the seat, tied with the bow at the back to keep the blankets in place, and unify the chairs.

View of a rectangular dinner table from the short end, with a white textured blanket over the back of the head chair showing bottom right of image. Table is light-colored with wooden legs and white marble top. Chairs are very light taupe with a pierced pattern cane back and velvet fabric seat. The table runner is white with white linen napkins topping the formal place settings for 6 people. Tan colored fluted glasses are next to clear water glasses. The center of the table is filled with red, white and green plants and flowers in a festive arrangement.

Photo by Kimball Starr

 

Do you need in-person help from a designer with your holiday decorating? Kimball Starr designs beautiful spaces to entertain and relax throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe – contact Kimball today!

Labels: , , , ,

Dining Room Meals

Nov 19, 2018 | Posted in Inspirations |

With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, let’s enjoy a virtual meal together! I love to imagine how people use spaces to entertain, spend time with their families and friends, and relax. And what better way to look at how to use a dining room than to think about different types of meals and how to serve them! So, let’s eat!

 

Home Cooked Meal

 

Dining room with light hardwood floors, white walls with small wood rails as mini-shelves holding art, photos and collectibles, plus a horizontal mirror shows a peek of the entranceway shelves on a cornflower-blue wall. The dining table itself is steel and reclaimed redwood, cut at an angle as if it was recently hewn, featuring a wood sculptural centerpiece. The chairs are very dark wood with square backs and square cutaways at the lower back. A square pendant overhead echoes the shape and color of the table. The space is refined and understated, emphasizing natural elements.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

This homeowner likes to make everything from scratch whenever possible. Using healthy, natural, home grown and locally-sourced ingredients, you’ll spend time making sure it all looks amazing, tastes great, and is good for your family. Your kitchen and dining room reflect this care, with personal touches and everything just so for a delicious, delightful family meal, seated around the formal dining table.

 

Take-Out & Delivery

 

Portrait view into a modern bachelor condo of white walls, dark hardwood flooring, and very dark wood cabinetry without handles, around a black refrigerator and freezer unit. In the short end of an L shape, a black countertop and kitchen sink features a graceful swan-necked faucet. At the front of the scene, a modern white dining table is surrounded by clear lime-green plastic seats on silver metal legs. The table is dressed with grass growing in a long, low silver planter and empty glass bottles, plus knicknacks that look like doorknobs in turquoise blue and orange porcelain. The whole space is lit up by a large frosted window at the rear, unadorned by any window dressings.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

An ideal meal for the bachelor, or the perpetual entertainer! The main investment in time is spent selecting the restaurant or type of food desired. Having food delivered to this city pad means you can spend more time getting to know your date or your friends. With little to no cleanup afterward, you can forget about doing the dishes and get down to dishing on each other.

 

Vintage Traditions

 

This dining room has light aqua-blue walls with white trim, orangey hardwood flooring and a green-and-turquoise-blue patterned rug. The vintage mid-century modern dining table and chairs are the same orangey tone as the flooring, ranging to a little darker, and the chairs are upholstered with multicolored striped fabrics on seat and center of back. The table is set with several geometric-shaped vases and bowls. A sideboard sits in front of a window at the back. On the wall to the right hang some collectible plates, near the open doorway through to the entrance hall, showing the front door in a dark wood and white trim.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

If this dining room tickles your fancy, I bet you have a sentimental vintage serving trolley that you would use to wheel your meal in from the kitchen, don’t you? And of course the plates, bowls and silverware are all vintage, and they match your traditional stemware. The only thing you wouldn’t use is the matching ashtray – how gauche! Fill with candy instead.

 

Artisanal Hors d’Oeuvres

 

Looking into an open-plan dining and living area with hardwood flooring throughout. The dining area is at the forefront, with vintage mid-century modern table and chairs in a medium brown color. The chairs are upholstered on seat and back with multicolored patterned fabric. To the left you can see a bright blue sideboard table and lamp and sculptural wall art with live plants. Further into the living room, you see a blue rug under a pair of chairs and a 3-seater sofa, with a large plant at the back wall next to a seat of windows and French doors.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

As a lover of art, sculpture, and color, this dining room will be perfect for you. Serving artisanal hors d’oeuvres matches your artistic flair! Present a delicious Italian crostini layered with a slice of mozzarella, tomato, and topped with a fresh basil leaf, plus peppers transformed into edible bowls of spinach dip, all beautifully featured in this stylish mid-century modern dining area.

 

Cocktail Party

 

Overhead view of a dark wood dining table with a centerpiece of green apples, surrounded by matching dark wood chairs with mismatched fabric seats, two in turquoise blue, three in lime green, and four in a coordinating multi-colored pattern with a light tan ground. On the wall at the left, a diptych pair of canvases show colorful abstract art. The flooring is a warm, light-colored wood, running up a set of stairs off to the right. We are partially looking through a textured ball of glass that forms a pendant light fixture, and a wide window lets light stream in at the top.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Who could imagine a holiday season without a cocktail party? Not this dining room, that’s for sure! Colorful and cool, if you love to select just the right music, prepare cocktails in drink-appropriate glasses, and offer appetizers on special serving ware, then a dramatic high-ceiling dining room like this might be the one to raise a glass to! Cheers!

 

If you know what meal you’d like to serve in your dining room, but your surroundings don’t live up to your fantasy, why not ask Kimball Starr to be your maitre’d? She creates beautiful, functional, stylish dining rooms throughout the Northern California and Lake Tahoe area. Give Kimball a call today!

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Welcoming Guest Bedrooms

Nov 05, 2018 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

 

If you have a spare bedroom in a big city like San Francisco, lucky you! For urban dwellers who want to welcome friends and relatives and maybe don’t have a dedicated extra room, or even if you do, read on for three examples of how to create welcoming guest bedrooms.

 

Transform Your Open Living Area into a Private Bedroom

 

View into a corner room with sliding perspex doors folded back. Two multicolored patterned slipper chairs with a table between are at the front. Green wall color, artwork, and shelving with collectible dishware on display are seen towards the back. To the right, a vintage dining set in blonde wood and green striped fabric. The flooring is light-colored wood.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Joe Fletcher

Many city homes have guest rooms that double as home offices or artist studios, especially in flexible floor plans like live-work and open-plan living. Lofts are very popular in the bay area for their flexibility, but the same openness loft residents crave can leave overnight guests feeling exposed.

View into a corner room with sliding perspex doors mostly closed, but a peek of a bed shows through. The two slipper chairs have been removed. A vintage dining set in blonde wood and green striped fabric still shows to the right. The flooring is light-colored wood.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Joe Fletcher

You really can have it both ways! Enjoy the openness of your space without guests, and provide a secluded guest bedroom for visitors without sacrificing your living area. The best way to approach this challenge is to choose furniture that’s easy to move around, and to clearly define and seclude the space to make it feel like a private bedroom.

View into a corner room with sliding perspex doors folded back to reveal the convertible bed dressed with fresh green and white linens. The two slipper chairs have been removed, and the side table is now perfect for books and magazines. A vintage dining set in blonde wood and green striped fabric shows to the right. The flooring is light-colored wood, and the walls are a light green shade.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Joe Fletcher

This San Francisco loft features sliding translucent walls that create privacy while allowing in light, and a convertible wall bed dressed with silky, luxurious linens that complement the fresh, light-green color of the walls. A moveable side table is perfect for a book or magazine.

When the guests leave, ta-da! The bed folds into the wall, the seating furniture is returned, and your living area is back to its original size.

 

Convert Your Home Office into a Serene Guest Bedroom

 

A hardworking home office converts to a comfortable guest getaway with this convertible bed, hidden behind a large custom-made blue wall cabinet. A white desk chair and a blue-and-white desk sit in front of a window with roller blinds. The light colored carpet helps with sound attenuation.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

In a contemporary urban condo, this workhorse office converts into a serene guest bedroom. The bold, dark-blue wall of custom-designed cabinetry not only hides a fold-down desk, but also a convertible Murphy bed! Pull down the bed and the blue disappears, to reveal buttercream walls, icy blue bedding, and white linens for a serene and welcoming space.

A hardworking home office converts to a comfortable guest getaway with this custom-made Murphy bed. Uplighting spreads light while downlighting provides a handy reading light. A shelf folds down to create a bedside table. The bed itself is dressed in soft white, yellow, and blue pillows, with an icy blue comforter. A white and silver desk chair is neatly tucked under the blue-and-white desk in front of the window with roller blinds up.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Downlights recessed into the top of the cabinetry allow guests to comfortably read in bed. Below the white open shelving that neatly organizes office items, a fold-down panel becomes a convenient and thoughtful bedside table. Simple blackout roller shades allow your guests to sleep in after sunrise. Voila! Your office just converted into your guest’s home-away-from-home.

 

Vibrant and Vivacious Private Bedroom

 

Looking into a bedroom with brightly-colored and bold-patterns in tangerine and white. The Brazilian cherry floors and dark wood furniture balance and temper the orange glow, and multiple patterns mix easily due to variations in scale. Handmade raw linen curtains with a hand-painted pattern filter the morning east-facing sunlight that imbues the tangerine walls with a gentle glow.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Our final example is this va-va-voom tangerine treat! It’s used solely as a guest bedroom, which makes this brightly-colored and bold-patterned room perfect for the occasional visitor. The Brazilian cherry floors and dark wood furniture balance and temper the orange glow, and multiple patterns mix easily due to variations in scale. Handmade raw linen curtains with a hand-painted pattern bring in a beautifully imperfect or wabi-sabi element. In the morning, the east-facing room captures sunlight that glows through the linen curtains, imbuing the tangerine walls with a gentle warmth.

What a lovely way to wake up! Warning: your guests may not want to leave!

 

Do you have a city home that needs a guest bedroom? Award-winning Kimball Starr Interior Design creates contemporary residential spaces that both guests and owners love! Contact us to learn how you can transform your home!

Labels: , , , , , , ,

Living Room Styles

Oct 22, 2018 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

A few weeks ago we looked at dining room styles, so I thought it might be fun and useful to continue the series with living rooms, especially with the holiday entertaining season on the way. I hope this gives you some ideas of which one might be right for YOUR living room and lifestyle!

 

Vibrant Bachelor Pad

 

A retro-futuristic living room for a bachelor, with two pink B&B Italia multi-directional sofas with fuzzy throw pillows on a deep red wine-colored shag rug. An Eero Aarnio bubble swing chair hangs just in front of a large set of windows, with a patterned footstool in front. to the left of one sofa sits a clear perspex table with a burgundy table lamp.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

You could call this playful, eclectic condo a retro-futuristic design! Reminiscent of the 60s with the Eero Aarnio bubble swing chair, yet offering plenty of totally modern materials and finishes, this sensual bachelor pad is also easy to care for, brilliant for a person on-the-go who likes to entertain. The B&B Italia sectional lounge furniture offers multi-directional seating, and a plush crimson rug is great for large informal parties.

A retro-futuristic living room for a bachelor, with one red and two pink B&B Italia multi-directional sofas on a deep red wine-colored shag rug. To the front is a modern white dining table, two yellow kitchen chairs, and two clear green perspex modern chairs. On the wall behind one of the pink sofas is custom-made shelving and storage, with bright green wood and clear perspex sliding panels. An Eero Aarnio bubble swing chair hangs just in front of a large set of windows, with the projector screen hung just above, ready to pull down for a movie projected from the ceiling.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Because this space doesn’t use a fireplace for its living room focal point, instead I custom-designed wall-mounted shelving and a media cabinet that also serves as a bar. It’s perfect for showing off my client’s cool collectibles, and hiding away the cords and cables so commonly found with boys and their toys, like the ceiling-mounted projector used for movies and games.

 

Comfortable Mid-century Meets Global Chic

 

View of a conversation corner on a blue rug, with a contemporary sofa and matching chair in grey with multi-patterned throw pillows. To the front right is a midcentury modern chair and Noguchi glass table, both with wooden frames. At the back corner is a large plant with wide fronds, and a set of French doors with light streaming in.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Do you love mid-century design but want more vibrant or interesting textiles? This living room may be for you! The shapes of the contemporary furniture are streamlined and simple, like mid-century furniture. The colors and patterns of the textiles are globally inspired, bigger and bolder, while mixing in contemporary touches.

View of a grey contemporary couch with multi-colored and patterned throw pillows from several cultures and countries. Behind the sofa are a pair of yellow glass table lamps with white shades. A colorful photo of Yosemite has been turned into a large canvas, hung on the wall behind. In front of the sofa is a glass-topped Noguchi mid-century modern coffee table, styled with a vase of flowers and a few shiny containers. Some green plant fronds peek in at the far right of the scene.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Mid-century is a great choice for people who like to collect and display original and reproduction furniture, and those who enjoy entertaining at home with cocktail parties or coffee and book clubs. Juxtaposing different contemporary materials like glass and wood, plus fabrics and patterns from faraway places, makes for an exciting space!

 

Contemporary Hillside Retreat

 

Looking into the living room of a San Francisco hillside retreat with light-colored walls and ceiling, to the front and right showing patterned upholstered chair with metal frame and a hot pink throw blanket covering the back, a round wooden coffee table dressed with a vase and several different shaped sky-blue shiny containers. Behind the chair is a set of stairs with black metal railings and warm wood top rails. to the right is the living room with a light colored corner sofa with chaise, covered in colorful throw pillows, and a contemporary light-colored chair with metal legs that match the corner sofa. In the center is a Noguchi-style coffee table with warm wooden support and glass top, dressed with multiple vases filled with flowers, and books. A dog sits upon the corner sofa chaise.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

If you love the idea of contemporary, clean lines, but don’t care for the mid-century style, then this hillside retreat’s living room may be the right choice for you. A mixture of colors, patterns, and textures provides interest, while the light-colored wall paint is the perfect background to let the colors do the talking.

Let the view be the star in this contemporary hillside retreat, showing patterned upholstered chairs with metal frames, a round wooden coffee table dressed with a vase and several different-shaped sky-blue shiny containers. A hot pink throw blanket covers the back of one of the chairs, and another tan upholstered seat to the right is covered in green-blue-brown striped throw pillows. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors form the corner of the room. Outside, stools provide moveable seating on the balcony, in front of a beautiful San Francisco night view through metal railings.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

A variety of surfaces like the Flokati rug over wood flooring means it will never be boring or unwelcoming. The simplicity of this contemporary design allows the view to really shine. If you don’t have a view, bring in artwork and sculptures as really great conversation pieces.

 

Gentleman’s Modern Classic

A gentlemanly living room, showing blue rug over hardwood flooring, dark brown leather club chairs dressed with American flag pillows, a large modern hair-on-hide octagonal ottoman used as a table, with whiskey and ice bucket on a tray. In the foreground is a red couch with several throw pillows. The right wall has bookshelves either side of a wood fireplace surround and mantel, dressed with artwork. In front of the mantel is a flower arrangement. Light streams in from the windows straight ahead of you. Wood paneling surrounds the windows, doors, and acts as cornicing. In front of the window is a light blue chaise lounge and 3-legged side table. A pendant light hangs from the ceiling.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

This living room would appeal to someone who values bold, rich colors, natural elements, traditional craft, and modern comfort. The masculine colors and patterns are balanced by a light paint color on the walls and ceilings. The octagonal hair-on-hide ottoman is a useful conversation piece, surrounded by more traditional furniture.

A soft white woolly rug beckons under the light blue chaise longue, 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 object.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

Warm wood trim and panelling around the windows and doors tones nicely with the aged leather club chairs. The soft woolly rug beckons under the chaise lounge, offering a cozy spot to curl up with a book or take a nap on a rainy day.

Close-up image of the right arm of an aged dark leather club chair with round nailhead edging. On the seat is a folded patterned blanket, and on top of that, slightly out of focus, an American flag pillow rests against the back of the chair.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

 

If you love one of these living room styles, or want to discuss an idea all your own, Kimball Starr can be your personal stylist! Call her today for a complimentary consultation!

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Fireplace Weather

Oct 08, 2018 | Posted in Inspirations |

Autumn is here! This time of year my thoughts turn to sweaters, raking leaves, and getting cozy by a warm fire. Here are a few of my favorite fireplace designs that my clients love, and I think you will, too!

Gentleman’s Modern Classic

 

A gentlemanly living room, showing blue carpet, dark brown leather club chairs dressed with American flag pillows, a large modern faux horsehair octagonal footrest used as a table, with whiskey and ice bucket on a tray. On the other side of the footrest is a red couch with several throw pillows. The rear wall has bookshelves either side of a wood fireplace surround and mantel, dressed with artwork. In front of the mantel is a flower arrangement. Light streams in from the windows on the left. Wood paneling surrounds the windows, doors, and acts as cornicing

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

I like to call this one a modern classic because the room has elements of both traditional and modern design. We styled the fireplace with art, lighting, and a flower arrangement, to make it easy to use and welcoming.

 

Contemporary Warm and Cozy

 

Bottom left of image is a small stool on a grey fluffy rug, in front of a black hearth fireplace in contemporary style, with white surround. Hung above the fireplace on the surround is an art canvas, plus vases on the hearth. Flooring is a warm wood, and the walls are cedar wood construction, in the style of a modern ski lodge.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Paul Dyer

A simple yet elegant design that fits today’s busy lifestyle. I custom-created the fireplace and surround 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.

 

Comfortable Mid-century

 

Living room showing table and 2 vintage green metal chairs at the back left corner, in front of a window. To the right, a modern grey horizontal striped fireplace without a mantel, with simple black firescreen in front. Above the fire, a turquoise blue and bright green and yellow artwork is hung. In the front of the image, a purple and white striped mid-century modern chair and matching footrest sit on a blue patterned rug. The rest of the flooring is warm wood-tones. An orange and white lattice-patterned round side table is at the very front of the view, next to the chair and footrest.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Classic furniture is allowed to be the star of this living room, while the architectural fireplace is appropriately subdued. Having a fireplace without a mantel means you won’t collect clutter, showing off beautiful artwork instead. A simple metal screen stops loose sparks and beautifies the hearth.

 

Industrial Zen Loft

 

View of a living room fireplace. In the foreground, a grey chaise lounge dressed with brown pillows. A hint of a multicolored rug on the floor, with light colored wood underneath. A glowing globe light sits on the floor, to the right of the hearth, which is patterned grey with oversized-brick-like steel and stone shapes. A Douglas fir wood mantel is dressed with Asian art and sculptures, plus dried plantings that have an architectural, spikey look to them. To the left of the fireplace is a large potted plant, again with spikey leaves, and to the right is a leaning open bookshelf.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Asian elements and organic surfaces appealed to this client’s understated masculine style, so I used a floating Douglas fir wood mantel to balance out the steel and stone fire surround. We finished off the fireplace design with simple plantings and art. The wood placed just inside invites you to light a fire and enjoy a peaceful evening.

 

If you dream of having a warm fireplace, Kimball Starr can answer your questions – contact her today!

Labels: , , , , ,

Loft Storage

Sep 24, 2018 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

Don’t you just love the breezy, open feeling of a residential loft? What most lofts don’t offer is built-in storage, and if there’s one thing that every city-dweller needs, it’s storage for their personal items. Looking at one of my favorite examples, a San Francisco loft that won a Design Excellence Award, here’s how you can address that need to hide away the relics and tools of daily life.

Feature Built-ins

Create a beautiful place to store and display china, books, and collectibles that fits into or around an architectural element. As you can see in the photo below, we made a feature of a rolling curved bookcase that wraps around this loft’s spiral staircase, making it feel like a real treat to use the stairs. We painted the interior casework with lovely high-gloss orange paint, and the exterior facing the living room in a faded metallic stencil pattern, for a sophisticated look.

San Francisco loft contemporary circular staircase and custom bookcase that wraps around it in high-gloss orange paint inside the shelving, with white reflective patterned decorated surface facing the living area. An orange display niche on the left white wall matches the orange on the bookcase behind the silver stair railings.

Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Joe Fletcher

The entire height of the bookcase is attached with a piano hinge that swings back and forth on hidden floor casters, giving access to interior shelving and maximizing the available floor space. As seen on the left of the image above, the small recessed alcove repeats the orange color for a sense of harmony and rhythm, and the shape of the wall echoes the shape of the bookcase.

Laundry Storage

Because a loft is so open, there often isn’t a separate laundry room. It makes sense to place your laundry nearby or in your loft’s kitchen, for the best use of plumbing and electrical facilities, but how do you conceal the mess and contain the noise?

View of a contemporary residential loft kitchen with blond wood and silver metal-legged table on castors, red metal stools with a blond wood seat, and stacked white washer/dryer hidden behind a light-colored moveable curved wall that looks like a column. Behind the table are dark wood cabinets, the counter surface, and stove and microwave appliances.

Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

The washer-dryer storage solution shown above was another moveable wall concealed as a column, in the same loft. Similar to the bookcase whose shape it repeats, this faux column slides on casters to reveal a stacked washer and dryer unit right next to the kitchen, complete with interior shelves for storing laundry supplies. What could be more convenient?

 

Are you a loft owner who needs custom built-ins or other storage solutions? Let’s talk!

 

Kimball Starr Interior Design is a San Francisco award-winning loft design firm that provides contemporary design for residential interiors throughout Northern California and Nevada. Contact Kimball today for a complimentary consultation!

Labels: , , , , , ,

« Previous
Next »

RECENT POSTS

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

Blogroll

LABELS