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Fireplace Weather Alert

Oct 20, 2025 | Posted in Inspirations |

Autumn is here again! This season, my thoughts turn to warm sweaters, raking crisp leaves, and getting cozy by a warm fire. Here are a few of my clients’ favorite fireplace designs I created, and I think you will enjoy them, too.

Gentleman’s Modern Classic Fireplace

A hair-on-hide ottoman pairs with leather armchairs in this gentleman's living room.
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 Fire

The knotty cedar wood wall paneling in this living room is accented by the white custom-designed ribbon fireplace with a black hearth. A midcentury modern stool in white sits atop a fluffy grey faux fur in front of the fire. A piece of artwork in black and white hangs above the fireplace, and two sculptural vases decorate the hearth.
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 Fireplace Without Mantel

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 Elements Fireplace

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 shapes. The Douglas fir wood mantel is dressed with Asian art and sculptures, plus dried plantings that have an architectural, spiky look to them. To the left of the fireplace is a large potted plant, again with spiky leaves, and to the right is a bookcase.
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 in your home, Kimball Starr can answer your questions – contact her today!

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Transform Stairs with Paint

Oct 06, 2025 | Posted in Inspirations |

Blue painted stairs with white railings and stringers with a hat on the newel post. A green trunk sits nearby with personal items on it, and a small mirror and art hang on the white wall going up the stairs. Warm wood flooring peeks out at the bottom of the staircase.
Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Bjorn Wallender, courtesy Country Living

You’ve seen colorfully painted walls, floors, and even ceilings. What about painting stairs?

The example above reverses the basic “paint the railings dark and the stairs white” approach. What follows are some unusual ideas that progress the painted-stair design into new directions!

As seen from above, a country store-style staircase is painted with multiple signage logos such as Pepsi-Cola, Texaco, and Coca-Cola across one to two treads each logo.
Design by Funky Junk Interiors / Photo courtesy Lushome

A country store signage painted staircase, for a bit of fun while changing floors.

An optical illusion of polka dots floating in space is created by painting stairs and their surrounding walls with pink and white paint, including the door at the top of the stairs, and also revealing the wood color for some portions of the dots. Light beams from around the doorway.
Photo courtesy Lushome

This polka-dot stair illusion is amazing, leaving portions of the treads unpainted with the wood revealed, and the door painted to integrate into the vision. This would require a lot of calculations to execute!

A beautiful white painted staircase with beige center portion accented with 3 country-blue colored stripes up the middle, the center stripe being the biggest. A beige jug filled with green and white flowers sits atop a stack of books on the second step.
Photo by Leslee Mitchell, courtesy Country Living

A painted grain-sack inspired stair runner is good for country or city living. Simply stylish.

A staircase with dark wood treads and risers painted white, with aqua blue numbers from 1 to 10 on the risers going upwards. In the background, shelves filled with vases, books, and collectibles are slightly out of focus to the left of the stairs, behind the railings that ends in a circle of rails at the bottom step.
Photo by Lucas Allen, courtesy Country Living

Teach your kids their numbers by going up and down stairs.  This North Carolina home uses aqua-painted brass house numbers to label their stair treads.

A staircase at a slight angle in the photo starts with dark treads at the bottom, gradually lightening the colors through shades of blue and turquoise, rising to a pale blue at the top where the stair turns to the left. This graduated change in color is called ombré. The treads themselves are all painted white, as are the surrounding walls. The stringers are painted a solid turquoise blue to harmonize the colors.
Photo courtesy Shef Sutton

This fun ombré stair tread is something I would suggest to my clients who love color.

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

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Instagram Moments at Home

Sep 15, 2025 | Posted in Inspirations |

On a tabletop, a black coffee mug sits on a plate beside a pile of bright red strawberries, just behind a striped yellow and white cloth napkin, which matches the upholstered tufted yellow chair in the background, slightly out of focus. This image feels welcoming. Maybe you should sit down for a cup of tea or coffee and a bite of strawberry.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

By now you’ve heard of Instagram — the photography-based social media — and possibly also the trend of creating “Instagrammable moments.”

An old leather chair with nailheads surrounding the front of the arm. An American-flag colored pillow sits on the seat, just out of focus. A chevron-patterned blanket in gold and white sits just at the right of the image, cut off. The cracks and lines in the leather are highlighted by the light falling on the chair arm from a nearby window. This image invites you to look closer, and maybe take a seat.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

It’s a way of creating an experience or feeling that’s easily captured in a single image.

An orange and yellow melon inside with green outsides is sliced open on a well-oiled butcher block, showing the black seeds inside the melon. In the background, just out of focus, are beige and pinkish penny tiles on the floor, grouted with a darker color between them. This image invites you to eat a piece of fruit in a comfortable kitchen.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Today I’m suggesting another way to use Instagrammable moments – by creating spaces in your home that generate happiness.

The corner of a shower showing an inset holding a vase with a single pink flower, a natural sponge, and a white bar of soap underneath on the next shelf. The walls and corner seat are formed with oversize porcelain tiles in varied light tan, medium brown, and grey-beige colors. At the bottom of the image, a bar of soap sits on a green and blue glass tray on top of a white folded towel. You're invited to feel fresh and clean in this space.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

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

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Switch Up Your Light Switches

Sep 01, 2025 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

A white Lutron rocker light switch with a dimmer slider to the right side, on a wall over a tiled backsplash in a kitchen, above the counter with glasses, a stack of white plates, and a coffee canister in silver and black. A tiny peek of a window and a green plant are just visible to the left.
Image courtesy Lutron

You might overlook them, tucked away on your walls, but light switch plates are an opportunity to infuse your home with good design. They’re not just functional, they’re subtle taste statements.

Let’s peek at a few American options beyond the basic builder-grade plastic model pictured below. Other countries will have similar but different versions specific to their electrical needs, so we aren’t discussing those here.

A man's hand with a finger extended to the tip of a standard off-white American-style light switch
Image courtesy TaskRabbit

Think about upgrading your lights themselves with dimmers or sliders, for a beautiful, truly functional value-add. Your home instantly looks more cohesive with the right level of lighting for each space.

An almond-covered rocker light switch by Lutron with a dimmer slide on the right side.
Image courtesy Lutron

PRO TIP: Use smart switches instead of installing spendy smart bulbs to replace your standard bulbs. Check that your LED bulbs allow for dimming – not all do.

A Leviton Decora white plastic light switch plate with a motion sensor at the top, a large button below and two smaller up and down buttons to the right side. Next to the switch plate is a cell phone showing the app allowing you to control the lighting, with a blue background and a white switch in the center, labeled Guest Bathroom Lights 50%. In small letters near the top is Unoccupied On/Off, and at the bottom Motion Snooze, and Remove From Room.
Image courtesy Leviton Decora

Consider the elegance of seamless, screwless plates. They offer a clean, modern look that melts into the wall, allowing your bolder design elements to sing.

Image courtesy Lutron

Then there are plates that embrace texture and material. Think metal finishes – brushed nickel for a contemporary feel, or a warmer brass for classic charm.

Five different metal light switch plates on a pink background. Top left is brass with two round buttons, below that is hexagonal gold with a single switch and two screws, in the center is a dark green and black mottled square plate with a black round knob in the center, top right is a circular gold plate with a switch in the middle and two screws either side, and bottom right is a grey metal rectangular plate with a single grey metal knob in the center.
Image courtesy Architectural Digest

For a bolder statement, explore decorative plates with patterns or unique shapes. Just make sure they harmonize with your overall design, instead of competing for attention.

Five different styles of electrical plug plates and light switch plates, all with the same swirled gold and white pattern printed on them, outlined in gold, with drill holes for screws.
Photo courtesy Anthopologie via Pinterest

Don’t underestimate these small touches. Thoughtful choices in even the most functional elements can truly elevate your space.

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

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Drinks ‘n Decor: Melon Madness

Aug 18, 2025 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips |

2 cocktail glasses outlined in black, one with a stem and an olive, the other with a straw or stirrer, both containing orange liquids, are superimposed over a green kidney-shaped background.
Image by Vectorportal.com, CC BY 4.0

Inspired by our love of Mad Men, interior decor and summer cocktails, we’re continuing a fun series of posts pairing design and drinks to inspire your own entertaining and interior design style combinations.

Today, a kicky bungalow patio is paired with melon-infused goodness to celebrate summer breezes and fresh fruit season.

Two outdoor patio loveseats in bright green solution-dyed fabric, dressed with colorful floral pillows. The loveseats are made of a contemporary resin material that looks like rattan but will last much longer. Between the patio sofas sit LED-lighted cube tables in pink and blue, holding drinks. A blue and white striped ottoman sits in front of the patio loveseats, while a hat and towel hang over the arm of a matching chair nearby. A matched green umbrella and built-in light hangs overhead, with a living wall of ivy behind the space.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal

Above in a Palo Alto backyard, we designed the patio with outdoor furniture made of a contemporary resin material with the look of wicker but much more durable. The patio’s outdoor umbrella has a built-in light to read or navigate the space after sunset.

You’ll never have trouble finding your cocktail with these playful illuminating cube tables that double as additional seating. The bright green outdoor fabric on these loveseats is designed to last through years of rain, wind, and sunlight without fading or becoming frayed – it dries quickly and covers a comfortable marine-grade cushion.

Drinks and Design: Honey Deuce Cocktail on left with 4 honeydew melon balls speared in a tall glass. On the right, Melon Ball Punch with a slice of lime on the rim of a low glass, paired with the Palo Alto bungalow's patio design.
Left: Honey Deuce Cocktail courtesy Grey Goose / Right: Melon Ball Punch courtesy iFood.tv

To enjoy this outdoor space on a warm summer night, we recommend the Honey Deuce, a lovely light cocktail created by Nick Mautone, Master Mixologist for Grey Goose, for the US Open Tennis Championship. It includes vodka, raspberry liqueur, lemonade and honeydew melon balls for a taste that beats the heat.

  • 1 and 1/4 parts Grey Goose Vodka
  • Fresh-squeezed lemonade
  • 1/2 part Chambord or premium raspberry liqueur
  • Crushed ice
  • Honeydew melon balls for garnish

Get other pairing ideas by visiting our Pinterest Drinks & Décor Pairings page. For a non-alcoholic version, we love Melon Ball Punch! Mix watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and limes with lemon-lime soda, lemonade and another secret ingredient you can find by visiting our Pinterest post.

If you need help designing an indoor-outdoor space for entertaining, or you just want to live outdoors, we’re also outdoor living design experts, so get in touch today! We help you discover the possibilities of your own backyard.

Kimball Starr Interior Design is an award-winning interior design firm specializing in contemporary interiors and outdoor living for the San Francisco, Peninsula, Marin, San Jose, and Lake Tahoe areas. Kimball Starr changes lives one room at a time by creating spaces tailored specially for you. 

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My Bathroom Faves

Aug 04, 2025 | Posted in Starr Spotlight |

A blue-grey powder room featuring a light blue and grey geometric patterned floor tile, a grey two-drawer sink cabinet and clear handles with a white surround and sink, a rectangular rounded mirror with a thin silver frame over angled black and white wall tiles, underneath a white triple ball-shaped light fixture. On the wall next to the sink area is hung a piece of French artwork.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

One of my favorite rooms to design is a powder room. It needs to really wow you without overwhelming. Here are 3 of my favorites!

The star of this contemporary powder room above is the colorful, patterned flooring, contrasted with clear drawer pulls on a custom cabinet under a wide white countertop and sink. Or is it the fabulous angled wall tiling contrasted with the curved mirror, under a gorgeous light fixture? So hard to choose!

Kimball Starr redesigns this San Francisco powder room with classic marble and subway tiles in multiple shades of blue and white, extending into the niche above the sink which matches the marble floor. A large oval wooden-framed mirror tones with the rest of the home.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by David Duncan Livingston

The beauty of this petite powder room is the finishes. Multiple colors are captured in the wall surround, coordinated with the niche tile and two-toned ceramic wall tiles. Another marbled tile completes the niche ceiling, while the wood mirror frame coordinates with the rest of the house. Totally unique styling.

White toilet, tub, and shower niche constrast with a multi-patterned Moroccan-inspired floor tiling in this unfinished children's bathroom. The shower surround is yet to be installed.
Design and photo by Kimball Starr

This unfinished child’s bathroom features fun and funky Moroccan-inspired tiled flooring that kids will love! Notice the white tiled wall niche contrasting with the shower’s grey subway tiling. The glass shower door is the final piece yet to be installed to complete the space.

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

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