Jan 29, 2018 | Posted in Travel |
Here is the first in a series of travel blogs that I’ll be sharing about interior design integrated into my globetrotting adventures. Back in September 2014 I visited Morocco and learned about the country’s architecture and intricate tiling. I’ve shared with you a few of my travel pictures to bring you inspiration for new design influences into your own tiling design or home remodel.
Above is the Ben Yousseff Madrasa, an Islamic college in Marrakech, Morocco where decorative tile is found everywhere in both public to private spaces to help keep gathering areas cool in a hot climate, as well as communicating religious and cultural ideas.
Located in Northern Africa, Morocco is bordered by the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans with architecture that reflects its diverse geography and a long history of settlement and military encroachment. Rule by the Berbers from 110 CE gave the country its cultural heritage of constructing buildings from earth or mud brick called pisé, a word from the French, who occupied Morocco as recently as 1912.
It was the French who, seeing unorganized real estate growth from early 1900s, mandated Moroccan architectural standards in the early 20th century requiring buildings not be higher than four stories, have flat roofs, and that 20% of the space must be gardens or courtyards. These building regulations have maintained the country’s preexisting architectural features and balanced the rapid urbanization, while beautifying contemporary construction.
Classic Moroccan interiors contain common elements such as intricate woodwork that is left untreated and unpainted; metalwork of copper, bronze, iron and brass used for door and window frames, door knobs, studs and room partitions; plaster used for sculpting, called “gabs” or “jybs” made from gypsum quarried nearby; and painted and glazed ceramics. The process of tiling, arranging and cutting them requires great expertise. Several of these classic interior elements are featured above in the Ben Yousseff Madrasa photos.
The colorful style of enamel-covered terra cotta tile that originated in northern Africa and migrated to Spain in the 8th century is called “Zellige”, a design solution that arose from the need of Islamic artists to create spatial decorations that avoided depictions of living things, consistent with religious teachings. Today Moroccan or Moorish tile is used to accent and decorate in Western design, where it brings romance and adds visual interest to monotone interiors.
Zellige-making is considered an art form, passed down from generation to generation by maâlems (master craftsmen). Training starts in childhood to develop exceptional skills. Small shapes are cut according to a precise radius gauge and painted. (This is where those high school geometry classes become useful!)
The enameled pieces are assembled in a geometric structure face-down to form a completed single mosaic with a completely even surface, so the pattern is not revealed until after the zellige dries. If the tiling is done on an uneven surface such as a curved wall, a mold is made first and then the tiles laid and cured, and only later installed onsite. The process has not changed for a millennium, though the first stages of conception and design now allow for new technologies to create the patterns.
Arches are another important element in Moorish architecture. Arches vary in shape from pointed, multi-foil, to horseshoe, which is also aptly named the Moorish arch by Westerners. Used frequently, arches appear in almost every aspect of Moroccan housing, whether it’s doors, entrances, windows or niches. The horseshoe arch was originally designed as a superstitious and symbolic emblem to provide protection and bring good fortune into the home.
A fountain or water feature is a conspicuous feature in every house, often made of marble or cement. It’s located in the heart of the courtyard, living room or guest room. Before the conversion to Islam under Berber rule, water was already an important part of Moroccan culture; however, Islam made water even more important functionally because of ritual ablution before prayer.
The herringbone tiling pattern pictured above is one more familiar to Westerners, though not as intricate as the geometric zellige. I love the variation of color!
Colors have different meanings in Moroccan culture. Yellow stands for wealth, the sun, and gold. White means purity, beauty, and femininity. Blue represents the sky, heaven, and water, and green also relates to heaven, because it is halfway between reddish hell, and blue heaven.
Now that you’ve been inspired by the beauty, history and charm of Moroccan tiling, if you’d like to explore using these ideas in your own little palace, get in touch!
Kimball Starr Interior Design is a boutique SF interior design firm providing design solutions for home renovations and remodels of SF Bay Area homes.
Labels: bathroom, color, decorative tile, kitchen, Moroccan tile, travel series
Jan 16, 2018 | Posted in Trends |
Design by Kimball Starr
As a longtime fan of purple, I’m excited Pantone announced Ultra Violet as their 2018 Color of the Year! I created this San Francisco mid-century modern dining room a couple years ago for a city-dweller who isn’t afraid of color, contrasting the violet walls with chartreuse chairs.
From Top Left: Kobe Pendant Lamp in Purple Wool by Innermost / Cotton Velvet Throw Pillow in Nebulous Violet by 17patterns / Orb Pendant Light by Curiousa&Curiousa / 3-Seater Sofa by Linteloo Lab from their Pleasure line in Purple / Console Table by Malabar / Stream Rug in Lilac by Tania Johnson Design
I’m imagining what fun it would be to design another pied-de-terre in the Bay Area using even deeper and stronger shades of purple, such as this Linteloo Lab three-seater sofa from their Pleasure line, paired with a Kobe Pendant Lamp in Purple Wool by Innermost, a funky console table by Malabar and a few 17patterns cotton velvet throw-pillows in Nebulous Violet. Accent with Curiousa&Curiousa orb pendant lights and tie the whole thing together with a Tania Johnson Design Stream Rug in Lilac, and you’d have a room where boredom would be impossible!
If you’re the kind of person who wants to bring more color in your life, get in touch and let’s see what we can create together!
Kimball Starr Interior Design is a San Francisco design firm that offers interior remodels and decorating services for homes throughout the SF Bay Area. Our designs are focused on creating modern and fun interiors for relaxed California living.
Labels: color, dining room, living room, modern design, residential design, vintage furniture
Jan 02, 2018 | Posted in Inspirations |
Do you make new year’s resolutions? How many of them do you keep? Here are some suggestions for interior design resolutions that, if kept, will make your daily life so much better, you’ll wonder why you didn’t address them earlier!
Resolution 1: Streamline Important Spaces – The Kitchen
Courtesy uglyhousephotos.com
How often do you struggle to find infrequently-used tools, the right-sized storage lid, or Aunt Sarah’s prized dip and chip hostess set in your kitchen? Maybe your challenge is shelving that is too tight for your daily-use dishware, constantly requiring you to remove and replace stacks to get to what you need. Perhaps a lack of counterspace is making learning to cook more difficult than it needs to be, or not having a light in the right place to see your cookbook is a problem.
Design by Kimball Starr, photo by David Duncan Livingston.
Why start every day annoyed with your kitchen, when you could be enjoying a beautifully-designed centerpiece to your home?
Design by Kimball Starr, photo by David Duncan Livingston.
It could be as simple as updating your cabinets and countertop surfaces with a more modern finish, changing your hardware and lighting, or you might need a complete re-design, right down to the bones. Either way, using your kitchen should be an easy and fun experience that makes you want to invite guests over!
Resolution 2: Utilize Sacred Spaces for Recharging – The Bathroom
Courtesy TripAdvisor.com
You know that feeling when you come home from a long day at the office, and you just want to relax in a soothing bath, and then you see your current bathroom that makes you feel like you’re staying in a forgotten motel? Maybe the annoyance is that you have to go out to the hallway closet to get a clean towel, or that a hundred beauty products fall down when you reach for that one styling tool on the top shelf?
Design by Kimball Starr, photo by David Duncan Livingston.
Your bathroom should be a place of private relaxation and refreshment. It should be filled with light, pleasing to the eye as well as your other senses of touch and smell, and provide a haven to improve how you feel about yourself and your day. Ideally, it would be easy to keep clean, and have a place for everything you need, right at your fingertips.
Design by Kimball Starr, photo by David Duncan Livingston.
Every last detail of your bathroom should leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed. You might want a change of tiling, a fresh coat of paint, some new hardware, or maybe you need a completely new layout to make your bathroom function more like a sacred space. After all, don’t you deserve the very best, so you can achieve your best?
Resolution 3: Bring the Outside In – Use Natural Accessories
Courtesy Flagstaff Design Center
Are you one of those people who loves nature, and always wants to be outside, even when you have to be indoors? Are you drawn to wood finishes, natural fibers and the colors created by Mother Nature? Maybe you’ve admired a natural tablescape an artistic friend debuted, but didn’t know how to create one yourself.
Design by Kimball Starr, photo by Eric Rorer
Designing with biophilic elements can be as simple as using natural fibers for your furniture or rugs, such as leather, sisal, wool, or bamboo, or it could be more complicated, like installing exterior louvers that block sunlight in summer months and allow sun in during the winter. You might select a vertical planter for your living room and then realize you’re not sure if that needs direct sunlight, or if watering will damage your wood flooring below. Maybe you’re not ready for a big installation and want to start with something more cosmetic.
Design by Kimball Starr, photo by Eric Rorer
Whether your resolution is big or small, Kimball Starr has the experience, relationships with local contractors, and creative eye to carry it through to completion! Don’t let another day of 2018 go by without keeping your interior design resolutions – you’ll be so glad you did!
Kimball Starr Interior Design is an award-winning San Francisco interior design firm specializing in contemporary interiors. Kimball Starr “changes lives one room at a time” by creating interiors tailored specially for you. Contact her today!
Labels: bathroom, contemporary, kitchen, modern design, outdoor, residential design
Feb 01, 2017 | Posted in Starr Spotlight |
KIMBALL STARR INTERIOR DESIGN RECEIVES “BEST OF HOUZZ” FOR SERVICE IN 2017 – 5TH TIME – 50K SAVES!
If you haven’t heard by now, Houzz.com is a respected online resource for residential interior design ideas, locating a design professional, and sharing feedback on how your design project turned out.
The annual Best Of Houzz Awards are given in two categories: Client Satisfaction and Design. Client Satisfaction is benchmarked by the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2016. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among 40+ million monthly Houzz users in the United States and Canada.
Kimball Starr Interior Design won for Client Satisfaction a fifth time, proving that Kimball’s ideas for your home are valuable, too. Visit Kimball’s Houzz Pro Designer profile to view photos that were added to over 50,000 ideabooks, such as this contemporary desk, proving why she’s a Houzz Influencer!
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer.
Kimball Starr is an award-winning interior design firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kimball resolves your frustrations with creative and beautiful design solutions.
Labels: best interior designer, Houzz, residential design
Feb 01, 2016 | Posted in Starr Spotlight |
KIMBALL STARR INTERIOR DESIGN RECEIVES “BEST OF HOUZZ” FOR DESIGN & SERVICE 2016
Houzz.com is an established online resource for residential interior design inspiration, locating your next design pro, and sharing feedback on your design project.
The Best Of Houzz Award is given in two categories: Client Satisfaction and Design. Client Satisfaction honors are determined by the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2015. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among 35 million monthly Houzz users.
Kimball Starr Interior Design won in both categories, making 2016 an even better time to use some of Kimball’s ideas for your home, by visiting her Houzz Pro Designer profile today!
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer.
The photo above was saved to over 6,000 ideabooks on Houzz.com! This San Francisco residence spotlights a custom design by Kimball that adjusts from coffee table to dining table in an instant, making use of every available inch in a property of less than 600 square feet, total! Let Kimball solve your design challenges, too.
Award-winning interior designer Kimball Starr is a contemporary interior design expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kimball works to “change lives one room at a time” with innovative and creative interiors.
Labels: best interior designer, Houzz
Dec 18, 2015 | Posted in How To & Decorating Tips, Inspirations |
artwork courtesy Blisstree.com
Finishing up our series pairing design and drinks – we round out the holiday season with a modern bachelor pad paired with a Bloody Mary, inspired by the color of the living room’s design.
Kimball Starr Interior Design / photo by Eric Rorer
In the sumptuous San Francisco apartment above, featuring a lampshade and high pile rug in Pantone’s color-of-the-year Marsala, the decor exudes luxury that makes you want to mix a cocktail and have a seat. The fabrics were selected to provide tactile enjoyment and invite lounging. Clear Lucite nesting tables and hanging Aarnio bubble chair allow the eye to travel across the space more freely while giving the feel of space-age technology.
Left: Bloody Mary courtesy Liquor.com / Right: Virgin Mary courtesy wikia.com
To enjoy this living room fully, we recommend a Bloody Mary, a drink often consumed by the characters on Mad Men. Get more pairing ideas on our Pinterest board Drinks & Decor – Pairings!
Ingredients
Celery salt
1 Lemon wedge
1 Lime wedge
2 tsp Prepared horseradish
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch Ground black pepper
Garnish: 1 celery stalk & lime wedge
Directions
- Pour some celery salt onto a small plate
- Rub the juicy side of the lemon or lime wedge along the lip of a pint glass
- Roll the outer edge of the glass in celery salt until fully coated
- Fill with ice and set aside
- Squeeze the lemon and lime wedges into a shaker and drop them in
- Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice
- Shake gently and strain into the prepared glass
- Garnish with a celery stalk and a lime wedge
For a non-alcoholic version, how about a Virgin Mary? Mix tomato juice, 3 sauces, lime and a couple more ingredients you can find via our Pinterest.
If you need help designing an indoor space that impresses, contact Kimball Starr today!
Kimball Starr Interior Design is an award-winning San Francisco interior design firm specializing in contemporary interiors. Kimball Starr “changes lives one room at a time” by creating interiors tailored specially for you.
Labels: contemporary, drinks & decor, lifestyle, living room
