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!
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.
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.
You’re probably noticing the 1970s retro revival is a significant trend in interior design right now. This revival is characterized by incorporating elements from the 1970s into modern spaces, such as bold colors, geometric patterns, natural materials, and layered textures.
Here’s a more detailed look at the 1970s retro revival in interiors, which is seen as a playful and sophisticated blend of the past and present.
Why the Revival is Popular
Nostalgia
Many people are drawn to the nostalgia of the 1970s, including those who grew up during that era or had older siblings who did.
Global Bohemian
The look found in the 70s can be called Global Bohemian. The Morroccan table by the front door, the stringed instruments displayed on the wall, zig zag patterns on the Pearsall chair fabric, and the shag-like rug are all elements of the Global Bohemian look and feel in this Palo Alto vintage bungalow. People are drawn to these elements because they’re textural, playful, and familiar.
Key Elements
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal
Bold Colors
The 1970s were known for their vibrant and sometimes unconventional color palettes and combinations. Revival brings back earthy tones like avocado green, mustard yellow, and burnt orange, sometimes paired with modern, more muted hues such as grey or navy blue to create a balanced look.
Geometric Patterns & Abstract Shapes
Geometric patterns, seen on items such as wallpapers to upholstery, were a defining feature of the 1970s. This revival embraces them, along with abstract shapes and sculptural furniture.
Natural Materials & Textiles
Wood, rattan, macrame, and wicker were staples of 1970s homes, and they continue to be popular in the revival, adding warmth and texture to our modern spaces.
Statement Lighting
1970s lighting design was bold and dramatic. The current revival embraces this with statement lighting fixtures such as oversize pendant lights, globe lamps, and chandeliers with a retro, kitsch leaning.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Marija Vidal
Modern Twist
While the revival embraces elements from the 1970s, it also incorporates a modern twist. This means using these retro elements in a way that feels contemporary and stylish, often by pairing them with clean, modern lines and minimalist touches, as you can see with the two-seat leather sofa here combined with 70s lamps and fabrics. Fun!
Kimball Starr designs modern homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe that incorporate a vintage look. Contact her today for a remote or socially-distant in-person consultation.
Travel brings out the best in us, gives us the freedom to explore and the space to find ourselves. A treasured find, brought back to capture memories of a secluded beach, a romantic getaway, or a panoramic view can provide the basis for highly personal interior design at home.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
Take, for example, this contemporary Guatemalan–inspired living room, created for a retired couple who spend half their time in a contemporary 2-bedroom condo with views of downtown San Francisco, and the rest of the time in Antigua, Guatemala. Travel is an integral part of the homeowners’ lives, and they wanted to bring back the rich woven textiles and vibrant colors of their Central American journeys to their stateside home. To reflect this cultural reference in the living room, a table base used in a Guatemalan wedding precession supports a custom-cut glass top to create the couple’s coffee table.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
The adjacent dining room highlights an art piece created from textured paint on plaster, inspired by the weathering, layering and patina of a building’s exterior in the Central American climate. Colors and fabrics used throughout the space were thoughtfully selected to remind the couple of their Guatemalan experiences and spark conversation with their guests. For example, an Eero Saarinen oval pedestal dining table in marble is paired with bright red B&B Italia dining chairs with silver zippers up the back, visible in the open plan living area.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
Artisan textiles are the focal point of the bedroom, based on the Guatemalan tapestry brought back from the owner’s travels. We hung it right over the headboard as a statement piece, and then upholstered the bench in a similar hand-sewn fabric. The throw blanket was also an Antigua find in the Guatemalan markets, and we had colorful tassels added as a playful fringe. The bedding is finished off with a decorative pillow to visually tie together all the handmade textiles.
Upholstering the bed in an inky-blue velvet provides a balance of sensuality and calm to the multiple patterns. Wood-tiled drawer fronts on the nightstands paired with glass jug bases for lamps complete the handcrafted style, but balance nicely with a modern aesthetic. An excellent additional choice might be woven baskets, used by locals to carry items to and from market.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
It was exciting to work with the homeowners and bring what they love about their life and travels into their home. Not only was I able to make their interior spaces function better for their individual lifestyles, I was also able to give them a beautiful home they love and remind them of their happiest moments and experiences in their lives.
Kimball Starr utilizes your treasured travel find to design a space that’s uniquely YOU. Contact her today for a consultation anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area / Northern California, plus Lake Tahoe and Nevada.
Do you have pesky problems in the kitchen, specifically how to organize and best use your drawers?
Photo courtesy Rev-A-Shelf
The struggle is real when finding a matching lid for food storage. A pull-out drawer with racks and separators solves the problem.
Photo courtesy Diamond Cabinets
This standard slide-out cabinet has vertical storage for kitchen tools that clutter up your countertops. Slots hold the containers securely so your tools won’t fall out.
Photo courtesy Annie Schlechter via House Beautiful
Moveable pegboard drawers for organizing crockery. Change it when you change seasonal sets.
Photo courtesy Decora Cabinets
Trouble deciding on a K-cup? You need a second drink, clearly.
Kimball Starr designs for beautiful kitchens throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or socially-distant in-person consultation.
The biggest surfaces in your home are ceilings, floors, and walls, with walls being the most directly aligned with your eye. Let’s look at 3 pleasing ways to finish walls. Each is an opportunity to express what you’re passionate about.
Create Colorful Stripes with Paint
Design and photo by Kimball Starr
In a bedroom for a young boy, we wanted to create color and interest without investing a lot of money or time, since kids grow up so quickly. The perfect solution: Paint stripes!
Design and photo by Kimball Starr
Here’s a mock-up of the design. I created an elevation drawing to scale then cut paint strips also to scale, and laid them over the drawing to decide the placement, colors, and sizes of the stripes. The best thing about colored paint: If their son decides he likes orange, green, and purple instead, it’s easy to update.
Design a Custom Wall Mural
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
When my city clients expressed a love of travel to Guatemala, I wanted to bring their affection for the colors, patterns, and textures found in that country into their San Francisco condo. I found a mural painter to create a custom art wall inspired by Guatemalan culture in their dining room. We also installed a custom wine fridge next to a long counter with beautiful white cabinetry underneath.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
Now it’s a luxurious wine tasting area where they can reminisce about their travels and share the tastes of Guatemalan wines with their guests while admiring beautiful art on the main dining wall.
Inspire with Pattern
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Joe Fletcher
My client wanted something unique in his San Francisco loft. His metal spiral staircase was the same as every other one I’d seen, with the exception of the curved bookcase, so I brought a special flair by adding a subtle silver geometric pattern to the exterior moveable wall, contrasted with a bright orange on the inside of the bookshelves.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Joe Fletcher
I repeated the orange in a nearby wall niche, providing a sense of harmony and balance. Now he loves going up and down the stairs, admiring how they can be hidden away by a rolling wall with an airy silver finish.
Kimball Starr designs unique wall finishes in homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or socially-distant in-person consultation.
Spring has sprung! You can smell it in the air, so fresh and exciting, when the plants starts to grow and bloom, birds and butterflies are busy and the spring rain is just around the corner (we hope!) The change of season always brings with it an intention to do – what else? – Spring Cleaning! Here are 3 simple tips to make yours swiftly effective and fun.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
1) Clean from the top down
Don’t fight gravity! Start by dusting ceiling fans, shaking out curtains, wiping blinds, and definitely do the tops of your cabinets and fridge before you get to the countertops and later the floors.
Use a microfiber cleaning tool to grab dust instead of pushing it around – Rubbermaid, Lowe’s and Walgreens all have low-cost, flexible tools. Choose something washable instead of disposable.
Freshen fabrics – launder sofa and pillow covers. Wash matching items at the same time so they always have the same wear and color. Wash your mattress pad and flip your mattress while hanging your sheets outside for that extra-fresh smell.
Sanitize high-traffic surfaces – doorknobs, drawer handles and light switches deserve extra attention. But skip the antibacterial products – plain dish soap and water or citrus-based products are the best natural antibacterial and don’t contribute to our environmental chemical load. Use bleach sparingly.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer
2) Clear the clutter
Visual clutter is disruptive to an effective work life and home life. Banish belongings to hidden storage or eliminate them altogether with these quick steps.
Remove anything that hasn’t been used within the last 7 days – either put it back into its storage location, donate it to a friend or charity, or recycle it. Landfill is the least desirable option so try to find a new home for it first.
Develop and regularly use a storage system – whether that is cardboard boxes labeled with sharpie pen, or clear plastic bins with label maker stickers, or glass jars with canning labels, keeping items separated and clearly labeled makes it easier to find and maintain them over the entire year without a huge investment in time. If it can be done in 2 minutes or less, you’re more likely to keep it up.
Group related objects together in storage – hats, gloves & scarves can go in the hall closet or up in the attic until next winter. Rotating your items seasonally means you have less to wade through in your most-used areas.
Pinterest Organization Board by J. Davidson Design
3) Clip ideas from social media
Don’t be afraid to go someplace unexpected for cleaning advice and inspiration. Social media is full of people thinking about and doing spring cleaning at this time of year, just like you!
Find inspiration – Follow a friend whose organizational smarts you admire. Look up a celebrity. Or go with a brand you trust that is natural and organic.
Celebrate your accomplishments – After you’ve sweated, take some photos to show off your sparkly-clean results! Post them to your social media of choice with a relevant hash tag such as #springcleaning, relax with a glass of wine and wait for the kudos to roll in!
Kimball Starr Interior Design is an award-winningSan Francisco interior design firm providing clutter-free interior design for both residential and commercial spaces. Contact her today for a complimentary consultation!
