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Refresh and Renew: Light Demo Reno

Jan 06, 2025 | Posted in Before & After |

Want a new home in 2025? HOT TIP: Light renovation is easier than full demolition!

It’s completed faster, creates less construction dust and waste, and costs less than a full renovation. Let me show you what I mean.

Refreshed kitchen with green Ann Sacks ceramic tiles, honey colored wood flooring, white cabinetry and countertops, and open wood shelves next to the windows.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

Here in my client’s San Francisco home, the biggest item we replaced was the kitchen flooring, matched to the existing flooring in the rest of the house to provide a sense of unity.

A green kitchen with purple wallpaper in place of a backsplash. The island has a butcher block counter. The island's cabinet doors are open. Samples of tiles are on the counter under the windows, near a silver dishwasher. The kitchen is a bit dark, and the grey flooring contributes to that.
BEFORE
A head-on view of the refreshed kitchen, with white cabinets and counters, bright green Ann Sacks tiled backsplash, and honey-colored wood flooring that matches the rest of the property.
AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

In the kitchen, we updated the moss green cabinet doors with crisp white and added brighter green ceramic Ann Sacks tiles for the backsplash, and a set of open shelves near the sink.

View of the old stove area, with red brick behind a stainless steel cooktop, over, and hood, and small stainless shelves balancing either side.
BEFORE
After, a view of the oven and cooktop plus hood, now backed with bright green Ann Sacks tiles to match the rest of the kitchen. Two coordinating oval artworks of fruit on a yellow background flank the area. A small microwave now rests underneath a stainless steel counter to the left of the stove and cooktop, with storage underneath.
AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

The oven needed an update from a commercial-looking fixture. Now it’s a sweet, modern cook-station with personality that harmonizes with the rest of the kitchen.

The corner drinks station before updates was blocking light from entering the green kitchen with purple flowered wallpaper.
BEFORE
Now the backsplash matches the rest of the green Ann Sacks tiles, plus the wooden floating shelves match the other end of the kitchen. Removing the upper cabinets allows more light into the space.
AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

The corner drinks station was wasting valuable space at the end of the kitchen. The L-shaped cabinets were blocking light from entering the room, so we removed and replaced them with the same bright green tile backsplash. We added open shelving to match the other end of the space, plus a wine fridge for a modern touch.

The breakfast nook was dark and mismatched, though it does show the egress to the lanai where there's more light.
BEFORE
Now the breakfast nook matches the rest of the space, with the same honey-colored wood flooring, a corner bench seat and a pedestal table with two chairs, and the walkway out to the lanai is bright and enticing.
AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

Now the breakfast nook leading to the lanai is sunny and colorful, featuring a custom built-in corner bench seat, table, and chairs.

Now the kitchen is light, bright, and cheerful, with white cabinetry and counters, bright green backsplash tiling, honey-colored flooring that matches the resst of the space, and updated cabinet handles.
AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client
A view of the breakfast nook, door to the lanai, and the drinks station with the new backsplash tile and wine fridge.
AFTER: Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Client

See how much more natural sunlight is reaching the interior of the house? It makes the newly-replaced golden wood flooring really shine.

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

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Secret Rooms

Dec 23, 2024 | Posted in Inspirations |

When you were a little kid, did you dream about discovering a secret room hidden within the walls of your home? Me too! Here are some amazing secret rooms to discover right now! Happy holidays!

A teal green beadboard wall with a hinged bookcase that opens to reveal a hidden bathroom beyond.
Photo courtesy Timberstone Builders

I’d love to have a private bathroom through a hinged bookcase.

Photo courtesy Timberstone Builders

Wouldn’t it be fun to go through the wardrobe into this Narnia-themed children’s room?

A dark wood wall with horse and dog paintings and plenty of bookshelves. One part of the wall is hinged to open, revealing a hidden wine storage room.
Photo courtesy Timberstone Builders

A hidden wine room creates a secure space for your collection and anything else you’d like to keep away from prying eyes.

Two photos, with the top photo of a dark clock repair shop filled with multiple clocks on the walls, standing, and on the tables. A set of antique filing drawers has a few drawers partially open with clock parts spilling out. The bottom photo is of a cabaret seating area and stage. The tables are lit with individual table lamps, and the stage is surrounded by lights with a curtain that comes down. The space is circular , surrounded by wooden railings with openings to allow entrance and exiting. A spotlight is on the microphone center stage.
Photos courtesy Speakeasy SF

Speakeasy SF has a hidden entrance inside a clock shop next door. I’ve heard a rumor that there’s a second entrance inside a Chinese laundry shop nearby. Once inside, it’s a nightclub and cabaret with two bars, a roulette room, and a photography studio. What a fabulous experience!

Kimball Starr designs beautiful interiors that might include hidden rooms for homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a remote or socially-distant in-person consultation.

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Wallpaper Wow

Dec 09, 2024 | Posted in Trends |

Have you heard of using wallpaper NOT on the walls? Here are ideas to use wallpaper in unexpected ways.

An orange wall niche for a statue matches the orange wallpapered insides of a bookcase that curves around a circular stair with a silver railing and a silver patterned wall wrap.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Joe Fletcher

We colored the inside of the wall niche orange in my client’s San Francisco loft, creating interest and a wow factor, matching it to the insides of the bookshelves that form the wall around the spiral staircase. Instant uplift!

Close up of a white arched bookshelf backed with dark blue and white graphic plant-patterned wallpaper that shows off the display items. A round gold mirror hangs above the white painted fireplace mantel.
Photo courtesy Driven by Design

Another way to use wallpaper on bookshelves, finished with an arch for a classic feel.

A graphical wallpaper wrap in orange, black, and gold honeycomb shapes on a left-handled fridge, standing next to a gold triple drawer cabinet. A 50s style metal fan sits atop the fridge, along with colorful bowls in a stack. Whimsical animal cookie jars sit on the white counter.
Photo courtesy Aunt Peaches

Wallpaper can be used on fridges for a completely refreshed look.

A dark and moody bathroom in black and gold wallpaper that covers walls and ceiling with a black freestanding clawfoot tub over black and white patterned floor tiles. A black topped toilet with a white bottom stands near a white sink on silver legs.
Photo courtesy Elle Decor

A wallpapered ceiling draws your eye upwards, letting it linger and take in the whole space.

A sunny outdoor path scene appears between the risers of an open staircase, is the effect given from these photo stickers.
Photo courtesy WAHHWF

Wallpapering stair risers creates a fabulous look you won’t see many places. I’d love to work on a project like this with you!

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

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Fab Ceilings

Nov 25, 2024 | Posted in Inspirations |

When I was a kid, I used to love putting glow-in-the-dark stars on our 1980s popcorn ceilings. A pain to remove, but fun. Here are some more grown-up ways to decorate your ceilings.

A vaulted ceiling with exposed white-painted beams. The ceiling is covered in red, black, and white tartan fabric in a ski chalet, with the walls and furniture in matching tartan, black-and-white checkered floors, a four-poster bed.
Photo courtesy Veranda

Tartan upholstered walls, ceilings, and furniture in a Utah ski resort are deliciously over-the-top!

A beautiful contemporary living room shows off ornate coffered wood ceilings in white and gold.
Photo courtesy Francis York

This Pacific Heights San Francisco mansion has stunning coffered ceilings.

A large walk-in closet room features a hand-painted mural of a tiger with its tail running around the ceiling and turning the corners as square. Below, the room has a wicker chair and bright orange side table with a single Monstera leaf in a blue vase, a pair of slippers on the floor, and a bright yellow, pink, and orange painting of a woman surrounded by green plants hangs just below red blinds finished with fringe. Light streams in through sheer curtains and there are two window seats, painted a moss green to match the cabinetry.
Photo courtesy Kevin J. Miyazaki for House Beautiful

A ceiling mural in this walk-in closet elevates the space from standard to WOW just by looking up!

Green walls counterpoint a white hallway ceiling covered in a reflective star pattern that repeats.
Photo courtesy Royal Design Studio

This beautiful reflective star pattern would have impressed me as a child, and still does.

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

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Unexpected Upholstery

Nov 11, 2024 | Posted in Trends |

A padded door upholstered in turquoise blue fabric with silver nail heads creating a criss-cross diamond pattern. The wooden handles of the doors are wrapped in rope. The doors are partially open, with a bright orange interior and the corner of a sofa peeking through.
Photo courtesy Kaitlyn, Pinterest user

Want to create a feeling of modern luxury with a traditional touch? Here are some unexpected ways to upholster your interiors from around the web.

A red leather door upholstered with antique brass nail heads in a zig-zag pattern. The door is open to reveal a wine cellar beyond.
Photo courtesy Luxesource

Upholstered doors are an impressive way to make an entrance! Love the nail head pattern.

A residential lounge with white ceilings and crystal chandeliers, white leather upholstered walls, a pair of brightly patterned armchairs and a velvet sofa in burgundy. The floors are shiny dark brown hardwood with a plush dark brown rug leading to the seating area. Candles fill two wall niches nearby, and a curtain can be drawn across the TV area for privacy.
Photo courtesy Houzz

White leather upholstered walls in a residential lounge gives an ultra-cool luxurious feeling.

A bright lime green upholstered console table stands on gold legs in a half-circle shape, with a marble top. A gold drawer pull completes the look.
Photo courtesy MoodInteriorStylist

This bright green upholstered console table with gold legs and drawer handle would pep up any home.

Green bedspread with flowered sheets in tiny pink and orange buds, against a purple sheet with white flowers, against a multi-colored flowered upholstered headboard in 5 panels. Against the headboard rests 2 small leopard-print pillows, while a tiger lamp topped with pink fringe stands atop books on the bedside table.
Photo courtesy Apartment Therapy

A custom padded headboard on this bed created with multiple patterns, colors, and textures achieves an eclectic look. See the tiger and pink-fringed table lamp that tones with the animal-print pillows and pinks in the headboard and on the linens? Chef’s kiss!

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

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Organic Interior Designs

Oct 21, 2024 | Posted in Inspirations |

Organic Interior Design is defined by designers and builders as designing raw and refined spaces that layer organic elements, forms, and natural hues against a simplistic background. Nature-inspired furniture is combined with crisp architectural elements.

4 woven sinuously-shaped loungers in a row against a wall of identical photos of pink flowers with green grass and blue sky. Each lounger has a striped set of pillows in different colors: Black and white, orange and white, pink and white, green and white. The pillows match the open umbrellas overhead of each lounger. On the right wall is written Pssst... summer.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

Here’s an example of a commercial design display I did for Ikea using organic shapes for the loungers, giving a natural feel with the woven texture, yet a modern take with colorful umbrellas and matching pillows.

A natural-looking bathroom featuring an oval white freestanding bathtub on a woven rug with wood plank flooring beneath, a wooden vanity and marble countertop with an oval mirror, a small wooden bench used as a table, to the rear, a large black-framed triple window with trees and greenery outside, plus large live plants inside.
Photo courtesy Decorilla

This moody bathroom demonstrates organic design through its use of wood plank flooring with a woven rug under the bathtub, the wooden cabinetry, door, and plenty of live plants.

Multiple different patterned hand-made ceramic tiles in light blue and moss green hues, with off-white background fields.
Photo courtesy Etsy

Ceramic tiles in coastal blue on beige textural backgrounds feel very organic due to the handmade designs and nature-inspired patterns. Take your kitchen or bathroom from whoa to wow by incorporating some of these in your next design.

A dining room featuring a live edge table with midcentury modern upholstered chairs in a black and white batik pattern with wooden legs, a bright blue sideboard on wooden legs dressed with a table lamp, books and a bowl of glass balls. Above on the wall, a driftwood sculpture has live plants, while a large fiddle plant stands in the corner behind. Wooden flooring sets the stage for it all.
Design by Kimball Starr / Photo by Eric Rorer

This comfortable midcentury dining room is a good example of organic design, with a live edge wood table and a wall sculpture made from live wood and plants. Can I design something like this for your home or home office?

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

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