interior designer

Vegetable Gardening For The Beginner

October 7, 2019

Our household has grown vegetables in some way, shape or form for years now. Some seasons, our garden has been very simple and others have been more elaborate – depending on who was inspired and what our summertime activity levels were. Tomatoes are a given, as are zucchini and summer squash. I’ve delighted in the years we’ve grown beans and butternuts, carrots and beets – and there is nothing more satisfying than making dinner and realizing the majority of the produce was grown and harvested right from your own yard.

If you’re feeling the itch to grow vegetables, dive in. You can start small and add more year by year, or you can work with a landscaping company to help you go the full Monty the first time around.

Tips For Beginning Gardeners

Here are some tips for getting your garden started.

Get your priorities straight

There are certain must-haves if you want to grow a garden that bears fruit. These are:

Plenty of sunlight. Most vegetables, especially those harvested in late summer and fall like lots and lots of light. Six hours per day would be the minimum and eight to ten is even better – especially if you love juicy tomatoes.
High-quality soil. Soil is more than just a bunch of dirt. Healthy soil is a microcosm in its own right – full of rich, drainable soil that has plenty of minerals, decaying organic material, worms, microbes, fungus (mycorrhizae), and other energizing properties. If you’ve already started a compost pile, great – you’ll be able to incorporate fully composted materials into your soil beds. If not, you’ll want to spend time in your local nursery – bring in a soil sample from your garden area if you’re planning to use your own soil. Employees will help you figure out how much soil and/or soil amendments you’ll need for this year – and they can also help you with planting and spacing tips.
Compost. If you don’t compost yet, it’s time to start. While it’s too late in the game for this year, next year’s garden will thrive as a result of your efforts. Read Composting At Home to learn more. You’ll be amazed at how much organic materials you produce each week – and now they’ll all be invested into future food stores.
Access to water – not too little, not too much. Another reason soil quality is so important is that it must be loamy enough to retain a bit of water, but not too sandy (or it drains too much) or clay-rich (where water sits and rots the roots). If at all possible, I recommend installing a drip system equipped with a timer as this makes watering way easier.

Start Small and Grow Your Garden Each Year

Unless you have professional help, it’s best to start small. Gardening is an evolving process so if you go too big the first year, you might wind up with a whole lotta nothing, or more zucchini than you ever wanted to see in your lifetime.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac – a good “starter” garden for a family of four would measure 10-feet x 16-feet, with vegetable rows running north-south. That’s a pretty decent plot so if you’re a couple or your kids are really little, feel free to start smaller. You can also purchase portable raised beds – or build your own – that can be set up on top of existing soil and filled in.

Some of the veggies worth considering are:

Tomatoes
Green beans (add stakes or climbing cones)
Radishes
Carrots
Beats
Zucchini or summer squash (no more than four plants – they’re prolific)
Peppers
Corn (space accordingly so they don’t block other plants from the sun)
Kale or chard
Lettuce
Marigolds – bordering gardens with marigolds helps to deter certain pests, including rabbits

Once your summer harvest is over, you can continue planting a new round of greens that will keep your kitchen leafy rich through the winter and early spring.

I recommend buying organic seeds and starting them inside – those should be started now, OR purchase small, organic starters at a local nursery to give yourself a head start when you plant. Use the Almanac’s Planting Dates Calculator to determine when to begin planting in your neck of the Bay Area. Planting zones are tricky around here because of all the coastal/mountain variations.

Consider Container Gardening in Smaller Spaces

If you just want to get your feet wet this year, or don’t have much room to work with – container gardening is the way to go. With this method, you use appropriately sized containers – no less than 7-inches and typically no more than 12-inches deep – filled with soilless fill that retains water and has nutrients included.

You can grow almost anything in a container if you choose the right container and planting mix. Read, Urban Gardening With Vegetables, to learn more.

Cultivating your own vegetables is addictive and it’s a healthy, outdoor activity. Your children – or grandchildren – will love to help you plant, tend and harvest. Happy growing!

How Many Patterns Can Fit Into One Space?

October 6, 2019

Mixing patterns can be an incredibly daunting proposition if you’ve never done it before. We’ve all seen the hideous fashion faux pas that happen when the wrong stripe rubs up against an equally wrong plaid. As a result, many people shy away from mixing patterns or believe mixing patterns is a no-no altogether.

In fact, mixing – or layering – patterns is a sophisticated interior design technique and will do much to liven up your living spaces. If you’re ready to take that plunge, you’re probably wondering, “how much is too much?” There is no concrete answer to that; if you used three different patterns and they look terrible, it’s too much. If you use 15 different patterns and they look incredible, it’s just right.

Therefore, I’m not going to tell you whether or not there is a specific limit to how many patterns one room can handle. What I will let you in on, however, are a few tips and tricks on how to layer patterns for living spaces that come alive and look amazing.

Tips and Tricks for Mixing Patterns

Stick with odd numbers. You’ll see this “rule” often in the world of interior design. Of course, it doesn’t mean two or four different patterns will look terrible. It’s simply a fact that there is something harmonious about sets of three. So, when it comes to layering patterns, try to choose 3 or 5 that will look good together. My advice is to start with three. If you nail that, enjoy it for a while before throwing another pattern into the mix.

Use similar color families. Often, it’s the colors – not the patterns – that do the bulk of the clashing. One of the easiest ways to get your feet wet with pattern layering is to start with simple color patterns, like black and white or a particular shade of blue and white, etc. This will help you see the relationship between prints and patterns more clearly. Once you get that down, it will be easier for you to “sense” if multi-colored patterns complement one another or not. For example, in the eclectic dining area of this English Tudor, I mixed a white and black geometric pattern on the window drapes with the black and white zebra print area rug. Both are considered “bold” or “busy” patterns and yet the consistent color themes allow them to blend peacefully with the rest of the room’s decor.

Understand the difference in fabric textures. Other times, the mix of fabrics is the problem, not the patterns. When mixing patterns, try to keep within similar fabric families so your formal damask doesn’t clash with a casual gingham. Certain materials, such as linen, have a foot in each world and can work to transition different fabric families into a more functional set.

Start with the star of the show. Don’t decide to mix patterns for patterns’ sake. Instead, begin with a pattern you really love. Is it a piece of art? A handmade quilt on your bed? A gorgeous Persian area rug? Find the star of the show and make that your feature, then choose a few patterned furnishings or accents that will pay homage accordingly. In this contemporary living room in San Francisco, the shining star was definitely the area rug. Thus, we let her shine and chose boldly patterned throw pillows in complementary colors. The wall hanging and table ornaments have more subtle patterns in colors pulled from the rug as well.

Making The Most Of Your Open Floor Plan

October 1, 2019

I’ll be honest; I’m particularly fond of the open floor plan trend that just keeps on trending. To be sure, there are advantages to compartmentalization – especially when it comes to privacy and/or hiding the mess from guests. However, in my experience, the pros of open floor plans far outweigh the cons.

Ideas For Getting the Most Out of Your Open Floor Plan

Open floor plans offer several advantages: they are spacious or can provide the idea of space in smaller homes, they are great for families – allowing parents to keep their eyes and ears on children of all ages – and open floor plans are the best idea for serial entertainers.

With all of those benefits in mind, the following ideas will help you to enjoy an open floor plan design to its fullest and will make future redecorating easier.

Be proactive and practical. Before you get started choosing colors, furniture and fixtures, you need think about the practical realities of the space you have to work with. What areas do you need to have (food prep, dining, toys, living room, pet areas, etc.). How many people will be using these spaces on a regular basis? What’s the square footage of the available space? Which dimensions need to be respected in terms of moving around the kitchen comfortably, scooting chairs back to eat while leaving enough room for others to pass by, the general walking flow of the space? The more practical you are at the outset, the better use of space, function and flow you will enjoy when the design is complete.
What are you living with now? Changing major structural components like load bearing walls or posts, windows, exterior doors, etc., can be quite costly. Unless you have an unlimited budget, it’s best to identify structural limitations now so you can design an open floor plan that integrates with existing features. An experienced interior designer can be a lifesaver if you are struggling to “make it work,” because she has the ability to picture various configurations in her mind and, odds are the designer has created an open floor plan with similar features or limitations in the past. Even if you don’t plan to hire an interior designer for the long-term, paying for a consultation or two is well-worth the investment.
What are your priorities for the future? Now that you’ve listed your practical reality, it’s time to live in the dream world. What are your priorities for these spaces in the current moment? How will your household change in the next five years? What about the next 10 or 20 years? What type of energy, space, or functional/playful aspects would you like the home’s living spaces to facilitate? Your open floor plan will evolve more fluidly if you design flexibly and in a way that minimizes any modifications or transitions that may arise in the future.
Unified but segregated. Here’s where things get really fun. In an open floor plan, everything is visible and sort of layered against everything else. This means there needs to be a certain level of continuity or agreement between the colors, patterns, textiles and furnishings in the individual spaces. At the same time, clearly defining each area from the rest helps to set the tone and mood. A monochromatic paint scheme is one way to accomplish this, using textiles and furnishings to add a different tone or subtle energy differences to each space. Or, you can choose complementary colors that look great together but set color boundaries between the kitchen and family room, and between the living area and formal dining room.
Focus on transitions. How will the spaces transition from one to the next? One of my favorite ways to do this is to have a unified hard surface flooring material for the entire space. Then, area rugs and even layered area rugs can be used to anchor specific seating areas, to define spaces and to create different moods or tones – soft, warm, cool, contemporary, traditional, cozy, formal, etc.
Layouts and arrangements. Most rooms are laid out or organized along either linear or axial arrangements. Linear arrangements will create zones or living areas that are arranged along a straight line. These are quite flexible and the key is to keep it all in alignment with that invisible guideline so things remain balanced and proportional. Axial organization means arrangements that use two or more differing center-points. For example, the kitchen and dining room are arranged around one line while the family, reading or toy areas are arranged in alignment with another. Axial arrangements can be a bit trickier but work well in larg spaces. The path and access ways between the two become a focal point on their own.

How To Make Choosing The Perfect Wallpaper A Non-Issue

September 22, 2019

Don’t neglect the idea of wallpaper when you’re looking for a way to add color, pattern or visual interest to a living space. Unlike paint, which is typically applied in a single color – or requires significantly accurate measuring and taping to create a perfect pattern – wallpaper is available in a seemingly infinite array of colors, patterns, styles – and even textures.

Tips for Choosing Just-Right Wallpaper For Your Space

Here are tips for selecting the right paper for your walls.

Identify your goal. What is your goal for the space? There are so many stunning prints out there these days, that it’s easy to get swept away by all the possibilities when you’re standing amidst the selections. Instead, identify your main goals so you can focus on the right possibilities when you get there. Are you trying to add texture? Depth? Reflective value? Want to set a tone or tell a story? Would you like to add some wow factor? Bring these goals with you as you shop for wallpaper and cull through the samples.
Did we say paper? Yes, it’s called wallpaper, but we should really use the term wall covering because there are so many different materials out there. Today’s wall coverings are made from a range of materials, like Japanese silk, sisal, cork or grass cloth. They are printed to look like a mural or the finest artistic renderings. You can select wall coverings that are perfectly illustrated and textured to mimic natural stone or wood. Make sure you’ve looked at, felt and imagined all of the above before making your choice.
Sample, sample, sample. Just like carpet, cabinet doors or tiles, you can get wallpaper samples to try out in your home. I highly recommend you do so, putting the samples in place and living with them for a while so you can see how they feel, whether you love them consistently, and how they are affected by changes in light or by the view from other rooms. That brings us to the next tip…
Imagine it from other surroundings. Do you have an open floor plan or is a section of your prospective wall-papered space visible from another room or area? If so, consider all of the surroundings. You may find that the wallpaper you’re planning as an accent wall in your dining or living room doesn’t look so hot when viewed from an adjacent room with a different color or pattern scheme. It might clash, appear over-busy or be visually jarring.
Don’t limit yourself. If you love a busy pattern or a bold color but feel it will be overwhelming, consider creative alternatives. For example, it might make more sense to use the wallpaper on only one wall, as a half wall, or in panels with beautiful wood trim around them. That way you get to have the pattern or color you want, while retaining the ability to tone the effect down a bit using the blank space(s) around it.
Go professional all the way. One of the reasons wallpaper can feel so daunting is that it isn’t as easy to “do-over” when compared to paint. Yes, you can do it on your own, and if you’ve successfully applied wallpaper in the past, then go for it. I, on the other hand, feel that it’s worth every penny to work with a professional wallpaper installer. First, the installer will know exactly how much paper you’ll need, saving you from wasting money on paper you won’t use, or being just a few inches shy of completing the job. Also, the finished job will be done right – patterns properly aligned, no gaps, wrinkles or crooked spots, and the paper will stay put as it’s meant to.

Choosing The Perfect Kitchen Cabinet Color

September 21, 2019

Kitchen cabinets comprise the largest area of visual square footage in your kitchen. The right design style and color choices have a huge impact on your completed kitchen design. The wrong choice – well, it’s enough to make you wish you could start the design process all over again.

Tips for Choosing the Right Kitchen Cabinet Finish the First Time Around

Here are tips for selecting a cabinet finish that you’ll be happy with for longer than typical design trends hang around.

Think about your future kitchen

A handful of years back, kitchen design magazines and websites, like Houzz.com, were all about “pops” of color. Vibrant colors were very trendy then, so we saw lots of green and tangerine – even on kitchen cabinets. Beware attaching color trends to cabinets. The minute the trend has evaporated, you’re stuck with dozens of square feet of outdated cabinets that cost a chunk of change to repaint, reface or replace.

Instead, think about installing more timeless door styles and neutral colors that will weather changes in the trends a bit better. Save more transient kitchen accents to get those “pops” when you want them.

Choose a color that complements your open floor plan

If you have a galley kitchen, this is less relevant. However, most homeowners have some version of an open floor plan these days. In that case, it’s important to choose a cabinet door finish that works with other, visible living spaces. A prime example is this Suburban Oasis in San Francisco. See how the cabinetry is white, forming a nice but subtle contrast between the living and kitchen area? Smartly, the owners selected a gray finish for the kitchen island base, which echoes the effect of the gray walls in the family room- check and check!

Look around and see what colors or wood finishes make the most sense for uniting or complimenting visually adjacent living spaces. For example, if you have a built-in entertainment center or library in one room, it might make sense to have a block of kitchen cabinets in a similar finish to tie it together. Take a peek into this Palo Alto Family Home to see what I mean. Notice how the natural wood finish on the kitchen island plays homage to the wood accents in the living room.

On the flip side, if your living room or family room accents are more colorful, you may simply choose to go with white or very pale, neutral cabinet colors so the kitchen cabinets blend in, rather than stand out.

Work with existing countertop colors

Which comes first? The cabinet or the countertops? Good question. The answer is whichever one is most important to you. Where countertops were once primarily functional, they now serve as showpieces too. If you have your heart set on a particular countertop surface, I recommend choosing the countertops first.

From there, if the countertop is natural stone – or a surface such as quartz or Corian that mimics natural stone – we can begin to look at the accent colors inherent in the countertop and pull potential cabinet colors from there. Then, you can choose to design a backsplash that provides contrast or one that forms a harmonious transition between both surfaces, depending on the effect you want.

Remember you can choose more than one

Perhaps the biggest mistake homeowners make is settling on one cabinet color when they’re stuck between two, or waffling between the idea of subtle or more dramatic effects. Your kitchen can always boast more than one cabinet finish – as long as it does it well. And, I’ll be honest, the idea that “you can have both!” has helped save more partnerships than I care to count!

The most common way to go about multiple cabinet colors in the same space is to choose a separate color for upper and lower cabinets or to choose a color for one and a wood finish for the other. You can choose one color for one side of a kitchen and another color for the opposite side. For those of you who understand the reason behind avoiding bold colors – but who are dying to add that “pop” – I recommend using your bold color for the kitchen island cabinets. It will look great while you love it and is cheaper to paint when you’re ready for a change.

Not sure what the best move is for your kitchen cabinets? Enlist the help of an experienced interior designer. While working with an interior designer for the duration of the project will help it move more smoothly, a single consultation or two can be integral to making the right choices when it comes to the biggest budget – and most important – selections.