Swoon Inside

Revisiting our Oakmore Arches project...this time to tackle the second floor primary suite.​​​​​​​​
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Repeat clients are such a lovely vote of confidence in our studio, a little "let's get the band back together!" moment. I'm excited to give this client another beautiful space!​​​​​​​​
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Here's a polarizing question for your Friday morning: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Original woodwork...to paint or not to paint?

Generally I am Team "Hell no, don't you dare" - especially if it's a core feature of a historic home. I love how wood brings warmth and depth to spaces, and I love to add it to homes that don't have any original wood details.

BUT - here's the thing. Sometimes it's in terrible shape, or not quality wood to begin with. Maybe it's already been partially painted, or someone modified it badly along the way. While some things can be restored, sometimes (gasp) it's just not your style. I think there's a case for painting *sometimes!*

Swipe to see an exception to my rule - honestly I think I would love it just as much if we had kept the wood, but it would have needed a lot of restoration work. What do you think, did we make the right decision? 🫣

This lovely French Normandy fireplace just needed fresh paint and a hearth replacement to shine brightly again. Isn't she a beauty?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Fireplace renovations are a frequent request for our studio, since they are a common feature in many of our historic home projects. While the classic wood burning styles are now purely decorative due to California air pollution restrictions, they still give their rooms a beautiful focal point.

We just finished a limewashed plaster version with a wood mantel, and we have two more in construction phase: a recessed wood paneled design with a stone surround, and a massive historic stone design that's getting a refresh. Plus - two wood and leaded glass Craftsman style gas conversions are in planning phase.

With most large construction projects, the "mess" phase is the longest phase. There's so much work in getting the underpinnings right. We are in that phase with several projects right now and I look forward to the days when all of our beautiful finish selections begin to make their appearances!​​​​​​​​
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Chocolate walls and a cheeky "No peeking" art moment from our 1929 Revival bathroom 🤎🫣​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Design:
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Marble countertops and a beautiful brass faucet ... 🎵 these are a few of my favorite things 🎵​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The wallpaper that set the tone for the entire home 💫​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This is a custom mural, sized and printed specifically for the dimensions of this room. We wrapped the chair seats in a beautiful high performance cognac velvet, and I love how the color adds richness to the room.

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A little drama above the fireplace at our 1929 Revival 🥀​​​​​​​​
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How many arches can you count in this living room? Which one is your favorite? I have a soft spot for the little fireplace niche ✨ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Fun fact: the photographer was standing under an arch while taking this photo!

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There’s nothing more satisfying than bringing a neglected historic home back to life, especially when it’s brimming with beautiful architectural features. Swipe to see the before!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​When we first viewed this house, it had been painted all one color - a cold gray-tone white. The gorgeous front window was entirely obscured by trees.

A carefully-planned paint job, statement house numbers, and fresh landscaping worked wonders for this property. How cute are the potted topiaries at the base of the stairs? It's the small details that really make a house sing.

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In every project, there’s extensive talk (sometimes civilized, sometimes not) about “the TV” - where to put it, how many, how big. The formal living room in this house, while drop dead gorgeous, did not have a good place to put a TV. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Enter the media room, tucked away on the lower level adjacent to the patio: an ideal TV wall and a blank wall opposite that was perfect for built-in bookshelves. We carried the arches and the green theme, this time in a happier classic collegiate shade.

Swipe to see the before - it's a good one!

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I love a dark and moody bathroom. Here we dipped the walls, ceiling, trim, and doors in a complex shade that can lean chocolate or dark green depending on the time of day. A true chameleon color.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Design:
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After / Before - swipe to see a true time capsule!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Showing a wider angle in the before image, so you can really soak up the incredible floors and ceiling 🫣

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Thanks for sharing our work, Sunset!

Hello to all the new faces (and a few updates for those who've been here awhile)! 👋🏼 Today I'm sharing a handful of favorite recent project photos, along with some exciting milestones:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​💫 In the last year, our work has been featured by Sunset (you heard it here first - more on that tomorrow!), Rue, The Spruce, Fireclay Tile, and Semihandmade.

🐈 Sam joined me as an intern last spring and styled three photo shoots to perfection. I loved working with her so much, we decided to make it official with an Assistant Designer position! Sam has an incredible eye, sources the best vintage, makes excellent cocktails, and has the most soothing voice you'll ever hear.

🏠 We moved into a studio space in July, and it has been a life changing upgrade! We have a LOT of materials that need to be both spread out and stored, and we really needed a dedicated space to host client meetings. Our studio ticks those boxes AND comes with most excellent roommates, Kim and Jin of !

🔮 We are busy with exciting projects in 2024 ... work at the Gold Coast Craftsman will continue (check the highlight and watch my stories for progress), and a very special multi-year project will finally break ground. In between client projects, I'm planning something for my own home which has been a dream for many years.

If you made it this far, you're the real deal. Thanks for all the support on this platform, in my community, and in my close circle of family and friends 💗

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This sofa has been lovingly named "The Brioche." Who's hungry?​​​​​​​​
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One of my favorite photos of our work in 2023: the 20' ceilings, the travertine table, the light fixture, the branches, the curving staircase, the gorgeous white oak floors, the vintage pieces mixed in. We plan these moments for months (sometimes years!) and it's so rewarding to see them all come together.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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I love a freestanding tub. Swipe to see the floor-mounted filler with hand shower - super helpful for rinsing hair AND cleaning day.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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When wall space allows, I prefer side-placed vanity lights for a more even distribution of light near the bathroom mirror. I love how this trio of sculptural sconces serves as a focal point of the design AND showcases everyone in a more flattering light.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Swipe to see the before...yes, that's carpet on the floor!

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Ok - so this photo may not accurately reflect the everyday state of your desk, but every once in a while: treat yourself to flowers, tidy up, buy some new supplies that brighten the every day. It's amazing what just a few little moments of beauty will do for your mood.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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For this island home about a block from the San Francisco bay, we wanted to lightly reference the location without going "full coastal." The design brief was traditional but sleek, with touches of shine and a light bright overall feel.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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This high traffic main floor bath has a tiny trapezoid shape, and the walls couldn’t be moved without an expensive reconfiguring of the main floor. To make the space feel larger, we sourced a right-sized vanity and replaced the bathtub with a more open-feeling shower.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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Thanks to Rue Magazine for featuring this project!

Keep it classic. ✨ This bright kitchen by is functional and beautiful all at once. Take a tour: https://bit.ly/48ZyYR3

Photo by and styling by .emily_interiors.

I love the mix of wall treatments in this kitchen. The quartz countertop material repeats itself as the backsplash, while more traditional handmade tile stretches to the ceiling. It’s a subtle mix that adds lots of interest.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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The key to making this kitchen function better wasn't actually part of the kitchen...it's something we MOVED to make way for the new kitchen!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The hero of the scene? A set of patio doors, moved several feet to one side. This small change allowed for more counter space and a large new island. The island works hard too, with storage on both sides, a built-in knife block, and a peg system for storing dishes.

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This family had been working from the dining room since the beginning of covid, and we decided it was time to reclaim the dining table for family dinners! We created a large storage wall with a built-in desk in the playroom, which now moonlights as an office while the kids are at school.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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This large wrap around sofa was a perfect fit for the space, and bonus - it seats a large crowd. My clients have affectionately dubbed it “the brioche” and their 6 year old has found a perfect little hide-and-go-seek spot in the corner behind the sofa curve.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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Here’s something you may not know about a beautiful sturdy dining table with a stone top: it will elevate family meals, but it can also double as a ping-pong table. Yep, you heard me right!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The kids in this house created a ‘net’ with magna-tiles, and the parents said yes to indoor ping-pong because they like nice things, but they’re cool like that. Homes should be lived in, right?

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This is a household that cooks, well and often. Their former kitchen suffered from a poor layout with a bank of diagonal wall cabinets and peninsula jutting out into the main space, a tiny triangular island, very little counter space, and bullnose soffits everywhere. We solved all of these problems during the remodel, and the result is a chef’s dream.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The white oak range hood might be my favorite design detail from this kitchen - it adds so much warmth without overpowering the space.

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This cozy TV room is directly open to the kitchen (you can see the reflection of the range wall in the mirror). The family loves to entertain, regularly hosting large groups of friends and family, so it was important for this room to seat a crowd. We opted for an eleven foot extra deep sofa (with stain protection, because wine is on the menu), a couple of poufs, two leather lounge chairs, and seating for 4 at the kitchen island. I have seen this space in party mode, and let me tell you - it’s awesome.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Interior Design:
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