PLC1 minA B O U T * T H I S * B L O GThis blog is a collection of columns I wrote for the Lifestyles, Home and Garden Section of the Napa Valley Register. They were published...
PLC3 minDemystifying Design & PLC Interiors Bid a Fond Farewell Dear Readers, I’ve been graciously given the opportunity to make today’s column a personal one. After writing more than 300 columns in...
PLC5 minTwo-Year Design & Construction. Wine-Tasting Room Now OPEN! RD Winery, the first Vietnamese-owned winery in the Napa Valley, has at long last opened its doors. The 1600-square-foot tasting room had...
PLC3 minMemories of Pastasciutta con PestoNothing transports me to my childhood more than fresh, fragrant, sweet basil. It’s a leafy, green herb easily grown in Napa’s...
PLC4 minLess is MoreWhat does “less is more” really mean? It applies to various areas of life but usually enters a conversation when the topic is about style,
PLC2 minArt is Like a Multi-VitaminAt the risk of sounding cliché, art can feed our spirit. To compound my risk by sounding hokey, too, I’m inviting you to do an exercise. Tha
PLC5 minFormal Gardens and a Lifelong Lesson‘To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” — Audrey Hepburn How would you like a productive and creative exercise that takes place...
PLC3 minQuestion: How can we make a big backyard cozy?There’s a backstory to this question. It was asked by my friend, Cathy, during a small dinner gathering in my own backyard. It was one of...
PLC4 minSan Francisco’s Own Versailles Chateau ... Designers Transform Le Petit TrianonI had a feeling that this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase would be spectacular. I had been following its progress on Instagram and
PLC3 minBehind the Scenes of Designer ShowcasesSince I’ve participated in seven showcases, myself, I thought I’d give you an idea of what happens behind the scenes. If you’re not familiar
PLC4 minLunch With Architect and Legend - John PfluegerMy lunch date with John Pflueger, Sonoma-based architect and head of the oldest architectural firm west of the Mississippi, included a memor
PLC3 minMy Oblivious Mentor - John SaladinoAfter 30 years, John Saladino still makes me swoon. This New York architect and designer doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall. Nonetheles
PLC3 min Coastal StyleHave you ever wondered why you’re drawn to one style over another? Did your childhood home, a vacation or other travels influence your prefe
PLC1 minPatti's 10 Favorites Beyond Design"Getting to Know Your Designer" ... by Joan McDonald, An interview by Aspired Design Magazine ADM: Favorite book? PLC: The Count of Monte...
PLC3 minVerre Églomisé ... A Pre-Roman Artistic Technique Still Practiced TodayLet’s get the hard part out of the way. Verre Églomisé is pronounced “ver A-glowm-ee-zay” with a slight pause after the “ver” and an emphasi
PLC3 minRainbow FreshThe fabric designers who produced the Rainbow Collection must have been on creative overdrive because their color combinations were luscious
PLC3 minDemystifying the San Francisco Design CenterHave you ever browsed through home decor magazines and wondered where to find such beautiful furnishings? You know you haven’t seen them in
PLC3 minAn Ethereal and Otherworldly Garden ... A San Francisco Courtyard is Transformed A few weeks ago, Napa Valley Register feature's editor, Sasha Paulsen, and I ventured down to the 2013 San Francisco Decorator Showcase. Thi
PLC2 minWallpaper Revival It is believed that on his death bed in a cheap hotel in Paris, playwright Oscar Wilde said, “This wallpaper is atrocious. One of us has to