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I N T E R I O R S

Interior Design Services

Napa County

since 1989

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Instagram Inspiration

3 min

Instagram Inspiration

I admit that I’ve come late to two popular and entertaining phenomena. One is BritBox, a massive collection of streaming British television shows. Now I don’t have to rely on Masterpiece Theater’s scheduling to watch my favorite sleuths. The other is Instagram, created in 2010 by twenty-somethings Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. It’s a photo and video sharing platform and, in fact, gets its name from the blending of “instant camera” and “telegram”. To date, Instagram has ove

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Commissioned Art Adds Final Touch to a Tiny Bath Update

4 min

Commissioned Art Adds Final Touch to a Tiny Bath Update

Final touches to a bathroom update. It was a 1959 San Francisco flat where most bathrooms of that era and in that city, are itty bitty.

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Which White Works?

3 min

Which White Works?

As we went down her written list of questions, we came to the subject of wall color. I suggested one that may not seem very creative. White.

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What is Feng Shui and Does it Work?

4 min

What is Feng Shui and Does it Work?

Feng Shui, pronounced “Fung Shway”, is one of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics and is influenced by Chinese astronomy. The practice, whi

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Question: We have a two-story house with open stairs. Should we close them? What can we do with ...

2 min

Question: We have a two-story house with open stairs. Should we close them? What can we do with ...

the wasted space beneath them? Your open stairs lead me to a few open-ended questions. What is the style of your house? Is your staircase an architectural focal point and, if not, do you want it to be? Do you need more storage or additional space to meet other needs? How nimble are you on your feet? First, a few words about the advantages of open stairs. Since there are no risers (the vertical pieces that connect two horizontal treads to each other), you can see through your

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When Couple’s Styles Clash

2 min

When Couple’s Styles Clash

It’s not often that couples tell me, “We have the same taste, the same ideas, and the same goals.” So, a few years ago, I created an exercis

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Design, Draperies, and Math

3 min

Design, Draperies, and Math

Math was on overdrive recently while designing draperies. I’ll describe the situation but don’t worry about following it precisely. The idea

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Question: We’re renting a house while deciding whether to rebuild our home or live elsewhere in ...

2 min

Question: We’re renting a house while deciding whether to rebuild our home or live elsewhere in ...

the future. We lost it in the Napa fires. In the meantime, we’re renting furniture which is expensive to do (and uncomfortable). Can you guide us in starting over when buying new furniture? My heart goes out to you and I’ve given this some extra thought. Since you don’t know the sizes or configurations of rooms in your future home, keep a few things in mind: When it comes to upholstery, don’t invest in a sectional. It’ll take up a lot of space and, at this point, you don’t kn

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Question: The inside of my house does not get much sunlight and it’s difficult to grow plants ...

2 min

Question: The inside of my house does not get much sunlight and it’s difficult to grow plants ...

It’s true that many artificial plants look fake. Even the silk ones can look like plastic or paper. But there are companies whose potted pla

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Allure of Craquelure ... The Inspiration for a New Accessory

3 min

Allure of Craquelure ... The Inspiration for a New Accessory

There is an age-old phenomenon, a fine pattern of dense cracking called “craquelure”, that sometimes occurs on the surface of oil paintings

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Eclectic Style from Different Continents and a Pop of Orange

4 min

Eclectic Style from Different Continents and a Pop of Orange

An eclectic style is hard to describe and even harder to create. It’s a careful mix of treasures, travels and memories reflected in furnishi

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Question: I have a rug under my dining table and am looking for another for my family room...

3 min

Question: I have a rug under my dining table and am looking for another for my family room...

These rooms are actually one big room. I know the rugs should not match, but what do I look for so that the two coordinate? Also, are draperies out of fashion? (Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) I have a bit of insight into these questions as they come from my friend, Margie. When we were out walking the other day, I told her that I didn’t have any “ask” questions for my upcoming column and wondered if she had any. She did. Since I know exactly what her dining

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Design Like Einstein

3 min

Design Like Einstein

(Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) Did you happen to catch the recent 10-part series, “Genius”, on the National Geographic channel? The series spanned the life of Albert Einstein from his early days as a patent clerk in Bern, Switzerland to his death in Princeton, New Jersey. It focused more on his life, loves, struggles, and theories than math and physics, although, there were a few fascinating animations to help viewers visualize what he was thinking. At one

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C2 Paint ... Artisan Pigments, Exclusive Technology, and Eco-Friendly

5 min

C2 Paint ... Artisan Pigments, Exclusive Technology, and Eco-Friendly

The most durable paint has historically been oil-based. However, it is increasingly difficult to find, especially in California due to its r

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Question: We lost our home in the Napa fires and are now working on new plans on the same lot ...

3 min

Question: We lost our home in the Napa fires and are now working on new plans on the same lot ...

We belong to an HOA so much of the design is predetermined. But the interior style is completely up to us. Our last style was very mixed because neither my husband nor I knew how to choose one. We like many and want to do it right this time. We both are analytical and don’t have a problem with the logistics of a rebuild. My question isn’t about implementation but creativity. As a designer, where do you find your inspiration? Even if you use Houzz or Pinterest or watch televis

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Coco Chanel Whispered in my Ear

3 min

Coco Chanel Whispered in my Ear

At the end of a recent meeting with a client, I said, “I’m going to write about this”. Not only had Coco Chanel’s words come to mind (which

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Question: We want to replace our kitchen counter top. At first we thought we’d use granite but ...

2 min

Question: We want to replace our kitchen counter top. At first we thought we’d use granite but ...

now my wife is looking at quartz. There are so many quartz options and now we are confused. Do you recommend granite or quartz and could you shed some light on quartz? (Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) Let’s start with quartz. You’ve probably seen names like Silestone, Caesarstone, Cambria, Zodiac, and Pental just to name a few. These are quartz manufacturers. Their quartz is virtually the same and is comprise of at least 90% quartz aggregate with the rest be

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Question:
Can you shed some light on buying leather chairs?

3 min

Question: Can you shed some light on buying leather chairs?

Let’s start with the basics. The strongest and most durable part of a cow hide is just below the hair. Leather made from this area is called

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Question: How can we paint different rooms in our house different colors without making...

1 min

Question: How can we paint different rooms in our house different colors without making...

Let’s say your house has 10 rooms on a single floor and that you have three distinct paint colors in mind (not including trim and door color

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Question: We're getting ready to paint the inside of our house. You can see the kitchen, dining ...

2 min

Question: We're getting ready to paint the inside of our house. You can see the kitchen, dining ...

room, family room and staircase at the same time. There are a lot of angles. My favorite color is purple but of course that won't work. My husband likes tan and beige but I don't like any brown colors. I like grey. What color can we use that will make us both happy? (Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) I purposefully chose your question to answer this week so that I could announce that Devine Paint Center and I are hosting a complimentary seminar on Thursday, Ju

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