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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.

PLC
4 min read


Is the Gray Trend Dead?
According to design industry gurus, the gray trend is dead and the brown trend is returning. However, they’ve been predicting such changes

PLC
3 min read


Historic French Rugs
the “Savonnerie”, was considered the most prestigious of knotted, pile rugs in 17th century Europe. Its name comes from its manufactory, lo

PLC
3 min read


Mega-Money-Making Summer Weekend
How would you like to automatically and easily add value to your home? What if it hardly cost more than a little sweat equity and a...

PLC
3 min read


The Art of Batik ... An American Couple Relocates to Bali and Starts a New Company
Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique that is applied to cloth (which has first been washed, soaked and beaten with a mallet). “Wax-resist”

PLC
3 min read


Art versus Design
Art versus design has been a provocative topic throughout the ages. But there are points that can be agreed. The success of each is the resu

PLC
3 min read


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.

PLC
3 min read


Choosing a Faucet ... The Hardest Worker Bee in Your Kitchen
As the saying goes, “What have you done for me lately?” If you’re talking to your kitchen faucet, the response would be lengthy. Faucets was

PLC
4 min read


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

PLC
4 min read


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...

PLC
2 min read


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

PLC
2 min read


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

PLC
3 min read


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...

PLC
2 min read


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

PLC
2 min read


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

PLC
3 min read


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

PLC
4 min read


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...

PLC
3 min read


Design Like Einstein
(Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) Did you happen to catch the recent 10-part series, “Genius”, on the National...

PLC
3 min read


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

PLC
5 min read


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...

PLC
3 min read
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