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The Story, The Wine, The Design 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 just completed an extensive, two-year-long remodel this past spring when the pandemic prevented its celebratory grand opening. Since July, however, visitors have been able to enjoy food and wine pairings on its generous patio along with strolls through its bird-chirping garden. And now, restrictions have ease

This enduring color is Pantone’s Classic Blue 19-4052. It’s a true blue, a primary blue, the first blue you think of when you hear the word.

Besides being the place where Cayetano Juarez died (while sitting at the bar in 1883), the Depot is known for its malfatti. Virginia, a nati

Luckily for us in the Napa Valley, any and all colors work. In fact, any and all parts of these philosophies can bring health and harmony to

At 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

Ask Napa resident, Holly Quate, what her favorite design style is and she’ll answer, “Art Deco or Mid-century Modern or maybe Craftsman.” As

Beautiful stationery, refined fountain pens, and handwritten notes. Today’s times are fast, hurried, digital, and in my opinion, in need of

There are as many ways to create a gallery wall as there are walls in the world. There are no rules but I can give a few tips to make yours strong and impressive. A gallery wall is a collection of art composed in an organized way. This can be as simple as lining pieces in a row or arranging them in a grid but it’s usually more mixed than that. Any wall can be a gallery especially if it is long and lonely and has defined end points such as a pair of windows or door openings. A

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

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.

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

Since 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

My lunch date with John Pflueger, Sonoma-based architect and head of the oldest architectural firm west of the Mississippi, included a memor

After 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

Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to one style over another? Did your childhood home, a vacation or other travels influence your prefe

Today’s column comes to you by way of permission from three recent clients. Clients who, before undertaking do-it-yourself projects, requested a consultation with me to point them in the right direction. They have kindly allowed me to share their goals and challenges and my suggestions. Carole S. wanted to furnish her new and empty condo but was having difficulty defining her style. She showed me photos from magazines, Houzz and Pinterest. I could see why she was confused - s

No matter the scope of your remodeling project, there are three words that can help it go more smoothly. “Plan, plan, plan”. I admit to bein

When it comes to home furnishings, I know it’s true. That is, investing in select pieces, while holding back on others, can create a well-pu

There’s a Stephen Sondheim song titled, “A funny thing happened on the way to the forum.” That’s how I felt on my way out the door after mee

Let’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