P L C 

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

Have you been to a jewelry store, I mean an art gallery, I mean a tile store lately? I get these destinations mixed up. These days, I find tile that is so sparkly, colorful and faceted that I could wear it as an accessory. I also find tile that is so exquisitely hand-painted or sculpted with inlaid stone that it could be displayed as fine art. Given all these spectacular options, how do homeowners know what to choose? If you’re such a homeowner, I’ve put together an exercise

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.

There are, quite literally, an infinite number of possible color combinations. Some have high contrast. Some are monochromatic or “tone on tone.” Others are complimentary (opposite each other on the color wheel), analogous (next to each other on the wheel), or triadic (three evenly spaced on the wheel.) I like all colors except rust. Love orange and melon but not rust. Also, not fond of forest green. If you had to choose just one combination, what would be your favorite? Many

What does “less is more” really mean? It applies to various areas of life but usually enters a conversation when the topic is about style,

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

I meant to write today’s column sometime last year. I was going to do it after finishing a certain DIY project, and if I had done a good job, I was even going to take pictures. Well, I never accomplished my goal, never even started, but my procrastination should not prevent you from attaining yours. What were my lofty plans? I have two small pieces of furniture that I want to paint. One is a short, gray file cabinet that I’d like to change to deep, magenta pink. Yes, I really

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

‘To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” — Audrey Hepburn How would you like a productive and creative exercise that takes place both indoors and out during these shelter-in-place times? Not only that, it will enhance your curb appeal, lower your water bill, add value to your property, make your neighbors happy, and even sharpen your math skills. I’m talking about designing a formal garden. If you don’t fancy the formal style or if you already have a beautiful landscape

Are great rooms great? Each case is different. If omitting walls exposes a beautiful view or allows for more natural light, then yest. If

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

While my power was off last week, and the week before, I did something crazy. Something that I love to do but have not done for the longest time. I didn’t even feel guilty about it as I normally would. I indulged in some leisurely reading. I became immersed in a historical novel with murder, intrigue and time travel. I didn’t and couldn’t answer my phone. I didn’t and couldn’t connect to the internet. So, once I let go of my frustration, I welcomed the downtime and remembered

I’m fairly certain that today’s topic sparked an interest in more than a few of you. “Analysis to paralysis”. Can you relate? When it comes to building, remodeling or furnishing a home, there are a variety of reasons why people find it difficult to make decisions. These decisions are long-lasting, consequential and costly. So, there’s no wonder why some people freeze. They’re afraid to make a mistake. Sometimes, they know what they like and sometimes they don’t. In my experie

As I write today’s column, I have eight bathrooms and two powder rooms in the works. Six are new construction, one is a remodel and the rest are cosmetic upgrades. All but three are small spaces, and I happen to love designing small spaces. Where some homeowners see a challenge, I see freedom. Freedom to toss convention aside and do something fun. Do something dramatic. Why not? It’s just a small bathroom. And, 10 times out of 10, homeowners are thrilled with their unconventi

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