Today I’m featuring quick pics of a dental office I designed.  This space in in the heart of Union Square, San Francisco, on the corner of Stockton and Post.  I took these pics yesterday, so they were not professionally composed.  My regular photographer, Shannon, is on vacation.  This space (it’s bones) and the client were a joy to work with throughout the entire project.

The color palette is subtle, rich and feminine.  The materials we worked with were some of my favorites, old brick, polished concrete, light, sexy Zodiaq quarts countertops.  The softscape includes embroidery influenced wool rugs, washed woods, crisp linen, oil on canvas, warm lighting, both new and vintage accents. 

Artwork in the reception area created by local artist, Audrey Kral, her work is incredible and I found it via 4th Street Studios.  

The mirror, a vintage find, which I had refinished.  Originally, I had it earmarked for my studio walls.  It just worked so perfectly in this space…the shape adds a softness to the architectural lines (will be better illustrated in later pics) and other hard line elements.  It was refinished in a bronze pewter metal finish, which folds well into the color scheme.

I know, you’re thinking, what is this?  Well, I wanted to show the richness of our polished concrete floor.   I had it custom tinted when it was refloated, which by the way, is a very very complicated process.  It took a few rounds to get the color right because of how pigment rises to the top and it actually changed hue when we added our sealer, but it turned out nice and the client is very happy.

Here’s the face of the reception desk.  In commercial design, especially medical, you are often bound to using laminates, for casegoods and cabinetry for sanitary purposes and budget constraints.  It is really a challenge as a designer to make the space unique, well balanced and fresh when working with such material constraints.  The vendors (Formica, Nevamar, Wilsonart) have improved leaps and bounds over the years in the range of product they offer…their color selection and faux bois options are better than ever.  

The countertop for the reception customer portion is quartz.  I went with a thicker counter top as I think it speaks volumes on perceived quality, especially in commercial or large residential spaces. The edge detail is square, with a small top bevel to accent the sexiness of this material.

This is a shot into one of the operatories.  I wanted to show the accent paint color, which is a rich periwinkle blue (Benjamin Moore).  This color wraps the perimeter walls on the left side of the office and the back wall.  I used the light oyster color in the reception area, the hallway walls, ceilings, portion of the right perimeter walls that were not exposed brick.  The cabinetry is covered in wood laminate, with a light matte finish Corian countertop.  We rounded the edges of this cabinetry to soften the look and improve functional movement within the space.

I try to source reception seating on my projects that departs a bit from typical contract style chairs.  Medical offices can be so stale. This doctor is a female cosmetic dentist, so what better space to set the tone for a pretty mouth than a pretty space.  I sourced these chairs through a ‘to the trade’ vendor, they were shipped across country and came in, better than I remembered them looking at the Vegas Market where I sourced them.  That was such a treat and is far from typical in my industry; there is always a risk in quality when sourcing new, direct, lesser known vendors.  The kicker is that these chairs are very comfortable…don’t they just set of the reception area so well.  The rug is also one of my vendors.  Their product has a nice range of styles and their quality and price point are refreshingly great !!  

Another shot of the space; we washed the original brick (which we exposed during demolition).  We washed it to tone down the red hue, but wanted to maintain it’s rich, original, natural variation.

The client…she is a dream, and honestly, I had the creative freedom on this project that is ideal.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Thank you for being here.

i’m not drawn to cutesy, by nature, but this is so smartly done with balance and rhythym and the right amount of quiet space. via Canadian H & H. I subscribe to this publication and it is chock full of ideas and inspiration for residential interiors.

isn’t this the coolest compromise for a campy, cozy space when ‘camping’ isn’t practical? also via Canadian H & H.  

a peek in the studio, a bit of a wool pouf, a vintage recliner and vintage suitcase.  

image by:  moi

a closer version of the pouf, it’s for sale, so if you are so inclined, email me for the details :)

image by:  moi

another lil shot in the studio, viewed through the brass, a sweet lil accessory.

image by:  moi

a peek at a few more vintage items I’ve gathered in my travels…these will make their way into the etsy vintage shop quite soon, I am hoping.

image by:  moi

last, but not least, our sweet new friend, she lives in one of our (bare for now) hanging planters on the porch.  it hangs just off the kitchen and in front of AJ’s bedroom window.  she’s nesting, and it is a source of joy, gratitude and a daily reminder of God’s incredible grace.

image by:  moi

I hope your week is laced in moments and images and memories that make you smile–smile from the inside out.  thank you for being here.  it is another source of joy for lil ol me :)

I started collecting vintage ice buckets a couple of years ago.  I thought it might be fun to repurpose them, as vases.  They are ideal in size for a floral vignette, perfectly insulated.  I’ve dreamed of opening a lil vintage shop on Etsy , to sell my small vintage wares.  I’m hoping it will soon be coming to life.  Yippee !!

These are but a few of the items I’m planning to offer.  In that vein, I scooped up some flowers (using a bit of the faux floral goodness I sourced for the studio), some coffee and morning crumbly goodies.  Shannon and I played in the studio.  We had a lovely time.  Playing with the flowers, the display. I hear the rhythm of her shutter clicking, it’s sweet background noise.  You know the sound of joy, of anticipation (like the familiar shrill of kids playing in the pool). I have fun simply watching her work. She exudes creativity from the moment you set eyes on her.  The visuals that result from our time together, her eye, her ability to capture style, is nothing short of amazing.  To see more of her work, please visit her flickr stream.

We talked about doing more playful, stylizing shoots.  It’s hard to find time in our schedules, but this is so refreshing for me.  I am a huge fan of photostyling, as is witnessed through the content I’m prone to feature here.  

I’m hoping to have some initial goodies available in my lil etsy shop within the next few weeks.  If you have any wisdom or suggestions to share on selling wares on etsy, please comment or email me.  

Thank you for being here.

pure b & w beach sexy

grounded, minimal, masculine and smart

melancholy, feminine, a thinking evening, release

close, a whisper, shiny allure

james dean clean, (reminds me of my dad…we were looking at images last weekend from when he was 21, lean and oh so handsome

sun-drenched, dusk, crisp, fresh….thoughtfully constructed

images via McDermott Management.  they represent some very talented photographers, graphic designers and illustrators in Los Angeles, New York, and London.  happened upon this pool of talent while reading one of my favorite blogs, Daydream Lily—found her via another wonderful blog, That Unreliable Girl. both blogs and their writers are a wonderful blend of beauty, style, creativity and wit. i’m grateful for the connections i’ve made on this blog journey.  i’ve met some incredible people and am learning a lot about myself in the process.  it’s fun to continue to uncover and discover what moves you.  

thank you for being here.

To free us from the expectation of others, to give us back to ourselves….there lies the great singular power of self respect.                                                                                                                 Joan Didion

I am heading down south tomorrow for my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary.  They are renewing their vows.  The ceremony and celebration is going to be held at their home, with the ceremony in their yard. Their home is 5 doors down from the beach; it is so lovely there.  We are all excited.  We haven’t even told AJ & G yet because they get so excited they do not sleep well…it’s cute in commercials people, but a bit draining in real life :)

I have a lot of open items in my life, primarily as it relates to my business.  There are a variety of reasons and many of them are valid…you do not have to go too far to hear the news of the economy and have people tell you what a hard time it is for opening a new business.  Guess what, I expanded a business in the last year, so now, it’s time to move into that space (figuratively) and claim it.  I was realizing even more today that I am experiencing a lack of faith.  It’s one thing to believe in God, which I do, but quite another to trust him…I mean REALLY trust him.

I want to be free, to try some new things on and to share my little slice of the pie. I want to do so many things creatively….it seems the days run short and my ideas stay locked away more than I would wish. One idea a week, that is where I will start.

pssst:  I do plan to open an etsy shop for my vintage wares….I have some really pretty, stylish things, in my mind’s eye.  There, I said it; one of my ideas :)

Peace, joy and creativity to you.  Thank you kindly for being here.

image via Pavel Horák’s photostream on flickr.  He is a very talented photographer, and you can see more of his work here.

yummy balance of tattered, textured, metallic and soft

copper richness, against the waters of silvery slate grey goodness

russet coral, sky water crisp blue, geometric strong exterior with the warmth of it’s coverage

juxtaposition of large scale pieces color, quiet, or color rich, unlikely blends that work

old classic shapes, materials colors blended perfectly with pops of what’s new, the shapes, the size the thickness

awesome, grand, boisterous, with a dash of delicate for breathing room

cozy layers of well spoken taste, fanciful richness

grandeur, repetitive thinking, inspirational combinations, unlikely hues that fold well together

old world. new world, reflecting the beauty of age with grace

Today I’m featuring visuals of design vignettes; I combined individual illustrations that seemed to be tied together somehow.  I find that to be relaxing and enjoyable.  

I have been thinking about the content I post here and what drives my selections.  I do work in the field of design, and I would like to visually illustrate that a bit more here.  

So, why do I show so many visuals, either photography, interior and exterior styling?  You might not be asking this but I have asked myself and I would like to share my thoughts on this from where I sit today. So much of what I do is both creative and technical.  People are often shocked when I share about my previous career, a CPA/business consultant. They say things like, ‘wow, that is a huge departure from interior design’.  I am a bit puzzled by this, but that is from where I sit, from how I filter the two fields in comparison.  

I consider myself a very dual brained individual, using both the left (logical/mathematical) and right (creative/visionary) sides of my brain. I did initially while in corporate america (primary, left, secondary, right) and still do today, in the field of interior design, only in reverse (primary, right, secondary, left).   I find that in the field of interior design, to do it well, you must call on both sides of your brain, or outsource one of the sides based on what the field calls you to do.  

So what does this have to do with what I share here?  I guess what I am coming to terms with at the moment is this.  The creative side of my brain is now predominant.  I think of these two sides as muscles and I use the creative muscle more in this field, so it is, by nature, stronger.  

I use the logical part to forge ahead on project details, technical measures, vendor #’s, pricing, billing and project management. I am also currently using it more than I would like to foster the studio arm of my business, the infrastructure, marketing (in the works, come on Jana) overhead pool online presence. Portions of this requirement are not my strong suit, so therefore they are a bit more taxing on my spirit.

This leaves me more tapped for blogging.  I have so many ideas for content, a multitude of things I have thought about over the last couple of years based on the inspiring blogs I have read and pretty things I have seen.  I am not technically proficient with all of the software and skill set it takes to visually communicate ideas well on the web, on this blog.  

I do consider one of my strengths in design to be the mastery of color and material selection/combining. Once example of this is paint color.  I would love to show you the 30 or so colors that I use over and over again in different combinations because frankly, they work so well and they are so spot on balanced in their tonal quality. (my preference for paint color)  My next commitment is to photograph a select number of projects I have completed to best illustrate this.  I’ve done a ton of design work over the years but have been very remiss in finishing the loop after project completion to have the work well photographed.   I could also show you via downloading samples in photoshop and doing color boards.  the main issue there is that not all of the colors I love are available online for download; so this IS on the list.

I do love being here and I love sharing bit and pieces of what inspires me, what I am taken with in my everyday design travels.

I hope to devote more time to featuring local and regional talent on a variety of fronts as the months progress.  Forging ahead for today….All the images are via Jim Thompson’s website.  He is a renowned designer of equisite Thai silk, silk blend, and cotton fabrics sold to the trade in the interior design world.

Clients cannot always afford the luxury of specifying such high end upholstery fabrics throughout a project. I try to offer a mix of fabrics, a range of pricing.  In many instances, a select amount of this quality for say, the body of a sofa (an alternate choice for cushions and throw pillows), a pair of club chairs, the seat cushions on dining chairs, or for accent pillows on prefabricated upholstery does the trick.

I love deconstruction, woven materials, rich muted hues, large well proportioned scale.  Add in outdoor spaces loaded with simplicity, organic materials, blue skies, water and breathing space.  Words don’t give this furniture line justice, so I’ll pipe down and just let you soak in the gorgeousness.

eggplant, oatmeal, concrete, moss, boxy inverted seams

cylinders, spot on cinnamon & cocoa, large scale sexy weave, smooth sand, quiet

contour, balance of movement and straight lines, minimal, cozy, smart

espresso, suspension, oatmeal balanced texture, serene, deep, brilliant take on the porch swing

drenched in style, minimal, thoughtful hardscape, circular balance

brisk, not your mama’s bean bag, intimate social circle, pomegranate creme fraiche, lanterned lined memories

sexy muddy palette, molded goodness, sumptuous, secret filled point of no return

Italian furniture line, Paola Lenti.  This is but a small illustration of their outdoor collection.  The also feature an entire line of indoor furnishings and phenomenal area rugs.  These would be great to share with you on another day.

We have an outdoor portion of the studio, it needs a bit of love…this gives me inspiration.  We wish it had views such as these; we wish we had a budget to afford the beauty that this line exudes.  I believe in using visuals that extend beyond the skies limit…it’s amazing how limitless style is; good style is not defined by the budget one has.  In my humble opinion, it’s driven by your ability to envision and combine.

vintage; souvenirs, lived and loved in.

random, layers, simple,  sea glass.

splendid, feminine, longevity, victorian, rich in pretty.

sunshine, spring time, fresh, delicate, playful.

story, chiseled, damp with thriving, minimal, mature composition.

patchwork, yummy, gumdrop, subtle, whimsy, smart, cozy.

shapes, lines, crisp, transparent cylindrical

oatmeal, warmth of cool, ribbons and sheers, quiet comfort.

raspberry, brilliant, layered, intentional balance.

If you ask me, nothing says Happy Monday like inspirational images.  I am pleased to share some of my favorite images from famed London photographer, Emma Mitchell.  Her work is rich, thoughtful, simple, and evocative. Photo styling is really appealing to me. I’d love to learn more about it and I play with the idea of it as an arm of my design business (a girl can dream).  I do not have a background in photography, so I lean more towards the idea of styling the shoot over doing the snapping.  I was originally introduced to Emma’s work via set design thinking

Have a wonderful day.  I’ll leave you with an excerpt from the poem I praise you for what is yet to be, by Ted Loder:

I praise you

that you turn me loose

to go with you to the edge of now and maybe.

to welcome the new, 

to see my possibilities

to accept my limit

of passion and compassion

until,

released by joy,

I uncurl to other people

and to your kingdom coming,

for you are gracious beyond all telling of it.

she lives in oakland, her self description is brilliant:  

a sleepy-eyed girl, in love with the estuary.
hiding out in oakland with stitches and songs.
learning how to talk to birds.

fashion designer, a personal inspiration to me; selene’s flickr photostream is magnificient.

dreaming in color, of softly kissed lips and quiet, memory ridden spring afternoons

color balance; mini proper, this n that dazzling vintage glam. romantic snippets

empty; love this vintage bag; her hat, gloves, cinder block, and the sexy of rusted corrugated metal

paint; the velvety rich wine back wall, tattoo expression, delicate fingers and artistic composition

lean; the juxtaposition of her bubble gum mini-dress, messy borderline hair–againt the slats, graffiti ridden, pickled, painted, remnants

she’s smart, a bit stiff…surrounded in ties and trims of color; vignette of stylish thinking; the flash

tonal, textural, oatmeal thoughtfulness. touch of whimsy, shaped and balanced color selection

lover’s photography. park whimsy. the sexy of holes. a perfect mix of blurred colorful expression

precious time. a personal adventure; parasols, and petticoats, so pretty smart and friendly

abandon, innocence, adventure…sibling care…to really fly and spin, in pretty, playful bliss

these images, they captivate.  my creativity thrives on a mix of pretty and messy. the ability to interpret real life applicatons of these kinds of visual compositions; this line, a fashion line, gibbous fashions, amazing. found via the lovely my folk lover blog.  

i wouldn’t apply these ideas literally in fashion or for interiors.  a bit more tailored might be. when preparing for a client presentation or composing a fun studio vignette, this type of inspiration coats my soul and sets the creative ball rolling. what stirs and ignites your creativity?

crisp. simple. thoughtful palette.

natural. traditional. mature.

rich. rejuvinating. nestled. warm palette.

romantic. crickets. manicured. protected.

organic. neutral. cozy. tone on tone.

masculine. sleek. scale. geometrically sexy.

raw, tactile. smart. cocoa.

private. cocoon. international. shelter.

expanse. open plane. precision. graceful. decadent.

draped. thirsty. communal.

stamped. thoughtful. enveloped. groves.

My children’s favorite place to be. autside mommy.  beauty. energy. spirituality. stylish expression.  Where is your favorite outdoor space?

all images via Marie Claire Maison