Home Tour: NYC Dream Come True

Home Tours

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good industrial loft (did you follow our loft life from what feels like years ago??). But this loft in Soho (hello, second dream realized), designed by Tina Rich, combines classic downtown industrials details with a light, airy, dare I say California vibe.

Case in point, the epic kitchen. You might not immediately think you can combine exposed brick and rustic beams with bleached oak and a lovely light marble, but somehow it just works. The light tones brighten the space and neutralize any overly red moments in the exposed brick. A killer ceramics collection, including the season’s must-have fruit bowl, add more warmth and eclecticism.

The balance of warm and industrial continue to mix as you move into the seating area. A relaxed all-white chaise sofa feels incredibly laid back. Tones of blush, cream and natural materials soften things further. Sadly I don’t know the source of that amazing travertine and wood coffee table, but I’m determined to track it down!

The use of light oak carries into the dining area, where one of my favorite Apparatus Studio chandeliers (also seen in this stunning Hamptons home here) sits above a simple farmer’s style table. The pastel hues in the oversized art continue the softer color palette. I also spy vases by my new favorite ceramicist Simone Bodmer-Turner.

If you’ve read for awhile you know I have a love affair with steel and glass doors. They’re used here to create a lovely guest bedroom that can be flooded with natural light when the velvet curtains (in that yummy safe hue) are open. It also is the perfect incentive to make your bed.

When you have a jewel box of a bathroom to play with, you want to make every choice count. This bathroom does that perfectly. Tina mixed industrial materials to great effect. Concrete was used to create a built-in niche featuring steel shelves. Yet the floor and wall tile have softer textures that evokes textiles. The open sink helps the small space feel bigger. I also love using beautiful decorative objects in a bathroom. They help connect the design to the entire house.

I wouldn’t except these soft lines and natural materials in an urban loft but they work oh so well. And I spy one of my favorite discoveries from my recent travels in Scandinavia, the No.2 hanging lamp wall light by Valerie Objects.

In the master, clean lines but soft textures like an upholstered headboard makes this a room you just want to collapse into. With space at a premium in NYC, the wall-mounted side tables are a genius solution, while the leather hammocks hanging below offer a unique way to hold nighttime reading materials.

I don’t think I’d ever describe New York as relaxing, but I’d gladly take respite from the city that never sleeps in this beautiful space.

For our entire archive of inspiring homes, CLICK HERE.

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mquan studio disc curtain

simone bodmer-turner ceramics

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design by Tina Rich, photography by christian torres

Home Tour: Next Level Cottage Chic

Home Tours

At first glance, you might not immediately realize today’s home tour is nearly 220 years old. The beautiful mix of contemporary furniture, elevated vintage and exquisitely unique pieces are likely to capture your eye first. Because it is all crazy good.

But has you look a little closer, you’ll notice how the historic details of the home – a cottage originally built in 1790 by a Revolutionary War veteran – are an integral part of the home’s overall aesthetic. To stunning effect. Scroll to see how you can can make something old wondrously new again.

After five years of renovating This Old Victorian, I’m sucker for any home that highlights its historic architectural features. In restoring this cottage, the design team took great pains to refurbish the raw wood beams that originally graced the walls and ceilings. That age and patina are the perfect foil to the the contemporary feel of furnishings.

I also love that there’s also a sense of ease and comfort in this home. The chaise sofa and simple two-tiered coffee table above are relaxed, while the side table, vintage wall-mounted sconces and those stunning layered rugs add major interest. The warm palette of neutrals offer high contrast without in your face color.

All dogs should be color-coded to your house if you ask me.

My head keeps turning at tall the incredible details in this house! Do you spy those incredible feet on that sofa? Or your perhaps you can’t pull your eyes off that marble side table. Or that exceptional lamp? The yummy rug? It’s hard to decide what is the most pitch perfect choice.

Vintage moments add to the cottage’s charm – from that amazing firewood box to the lovely candles and door hardware – these are the details that truly honor the home’s restoration.

The dining room mixes styles to a tee. The massive fireplace, skirted dining table and shaker chairs all speak to the traditional east coast roots of this home, while the oversized art both mirrors the fireplace but also offers a modern touch.

A herringbone brick floor is a textural rustic moment in the otherwise sleek white kitchen.

Mixing textures, print and materials offer visual interest everywhere you turn.

A wicker chair painted black modernizes the vintage vibe in a bedroom. A sophisticated modern lamp further balances this vignette.

This home is a clinic in honoring a home’s historic bones while breathing in new life that meets the needs of how we live today. My friend Sheena, the founder of Nune Studio is behind all these beautiful choices while Branca & Co managed the restoration. I should have reached out to both five years ago!

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nido chair

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articulating wall light

marble & brass desk lamp

photography by nicole franzen, interior design by nune studio, restoration by branca & co

One of Our Most Popular Home Tours is Now FOR SALE

Home Tours

If you’ve come around these parts a time or two, then the house tour below might look familiar. It was actually one of our most popular tours of all time – and it’s rather easy to see why. A stunning historic Victorian located in the Bay Area’s Alameda neighborhood, the century-old abode marries historic detail, modern traditional design and eclectic touches to make this home truly one of a kind.

And now the house is for sale. Its owners are relocating to Copenhagen (my dream!) and they want their labor of love to go to highly appreciative hands. Could that be you?? If you need convincing, just scroll. If I didn’t love my house so much I’d seriously consider moving!

The home’s front room maximizes original details like gorgeous hardwood floors, brick fireplace and decorative moldings. Custom shelving, black accents and a modern pendant balance all the historic architectural elements.

I love seeing modern art mixed with vintage pieces. Can you believe that 1910 piano was found on Craigslist?!

The formal dining room is anything but stuffy. An oak trestle dining table is flanked by both vintage chairs (salvaged from the old Sunset Magazine offices!) and modern white options. More black pops up in the sideboard and ceramics. The floor-to-ceiling drapery softens the room, while the photographic print and the Troy Lighting Silhouette pendant add a modern pop.

This is the kitchen that broke Pinterest. Its scale, double height storage, statement lighting – this kitchen ticks all the design boxes.

Dramatic 11-foot ceilings offer dizzying height and eye-catching storage (cookbook collection envy!) complete with a library ladder to access it all. There’s a beautiful mix of finishes and textures in the kitchen including glossy Fireclay Tile that wraps all the way around to the eating nook, open shelving that the owner DIY’d with pipe and pine boards, a shiplap ceiling, marble countertops and brass fixtures. The kitchen takes on a bit of craftsman feel, but it keeps an elegant yet eclectic vibe, connecting the space with the feel of the rest of the house.

Gotta love a glam powder room moment. The tile is Kelly Wearstler for Anne Saks.

Upstairs in this 2,400sq foot home, you’ll find four bedrooms and two of the house’s three baths.

The love of print, pattern and texture extends into the master bedroom, where you’re enveloped by a modern toile wallpaper in black and white. The traditional feels is balanced with a mid-century accent chair, lucite side tables, and an oversized swing arm lamp.

But the piéce de résistance has to be the walk-in dressing room of every woman’s dreams! Designed using the TCS Closets from the Container Store, you will never fight over closet space again. The glass enclosed storage for shoes and pieces worn less often is just brilliant! No need to worry about dust on your shoes.

A day bed helps the guest room work double duty, while a window seat offers extra storage.

I love the mix of marble and tile in the family bath. The brass fixtures offer an eye-catching accent to the softer hues and contrasts perfectly with the sink that was salvaged from the downstairs bathroom.

The shared kid’s room offers plenty of space for everyone to spread out, with its own walk-in closet built out using a Container Store storage system to make sure there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place.

This house does a beautiful job paying homage to a classic Victorian’s historic details while making it feel completely functional for today’s family life. It’s also just a visual feast. I find myself going back and discovering some new detail in every single room. While I’ve loved (survived!) my own gut-renovation, the idea of a living in turnkey house, jam packed with personality, gorgeous finishes and crazy amazing detail is very very appealing.

Are you interesting in calling this beautiful specimen of a house your home?? Check out the listing RIGHT HERE.

photography by thomas j. story for sunset magazine

Home Tour: Creamy Goodness in the Heart of the Midwest

Home Tours

If I didn’t know, I would never believe this home sits on a university campus. This elevated, classic space features a beautiful mix of mid-century design icons, modern updates on traditional shapes and subtle art, all in a creamy neutral color palette that makes my heart melt.

This oversized living room is the perfect spot for large intellectual debates. This space also perfectly exemplifies how natural materials and a variety textiles can play oh so nicely together. Leather, stone, steel, linen, wool and wood all play harmoniously to create a tranquil, sophisticated seating area.

Eva chairs by Bruno Matthson add a cool vintage vibe to a seating area. The vintage elements also help balance out the modern gas fireplace.

Traditional elements, like a rolled arm sofa with caster feet, feels fresh when paired with the clean-lined set of four coffee tables and a minimalist leather bench.

Simple wood and leather hooks create a great landing place for coats.

The kitchen offers lovely contrast with a bleached oak table and pops of black accents.

I love a kitchen with a bit of open shelving. It’s your opportunity to inject personality into what can be a kind of ubiquitous space.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such lovely hidden storage. It’s almost a shame its behind a closed door!

Is that another black coffee table I spy? I’m telling you friends, this is a great way to make a bold statement. That BDDW credenza is also major goals.

The simplicity in this guest bedroom is pure genius. The tufted mattress and simple walnut bed frame are showstoppers in and of themselves. The art is bold and geometric but its cream and blush tones keep it from overwhelming the room.

More vintage and BDDW goodness elevate all the functional elements of a bedroom.

I spy an iconic Fritz Hansen Series 7 chair amidst an office full of found vintage treasures.

This bedroom features a traditional American craftsman pieces in a calm, minimal style.

This home is a perfect example of making wise investments. You don’t need to overwhelm a home with a ton of stuff. If you make the commitment to bring in timeless style, you won’t feel the need to swap things out nearly as often.

Ok, I’m off to go edit all the cheap sh** out of my house now. How about you?

For more inspirational home tours, CLICK HERE.

design by thea home, inc. , photography tessa neustadt

Home Tour: A Picture Perfect Summer Escape

Home Tours

Finding your personal design style can feel like an impossible task. Sure you can find those that fit into easily defined boxes, traditional, modern, minimalist, craftsman etc, but that is touch boring. I know my style has evolved over years into what I’m now loosely defining as modern European casual. It’s a thing right??

But do you ever find that as the seasons change, so does your preferred design aesthetic? I can always spot the shift happening in my Pinterest feed. I go from loving clean, crisp interiors to spaces that feel a little more relaxed and rustic. But a “rustic modern” design doesn’t mean it has to have any less intention or sophistication. Case in point, This Old Hudson.

If you haven’t managed to spot This Old Hudson on Instagram yet, you’re in for real treat today. Designed by the crazy talented Anthony Dargenzio of Zio & Sons – whose tile collection for Clé I shared last week – This Old Hudson in upstate New York is a series of rentals Anthony has created. The initial spaces are smaller apartments that often serve as photo shoot locations, but Anthony has outdone himself with the addition of This Old Hudson Residences. These 3-bedroom spaces created to be longer term rentals bring vintage chic to a whole new level.

While the original details of the Residences’ historic 1915 building remain intact, the design has a decidedly modern feel. Hence why I’m obsessed. Many of the things you see is in this space are in fact vintage, but its minimalist placement, use of black and abundance of negative space makes the design fresh rather than dated or dingy.

While I certainly wouldn’t gravitate toward this look for my forever home, there’s something about a vacation that makes you want to step into another aesthetic. It really helps make the vacation feel like you’re in another world. Spending sometime in a design style substantially different than your own is also a great opportunity to gather inspiration and new design ideas that you might never thought to apply to your own home.

Vintage chairs are never a bad idea. They add character and the perfect amount of patina to virtually any time of space. It’s the use of restraint and intention that makes these room’s eye-catching.

I spy more Clé tile! I love it placed against shiplap and a larger, more contemporary oversized hexagon tile. The mix of tones, textures and finishes makes the monochromatic bathroom feel anything but boring.

I don’t know if I would have been brave enough to put boldly patterned cement tile in a bathroom with a turn of the century clawfoot tub, but I’m feeling it.

Having officially hopped on board the “summering somewhere” train (are you currently tracking my adventures in Italy??) the idea of a future summer escape in the Hudson Valley certainly does sound tempting. Especially since the flight is much much shorter!

For details on how you can experience this gorgeous space for yourself, be sure to check out This Old Hudson.

For more awe inspiring home tours, CLICK HERE.

Home Tour: Beautifully Bold Contrast

Home Tours

Happy Monday friends! Today I have a home tour for you that helps put last week’s black and white inspiration in context. While the color palette of this Australian home (I just can’t quit design from down under right now) is timeless, the design is bold, dramatic and thoroughly modern. It’s no wonder this apartment is nominated for the 2019 Australian Interior Design Awards. Scroll and you’ll see why.

This three-story townhouse located in Sydney’s Darlinghurst neighborhood was stripped down to expose the building’s original stone walls which were transformed into the primary design feature. As designer Tom Mark Henry explains this house focuses on “the interplay of texture, combining hard and soft finishes, contrasting matt and gloss surfaces, and light and dark to create intrigue and depth in an otherwise monochromatic palette. These quiet juxtapositions are an exercise in restraint, and the ultimate pursuit of balance and simplicity.”

Nothing in this house is generic. Every piece is selected as its own individual statement maker, but the uniform color palette keep the modern edge from feeling overdone.

Unique lines, dramatic angles, bold fabrics and one of kind art add continual interest in what is actually a sparsely decorated home.

This dining table, with its mix of a built-in bench and Thonet chairs is major goals.

As is this gorgeous pendant light!

The outdoor area connects with the kitchen and dining room seamlessly.

The kitchen is clean, minimal and understated, punctuated with simple, hardware free cabinetry. Black accents are brought in with the hardware, oven and countertop accessories.

I love the rich, muted texture of this stone.

The stunning stone walls carry through into the master bedroom. A unique piece of art adds a little whimsy to to the space while the curved lines of the side chair and side table, as well as all the textiles soften the room.

I shared this bathroom a few weeks ago for its square sink, but I also love this room’s vertical stacked tile, the gorgeous stonework and unique lighting. And do I spy a fireplace in the bathroom?? Swoon!

I spy another square sink in the second bathroom.

This home might be a little more sparse than I’m actually capable of pulling off, but it’s certainly something to aspire to. It’s also a reminder to look for pieces for your home that are filled with personality. Life is too short to be surrounded the generic.

For our home tour archive CLICK HERE.

design by tom mark henry

Modern Bohemian Home in Montauk

Home Tours

There’s nothing I love more than a good vacation house. I scour Airbnb for hours, trying to hunt out properties that make the cut – certainly not an easy feat – and very few are true contenders. The life of a snob, I know. So when I spied a shot or two this gorgeous vacation home in Montauk drifting around Pinterest (if you haven’t given me a follow, pls do!), I knew needed to see more. The house actually belongs to one one of the co-owners of Dieppa Restrepo – a super style savvy shoe collection. This house is a beautiful mix of global fabrics, timeless design pieces – I see you Marcel Breuer chairs – crazy amazing natural light and a mix of beachy coastal details. But I’m really loving the California-casual, modern boho vibe that makes it feel like this house could just as easily be in Los Angeles or even on a tropical island somewhere. Now the only question is does the owner rent it out on Airbnb?? One can only hope. Enjoy the full tour!

Low slung furniture, lots of vintage & design classics, a stunning collection of Moroccan rugs (purchased on a rip there – it’s officially time I make the sojourn) and a little bit of minimalist restraint makes this space the ideal getaway from life’s hustle and bustle. The color palette is soothing, all the natural textures feel warm – the entire vibe exudes a sense of relaxation. Sign me up.

For more major interior design inspiration, see our House Tours archive HERE.

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Franco Albini Ottoman

images via Space Exploration

A Neutral Lover’s Dream Escape in the Hamptons

Home Tours

‘Tis the season to dream. Dream of white sandy beaches, dream of rosé, dream of cool summer breezes and the perfect setting from which to enjoy them. And I think I’ve officially found my dream setting, though sadly it belongs to someone else. But I can certainly drool over this seriously stunning and picture perfectly neutral home from afar (as well as add this to my future vacation house muse file).

This light and bright abode has all the things. The perfect amount of Scandi-inspired design. I know we’re supposed to move passed it and embrace color and terrazzo and print and pattern and drama and I just can’t! I can visit those space and appreciate those spaces but this is the home I want to live in. Monochromatic, calm, soothing, serene.

But it’s certainly not boring. Do you see those beams on the ceiling (added during renovations by the design genius behind this project, Jessica Helgerson Interior Design). Danish design classics like the PP130 Circle Chair and Sibast No. 8 chairs in the dining room mix with pieces from leading modern design houses and take pride of place. Apparatus Studio trapeze sconces dots many a wall and hangs in the dining room. Swoon. There is texture, there is warmth and there is interest through out this home thanks to a mix of wood tones, painted wood, marble, brass and handmade tile. Rustic leathers, linen and chunky knits soften the look. Each room feels inviting and comfortable, no color required.

That dining room table and matching benches are particularly special. Is anyone else catching the brass detail on the cross bars?

The all-white kitchen is anything but boring thanks to the warm wood island, brass hardware, subway tile wall and beamed ceilings. Even though it’s a renovation – this was once a covered porch that was converted into usable indoor space – it feels as if the kitchen was just always this way.

Could I get away with a single shelf of storage in the kitchen…well maybe in a vacation house I could…taking notes.

Custom storage in the entry is so good.

As is built in seating. I couldn’t find a way to fit it into our house, but I think a built in section will be a requirement in my future dream vacation house. The more times I type my dream vacation house the more likely it is to actually happen, right?!

A staircase that just seems to float in mid-air? Don’t mind if I do.

Do I spy shiplap done in an exceeding modern way? The brass sconce and ceiling lights, the clean lined coffee tables, and built in seating keeps this room from going too country. Instead it takes on a modern, beachy feel. I’m certainly feelin’ it.

A bedroom with all the hygge vibes for the win. Also note that pendant light is from Ikea. Proof positive that you can definitely go with a high low mix. I’m also into that circle effect behind the bed. It’s an easy way to create the feeling of a massive headboard and some fun visual interest (how I applied a similar idea in my son’s room is here).

This lovely space is proof that you don’t need to get overly fancy in the bathroom. Also I really wish I knew the source for that awesome sconce. And I wishing I’d tiled my backsplash. Maybe it’s not too late…

Only thing I’m not sure I’m loving is the tree mural in this guest bedroom. A little too literal for my taste. Are you into it?

But I definitely need an ivy covered pergola and outdoor dining area in my future. Wait, I have that at least for the next 6 days! Don’t forget to check in on Instagram as I’ll be giving sneak peeks of my current wine country stay-cation situation. It’s not as totally perfect as this house, but I’ll take it!

For more of my favorite home tours, CLICK HERE.

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design by jessica helgerson, photography by mathew williams

My Latest HGTV Inspiration

Decor

I don’t tend to watch a lot of TV. Name one show that just won a Golden Globe or a series that all you people are frantically binge-watching and nope, I haven’t seen it. Likely haven’t even heard of it (more about why is right here). However, I do love to decompress in the evenings with a dose of HGTV. I’ve always been a fan. When our first San Francisco loft ran on HGTV.com, I almost lost my mind. It’s kinda my crack. But I’m the first to admit that the design taste offered on most many shows leave a lot to be desired. Enter Leanne Ford. Are you watching her new show, Restored by the Fords? It comes on after Fixer Upper. And while I’ve been a fangirl of Leanne ever since her own home ran in Domino and was reblogged 18,000 times (I restrained myself), but she’s quickly sucking me into her design universe and I love it.

Some of the reasons for my obsession are obvious. Ford works in my favorite color palette (no color). She’s a bit of a minimalist. She likes to use a lot of black accents. But she’s also a whiz at mixing vintage pieces into modern settings – something I need to work on more. Bertoia chairs, noguchi lamps, T-Chairs by William Katavolos and lots of rattan are her go-to’s.

These images are of the project that just debuted on HGTV the other night. The house itself was designed by an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, hence the open concept, wood paneling and clean lines, but it was very stuck in the 70’s. Think dark, carpeted and an untouched kitchen with avocado green counters. I love how Leanne added totally contemporary touches that make the house feel like it could have been built today. Her mix of current trends (hi curved sofa – one of my fave 2018 design trends!!) and timeless pieces (hi Cherner chairs) works perfectly if you ask me.

She also talks on the show about how she loves warm, off-whites. She discussed how she usually picks just three colors for her projects and all pieces must fall within that palette – but in any kind of texture. Her creamy aesthetic is definitely calling to me. While I’m usually a bright white person, her creamy tones are definitely super inviting. These rooms feel bright but not stark.

The images below are from of Ford’s other projects. They have a more vintage farmhouse feel but I also think their design will feel relevant and livable for a long time.

This space certainly leans more heavily on the industrial vintage side of things, but I love it. Those open shelves help it feel modern as do the soaring ceilings. While I’d probably nix the retro appliances, I’m so into that kitchen island and wish I knew more about it. Is it vintage? Did she make it? Where can I get one (we need an island to finish off our kitchen).

So I’m curious. Are you watching this show? Are you into it? Do you love Leanne (she’s rurl good on TV and that is no easy feat – fans of the original Flip or Flop back me up on this one)? Are you into this vibe? It certainly isn’t represented anywhere else you look on TV right now. Here’s a few pieces that would definitely add the Leanne Ford style to your home.

shop: chandelier / rattan chair / wood stool / black vase / bust / vintage chair / pendant light / cowhide / vintage leather sling chair / wall sconce

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For more interior designer inspiration, CLICK HERE

photography by alexandra ribar / josh franer

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