Earthquake Cottages
From Interior Design, an amazing remodel of two “Earthquake Cottages” from 1906. Click the image for the full slideshow.
San Francisco Homeowner Remodeling Spend Is Among the Nation’s Highest
From the Pacific Union Bay Area Real Estate Blog: “U.S. home-remodeling spend has surpassed its previous peak, as owners in metro areas like San Francisco, where both home values and incomes are high, spare no expense on upgrades.” Read more.
Counter Templating
My clients had hoped for concrete counters, but a number of factors (including the weight of concrete) ruled them out. A trip to the stone supplier uncovered these beautifully veined slate options. And the fun of natural stone is you get to choose the most perfect part of the slab for each part of the kitchen. Here, the veining and movement in the stone is framed (or avoided) and highlighted. Can’t wait for installation.
Click to see the slabs.
Click to see the template.
Save the Date: SF Decorator Showcase
The 2017 San Francisco Decorator Showcase has just announced their dates – mark your calendar!
Documentary on Netflix
This new series on Netflix looks interesting… Here’s the trailer.
NYTimes: Why Does It Cost So Much to Live in California?
This article about home prices and the cost of living in the Bay Area is really relevant to my industry. In addition to tight supply driving the cost of houseing, the existing housing stock is often old enough to be considered historically significant, which in turn drives the costs for design updates and remodels. And if you have to pay a higher cost to get into the market, it leaves less for updates and design.
Demo Begins!
I absolutely love it when demolition begins – and the best part (as I always tell my clients), is that it happens fast! Progress of course isn’t as noticeable when rough plumbing and electrical goes in, but it’s still terribly fun to see the transformation begin. More to come on what will be a fabulous, industrial-inspired kitchen.
New Project
I’m excited to be starting a new project: helping a family update their truly period early-80’s home. While much of the work is simply cosmetic, the master bath, complete with sunken tiled tub, is going to get a complete face lift. The challenge will be to make updates that are still in harmony with the North Bay regional feel of the home and make for modern living.