One thing I have realized since I had kids. No matter what I do, my tends to get dirty faster than it ever did prior to their little feet scampering around. It wasn’t long ago, that I took a look around and decided I needed to freshen up my house. If I could afford it, I would probably start all over. But reality was more of a refresh with new pillows and a few accessories. On a recent trip to visit a project for a client in Santa Barbara, I stopped by one of my favorite stores: Diani Living. The minute I would find what I needed to freshen up my home. There is such a natural vibe in the store – texture, neutral colors, and interesting items from around the world – all combine to help you finish your design needs. Caroline Diani, the owner, has an incredible eye and finds things I never see elsewhere. I got a huge woven basket for all of the toys accumulating around the house. Now there is a place for them and the texture adds so much to the room. I live in a small space but the impact of the basket is perfect. I also got three (much needed) pillows for the sofa. The gray and light blues work perfectly with my existing decor. African Mud Cloth Tribal Print Pillow | Dotted Line Pillow Dark Grey Batik & Brown Poms Pillow | Rugs You would think I would have stopped there. But there is also Diani Boutique. I found the most comfortable jumpsuit for the summer. And it looks perfect in my living room as well! Stay tuned for my second post Monday – I also got a few things to update my bedroom (and maybe a few more clothes!). If you live or are visiting the Santa Barbara area, drop by, you won’t be disappointed. If you aren’t close by, head to the great online store here. Photos by Andreas Posadas

Today I’m excited to share two brands that I’ve adored for quite some time that have joined forces to create a stunning new collection. Etkie x St. Frank have come together to create a limited-time collection that features contemporary cuffs hand-beaded by Native American artisans. St. Frank is one of my go-to shops in SF, which you all know from previous posts (here and here) but you may not know about Etkie. Etkie works with Native American artisans in New Mexico to create jewelry inspired by the landscape and culture of the southwest. St. Frank and Etkie collaborated to design this contemporary cuff based on antique Navajo rug motifs. Each piece is hand-beaded on a traditional Navajo loom. What I love about this piece is not only the finest handwork – both beaded as well as an inner part of the bracelet in hand-stitched leather – but the simplicity of the motifs that work with so much of my other jewelry and clothes. I’ve currently been wearing it everyday on my trip to Italy and France. To celebrate the launch of the Etkie x St. Frank collaboration, with a sneak peek at the new color ways launching for Spring. St. Frank’s founder, Christina Bryant, as well as Etkie founder, Sydney Alfonso, are hosting an event this week at the San Francisco shop. I wish I was in town to celebrate with them but I’ll be there in spirit wearing my very own cuff. Date: Wednesday, May 16th Time: 5:00 to 7:00pm Location: St. Frank / 3665 Sacramento Street. (Between Spruce and Locust) / San Francisco, CA 94118 Photos by Peggy Wong

The One Room Challenge has come to a close! You may all be wonder – what the heck happened? This is not my proudest moment. First I switched gears from my moms bathroom to redoing my toilet room. Then after finding all the perfect items and GORGEOUS wallpaper I was left with finding someone to install it. Y’all – San Francisco is nuts! After countless hours calling, meeting, getting quotes, finding someone, losing someone and then finally finding a last resort and being told it would cost me $4,000 (no I didn’t put one too many zero’s) to do a tiny tiny toilet room, I put up a white flag. There was no way I was going to pay that much for a room that might be 2 feet by 4 feet. When my last resort didn’t work out, I felt completely defeated. I kept thinking to myself – how could I not get this done? What are people going to think? But as I told friends and family about the outrageous quote they all said the same thing – your readers will be supportive of you not forking over that absurd amount of money. I feel horrible for not finishing and following through this project to the end but I’ll be sharing a lot of my design projects on here from now on. I’ve been asked more and more to share the progress of them and I’m definitely going to do that even if it’s construction or just rooms that have no walls. Sharing the progress with all of you is such a treat. SOURCED ITEMS FOR BATHROOM Fern Wallpaper | Farrow and Ball Paint Brass Sconces | Bone In-lay Mirror | Vintage Rug Now, it’s time for all of you to go check out the other One Room Challenge projects. Everyone knocked it out of the park this season! THE ONE ROOM CHALLENGERS Apartment 34 | Beginning in the Middle | Coco & Jack | The English Room | The Gold Hive Gray Malin | Jenna Sue Design | Jojotastic | Kelly Rogers Int. | Linda Holt | Marcus Design Michelle Gage | Natasha Habermann | The Painted House | Rambling Renovators Shannon Claire | Sketch 42 | Stephanie Kraus | Bisou Style Media Partner House Beautiful | TM by ORC

Recently, I’ve found myself going more frequently to Los Angeles. I have been in search for the perfect hotel that works for my needs: not too pricey and a place that’s comfortable and quiet. I finally found it! The Nomad Hotel is the perfect place. The former Bank of Italy building dates to 1923. It had stood vacant for a long time but now has been converted into The Nomad Hotel. Entering through its doors, you step into a beautiful lobby with jewel-toned furniture. This is a perfect spot for breakfast in the morning or an afternoon drink later in the day. The upper floors of the Nomad are devoted to the rooms. I was impressed with the décor (I honestly want the lighting!), which is fun yet not over-the-top trendy. It’s also been the perfect location for our trips to do photo shoots. Only a few blocks from the LA flower market, we could quickly jump in an Uber and pick up flowers for the homes we photographed. It’s also centrally located – making it a great spot to get around from. So next time you’re in LA, consider staying at The Nomad Hotel. This is not a sponsored post – truly love the hotel.

Although I’m doing a teeny tiny space this season, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require just as much thought. Last week I shared that I’ll be doing a makeover to our toilet room. The bathroom is quite a focal point since it’s at the end of our hallway. Since a small space is ideal for experimenting with a pattern or design. This is the perfect space to add a little pop to than the rest of the house. I’ve been on the hunt for the right wallpaper for a long, long time, but nothing has had me excited enough to take on the project. It’s been a never-ending debate in my head about which direction to go in. Do I go with a stunning floral print? Do I do something more serene? Do I go modern? Traditional? Skies the limit with wallpaper, which is something that I love. As a designer I’ve come across hundreds of wallpapers that I adore and that we install in clients homes. Many of them make my heart sing. Choosing the right one is key since it’s such a small space. When Erica Tanov launched her wallpaper collection I knew it was going to be stunning. And that it was! I fell madly in love with her fern print from the day I laid my eyes on it. It’s the perfect way to bring a little nature into our home. I cannot wait for it to be installed! Be sure to check out what phase the other ORC designers are at this week! THE ONE ROOM CHALLENGERS Apartment 34 | Beginning in the Middle | Coco & Jack | The English Room | The Gold Hive Gray Malin | Jenna Sue Design | Jojotastic | Kelly Rogers Int. | Linda Holt | Marcus Design Michelle Gage | Natasha Habermann | The Painted House | Rambling Renovators Shannon Claire | Sketch 42 | Stephanie Kraus | Bisou Style Media Partner House Beautiful | TM by ORC

My freshman year of college, I was in New York on a family trip and walked into an Erica Tanov store on Elizabeth Street. I was completely taken. Everything about the store and its contents spoke to me. I soon found out Erica was from Berkeley and within a month, I was working at her store in San Francisco. I consider my time working for Erica as a huge part of my education in life. Every woman who worked there taught me something about how to live life – how to live in the present, how to notice things around you. I will always treasure this time in my life. No surprise that when I received her book Design By Nature, I was completely overwhelmed by the beauty and goodness of the book. It displays her thoughtful design aesthetic and is a great read as well. I treasure having a book with so many photographs of her own home. This is my goal as a designer. To create a home that is lived in, comfortable, and also beautiful. Design By Nature is broken into five chapters based upon natural elements such as wood, water, dirt, weeds, and decay. Erica is known for her love of textiles and displays this in her design work. But she also loves picking up tattered treasures at flea markets and these are prevalent in her design as well. She used exquisite Chinese silk curtains in the Marin store that were decayed yet beautiful. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Erica’s stunning book, run to your local bookstore or you can buy one here. Congratulations Erica – this is a book that will remain on my bookshelf for years. You can pick up your own copy here. Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo for Erica Tanov

This season I was over the moon with how everything was falling into place for the makeover of my mom’s bathroom. But then an unexpected obstacle happened for the project…after finally finding a contractor I was given the news that they wouldn’t be able to complete the work on time due to a family emergency. While both my mom and I are bummed, we also know that his needs are more important than a timeline. We are postponing the big bathroom makeover by a few months. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing every detail right here when it happens! So, where does that leave me. In a pinch I started to think – is there another room I could do with the weeks we have left? Would there be enough time to complete a room? If so, which room should I do? The answer is YES! Y’all I’m making it happen. And while this room isn’t large (it’s actually teeny tiny!), I’m thrilled to finally be giving it a makeover. I’ll redesigning my toilet room (pictured above). Yes, here in San Francisco tons of homes and apartments have a toilet separate from the shower and sink. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a LONG time. When we first moved into our apartment five years ago I wanted something bright but over the years I’ve grown out of the youthful pattern and wanted something that feels more me. The hunt is on for the right pattern – I’ve been dreaming of this day for a long time and I am excited to get started! Next week I’ll be sharing the plan and design for this space. In the meantime, be sure to pop over to the other One Room Challenge designers to see where they are with their projects! THE ONE ROOM CHALLENGERS Apartment 34 | Beginning in the Middle | Coco & Jack | The English Room | The Gold Hive Gray Malin | Jenna Sue Design | Jojotastic | Kelly Rogers Int. | Linda Holt | Marcus Design Michelle Gage | Natasha Habermann | The Painted House | Rambling Renovators Shannon Claire | Sketch 42 | Stephanie Kraus | Style Me Pretty Living Media Partner House Beautiful | TM by ORC Photo by Bess Friday for Caitlin Flemming Design

You may be wondering why I’ve been around a little less on here and on social media lately. I’m excited to let you know that my mom and I are WRITING A BOOK (so many excited and nervous emotions about doing it!) that will be published in fall of 2019. For the past two plus years, we have been working on an idea for a book that would bring together the two passions we both share and has moved from a dream to reality! The process has been so rewarding and I can hardly wait to share the book with you. Right now, we are crazy busy with photo shoots with the talented photographer, Peggy Wong. So besides having a second child last June, I would say this book, in many ways, is my third child. Not to mention running my own business. Looking forward to the final product but right now, I’m just enjoying the beautiful process of writing a book. Follow along here and on instagram as we begin traveling both near and far to photograph some amazing spaces. I can’t wait to share more with you soon!

The first order of business with Samantha of Could I Have That? (CIHT) and her husband was tile. When looking at their inspiration I knew that Fireclay Tile would fit perfectly with their aesthetic. What I love about them is they are simultaneously modern and earthy. The color range is huge and while I often tend to a more neutral palate, there is so much texture in these tiles that, even in neutrals, they are anything but boring. As we dove into the tile selection for the project, we realized that Fireclay Tile ha an endless selection of shapes, colors, and designs. Every visit to their showroom, I feel like a kid in a candy shop – I’m not sure what to try first! We went with a modern, neutral selection of tiles that give off a sophisticated California vibe. I recommend always getting samples of the colors before making your final selection. Never choose a color from your screen! Fireclay Tile will send you samples once you zero in on the shape and colors you want. Some of the neutral choices Samantha and her husband selected, are among my favorites. They’re using2×8 in Blue SpruceandHexite in Blue Sprucein their daughter’s bathroom. In their master bath they went with a mix of6” Hexagon in Gypsum(my fav color)and2×8 tiles in Tusk. Finally in their guest bathroom, they chose2×8 in White Glossand6” Hexagon in Daisy. Each bathroom will be unique but they all flow together in their style. Fireclay Tile aren’t solely beautiful. They are also made sustainably in our lovely Golden State of California. The company, since 1989, has been making their tiles based on the family tradition of the founder that dates back to the 1920s. They consider their greatest asset to be the locally sourced materials and the hands that have shaped them. Photo by Andrea Posadas for Sacramento Street

A new project I’ve been busy working on of the past few weeks is with Samantha of Could I Have That?  We are working together to completely remodel her new home. She hardly needs help – she is the queen of good taste! We’ve really started with a blank slate and I have to say, it makes the design process so much fun! Over the next few months, I thought it would be fun to post updates on the project as we make our choices – tiles selections, bathroom fixtures, hardware, etc. My next post will be the process of choosing tile. Stay tuned for some amazing choices!