3 Design Trends Spied at the SF Decorator Showcase

One of our favorite events of the year is touring the San Francisco Decorator’s Showcase home. It’s almost like the Fashion Week of interior design where designers from all over the Bay Area come together to exhibit their talents all under one roof {literally!}. This year’s location is a beautiful historic home designed by famed Bay Area architect, Julia Morgan. Located in Presidio Heights, the home overlooks the Presidio boasting expansive views of the Bay and that mighty fine looking Golden Gate Bridge of ours!

Since each room is designed by a different designer, you’re hit with all types of styles, tastes and interior inspiration. There was so much visual interest to take in, it was hard to even find time to blink. We could have easily spent several hours exploring and we still would have missed some killer details—it was just that stunning.

While there was an overload of inspiration to report back on, here were some of our biggest trend takeaways {the rest you’ll just have to go see for yourself!}:

1. Green is Gold. Various shades of green were used as the wall color choice for several rooms, but we were especially obsessed with the look of the matte, Hunter Green walls of Will Wick’s master bedroom. The color seemed to shift dramatically depending on which way the light hit the room—adding an additional layer of drama to the space’s already edgy feel. The use of all sorts of green hues throughout the home proved just how dynamic the color can be and for that reason it earned a spot at the forefront of our minds for future decorating projects {like this one!}.

2. Embrace Destruction. While a lot of interior design has a tendency to be super pristine and polished {and spendy!}, we love the look of subtle imperfections that give a room character and a sense of realness. Brittany Haines of Authenticity B layered in that sense of “realness” for the Showcase home’s office space. From a desk made from charred wood to a worn, lightly frayed antique rug, the room embraced life’s natural “wear and tear” to create an utterly sophisticated, yet still super approachable look.

3. Walls as Art. Of course we’re familiar with the concept of hanging art on walls, but Cecilie Starin took the idea to another level by commissioning Bay Area muralist Ian Ross to create a custom-painted, canvas wallpaper. Suddenly the walls themselves became the work of art! The organic, energetic lines of the hand painted walls played perfectly with some insanely badass gold accents to create a jaw-dropping look that can’t even be summarized with words.

These were just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the all the design happenings going on inside the 2015 Decorator Showcase house. It’s truly a must-see for any design fiends in the Bay Area. The house itself will be open for viewing through Memorial Day weekend so be sure to check it out for yourself if you’re in town! You can find all of the details on the Decorator Showcase website. If you’ve already visited, we’d love to know what design detail caught your eye!

image 1& 2 by Patrik Argast // 3 &4 by Bess Friday // 5 via Cecilie Starin // 6 by Ali Hartwell

Color Coded: How to Go Gray in a Good Way!

Here in San Francisco, our dear friend Karl the Fog isn’t shy when it comes to making his appearance this time of year. Just as the months are getting warmer he arrives in full force. It’s a rare thing to look at the horizon and not see an ominous gray blanket slowly creeping through the streets. It’s similar to the way gray hairs are tending to creep out of nowhere on my head – hence, why most people tend to associate the color with BUZZKILL! In spite of all that, we still happen to love the color gray. In fact, as the spaces below illustrate, we’re here to prove goin’ gray has never looked better!

We’re obsessed with the moody yet calming look that gray can offer. Whether it be a dark charcoal on walls, soft heather gray on furniture or monochromatic artwork – the spectrum of “gray” is one of the most versatile and inoffensive palettes out there.

By layering your gray tones and mixing your textures you can add lusicious depth and interest to any room. The living room above with its variety of gray textiles and black & white artwork feels cozy and inviting rather than cold. A pop of natural wood also helps warm things up. The bathroom above is a great example of that. The wood vanity, divan and wall mirror contrast with the slate tones beautifully. Are you swooning over it as much as we are??

Whether you apply gray with a light touch or fully commit to the singular color palette, it’s a softer way to play on classic black & white. We say gray, you’re welcome inside of our homes annnytimeee {just stay out of our skies and hair!}.

Do you agree??

image 1 greg cox for elle decoration uk // 2 brooke holm for est magazine // 3 the design chaser // 4 carolina bak for loft // 5 est magazine // 6 lotta agaton

A Design Love Story

As much as we love good design, we swoon over a good love story. So you can imagine why we’re obsessed when great design has the cutest romance attached to it. That’s exactly what’s going on with Mr. & Mrs. White, designed by a young couple out of Sydney who came together and discovered that their passion was not only for one another, but also for “simple, honest handmade design and the natural beauty of the material.”

Isn’t this collection to die for? The clean lines of the furniture – made with gorgeous american oak – juxtaposed with the softness of the killer Icelandic hides, the leather pillows {want!} and supple linen textiles create the balance we so crave in our home. Too often decor leans either heavily masculine or overly feminine {is anyone else sick of acryllic everything???}. But if you’re looking to find a sweet spot – we’d argue this is it. A little him paired with a little her is so right!

Ok, now we’re in love with you too Mr & Mrs. White.

images via Mr. & Mrs. White