Design Journal

There is a moment in every project, and I have lived this moment hundreds of times over nearly thirty years, when a client looks at me and says: I do not know how to explain what I want. And I always

I want to tell you something that might sound strange coming from an interior designer. The most important thing I ever studied was not design. It was medicine. Before I ever picked up a fabric swatch or sketched a floor plan,

After designing homes from Miami to Bogota, from Europe to Asia, the lessons that matter most have nothing to do with furniture or finishes.

Some design choices look stunning on day one and tired by year three. Others grow more beautiful with time. Knowing the difference is what separates a well-designed home from a well-decorated one.

A luxury kitchen is not defined by its price tag. It is defined by how it supports the rituals of your life.

Sacramento gives us something most of the country does not: a climate that invites outdoor living for eight months of the year. And yet, most luxury homes in El Dorado Hills and Granite Bay treat the backyard as an afterthought

Somewhere in the last decade, luxury interior design became afraid of color. Walk through any high-end neighborhood in El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, or the Bay Area and you will see the same palette in every home: white walls, gray

The drawings are approved. The materials are specified. The contractor is hired. Most homeowners assume the designer steps back at this point and returns when it is time to place the furniture. This is one of the most expensive assumptions in

The Difference Between a House That Photographs Well and One That Lives Well I can tell within thirty seconds of walking into a home whether it was decorated or collected. A decorated home is impressive. Everything coordinates. The throw pillows match the

One Changes Surfaces. The Other Changes How You Live. A decorator makes your home look better. A designer makes your home work better. In a $50,000 project, the distinction is subtle. In a $200,000+ project, the distinction is everything. I have been