Idea House Menlo Park: space planning 101

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

We're about a month away from furniture deliveries at our Menlo Park Idea House. Viesso, a furniture maker in Los Angeles, will be making the sectional for the Family Room. You've got to be careful when selecting sectionals, as they can suck all the life out of a room if they're too large for the space.

The other day Kelly and I spent a lot of time in the Family Room trying to determine the size of the sectional. We did a dance around the room with a measuring tape, she at one end and me at the other. Still couldn't get a clear picture of the size of the sofa. One of the painters left a roll of masking tape. Boy did that help!

Here is the style of the sectional, color and fabric still to be determined.

Idea House Monterey: the haute couture family tree

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

One of the projects percolating for our Monterey Idea House is a new spin on the family tree. The word genealogy brings on an uncontrollable fit of yawns for  me, so forget I even said the word. You've got to admit, though, family history is fascinating. So, we were batting the idea around with our interior designer, the fabulous Joseph Hittinger, and he said what if we took our inspiration for the "tree" from the magnificent mature oaks that surround the property. We've got plenty of wall space in the house, so why don't we paint a very stylized, haute couture kind of tree on one of the walls, in black. From the branches, we'll hang family photos in white frames. Love it!

We're still determining the exact look of the tree, but found this whimsical, framed inspiration on the British site, Famille Summerbelle.

Idea House Menlo Park: a fresh look at subway tile

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

This week tile went up in the bathrooms and on the floors at our Menlo Park Idea House.  For me, the tile installation is almost more exciting than seeing fresh paint on the walls. It's sort of like applying makeup: if paint is your foundation and eye shadow, then tile would be that great lipstick that ties the look all together. 

Here's a shot of the shower tile in the home's guest bathroom. The subway tile is from Fireclay Tile. It's a 2x8 ceramic tile in a blend of three shades of white. We mixed up the whites to add some depth and warmth. The pattern was randomized by the tile setter. Since we already have an all-white kid's bathroom, we decided to intersperse the tile with blue squares of 2x2  "Lush" matte glass tile from Modwalls. The adjoining guest bedroom is painted a similar shade of blue that ties the look together. So fresh, so fun!

Idea House Menlo Park: wallpaper for your windows

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

Our Menlo Park Idea House is located in a planned development where the houses are located thisclose to one another. Window privacy is one of our main design challenges. Being that this is an Idea House, we're compelled to show privacy solutions that go beyond the standard curtain and rod. Our friends at Design Public, one of my favorite online arbiters of modern style, have come to the rescue. They just launched these plastic adhesive window coverings from British designer Emma Jeffs.

It's like wallpaper for your windows! Just add water and apply.

And, they even feature a Moroccan-style design. As I posted earlier, the look is everywhere!
Check out Design Public's blog for more of what's new and hip in home design.

Idea House Menlo Park: cozy family room fireplace

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

The pace is picking up at our Menlo Park Idea House. Tile in the bathrooms is going up fast (stay tuned for a sneak peek later this week!). In the family room, the fireplace facade is almost finished. We used a stacked stone veneer from Eldorado Stone.  It looks fabulous and, seeing how quick and easy it went up, is a great DIY project. We left off the mantle and let the stone take center stage. We're having the mason come back and stack the vertical pieces horizontally for a more cohesive look. The sunny wall color is Benjamin Moore's Safari AF-335 from their eco-friendly Aura line.

Idea House Menlo Park: vintage coat hook project

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

I went to Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley last weekend searching for vintage hooks and knobs to create a DIY coat hook project for our Menlo Park Idea House. This place is a candy land of all things old and salvaged. I found plenty of hooks, after being distracted by many treasures that I wasn't looking for, but all of the sudden had to have.

For example, I have no need for a pastel-colored toilet, tub or sink, but these look so delicious! There's a great idea waiting to happen here.

I don't need a table full of Pyrex flasks either, but this is inspiration for displaying a collection.

We are looking for old tile for a DIY table idea at the house, so I did have reason to salivate over these friendly numbered tiles. They look so sunny and Parisian to me.

I was accompanied by two eight-year-old female shopping companions who thought this magazine stand was fabulous. Since my little shoppers are about the same age of the hypothetical girl that lives in our Idea House, I gave up the ten bucks for the magazine rack. We'll probably repaint it white. Suggestions welcome!

Okay, so back to the original intent of this shopping expedition: the coat hook idea. Here's a sampling of potential hooks. We'll nail them to a piece of salvaged wood. Send us your ideas!

Idea House trend-spotting: modern Moroccan

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

I went on a scouting-trip to LA a few weeks ago with Kelly, the interior designer for our Menlo Park Idea House, to source furniture for the house. We visited Rooms & Gardens in Santa Monica (celebrity alert: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen are partial owners of the store). At first glance I thought the style would be a little too beach cottage cozy for the theme of the house, but the longer we lingered the more stuff I found that would be perfect for the house.

Kelly spotted this Moroccan side table right away. My first thought was no way, too ornate. Since then, I've seen many iterations of the traditional Moroccan side table in magazines, catalogs, stores, and blogs. The tables shown below are from ZGallerie and Room Service.          

       
So yes, I've grown to like the table. It's such a versatile, go-to piece of furniture. Of course, now I'm seeing Moroccan style everywhere. So, if you need some great curtains or a bolster or even a purse to match your  Moroccan side table, check out these trend-setting choices:

                                                                                                                                        

 

Idea House inspiration: new Cliff May book

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

Former Sunset home editor (and Idea House architectural guru) Daniel P. Gregory has just published a book on Cliff May, the founding father of modern ranch house design and architect of Sunset's headquarters here in Menlo Park, California. Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House gives an inside look at nearly 20 of May's designs, which in the 1950's and '60s popularized the casually elegant indoor-outdoor floor plan now so familiar to the pages of Sunset. The photography is luscious enough to make me want to fork over the $60 for this beautiful coffee table book. For more of Dan's musings on architecture, check out his blog here.

Sneak peek: Menlo Park Idea House taking shape

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

This was an exciting week at our Menlo Park Idea House. After months of looking at raw Sheetrock walls and naked rooms, the house is now starting to take shape with the arrival of the cabinetry and the painting of the interiors.

We're getting a clear idea of the kitchen. All walls and cabinetry are painted in Benjamin Moore's Steam  AF-15 from their eco-friendly Aura line. It's a nice, warm white. We're topping the island with butcher block bamboo and the perimeter counters with a white quartz from CaesarStone.

I was thrilled to see the paint in the living room. Believe me, this wall color has kept me up at night. Our painter called it black, it's real name is Flint AF-560, from Benjamin Moore Aura. It reads as a dark steel blue and is a dramatic contrast to the fireplace paint, Buttered Yam, AF-230, a favorite from our San Francisco Idea House. The mantle is bamboo from Teragren.

We carry the same Buttered Yam color into the Family Room media wall. All shelving and cabinetry are made  of bamboo from Teragren. We'll top the cabinetry with Bottlestone, a recycled glass countertop from Fireclay Tile. 

Stay tuned for the tile installation!

Idea House style: vintage Sunset

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

The hunt continues for an outdoor chandelier for our Monterey Idea House. There was hope in re-using some vintage lighting from the Sunset building that we have stashed away in our warehouse.

The fixture shown in this photograph was under consideration, but it's a bit too Bonanza-feeling for the house. Look at the enormous shadow it casts on the wall. This is on our entertainment patio at Sunset.  I've  never seen so many suits, or men, in our building!  Would love to know what Mr. Chef Hat was preparing for lunch that day. No doubt, something delicious!

A tropical escape for your Monday

A not-so-blind item: Which former television super-villainess relaxes in this beautiful bath?

Head over to Fresh Dirt to find out!

Idea House style: rustic elegance

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

We're on the hunt for an outdoor chandelier for our Monterey Idea House, that will hang in a covered dining space in our gorgeous reclaimed wood building. I was scouting in San Francisco last week and found this spectacular fixture at Cisco Home. It's made from reclaimed wine barrels (coincidentally, so is the barn building we want to hang it in!). It's a bit too refined for the space, but we may find a spot in the house.

Love this mirror, too.

Idea House style: black and white and fabulous all over

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

I'm becoming more and more enamored of the Hollywood Regency look. It's sexy, fun and fabulous. You know the style is becoming mainstream when it hits the aisles at Target. Check out the new DwellStudio for Target bedding collection. High glamour for the masses!

The hunt for organic retro chic

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager

The fun part about my job is that it involves a lot of shopping. It's the perfect fit for a shopaholic like myself.  With our Menlo Park Idea House opening in late June, shopping season has officially begun. Reclaim, a new home store in downtown Menlo Park, definitely captures the home's organic, retro-chic look. Owned by former Sunset staffer Bridget Bradley, the shop's focus is green without being too hempy.

The store offers green building materials like recycled glass counters from Vetrazzo (an Idea House favorite), colorful cork flooring, zero-VOC paints from YOLO Colorhouse, and formaldehyde-free cabinetry, as well as beautiful pillows made with organic fabrics, sustainably-crafted furniture, and luscious linens and towels.

I saw plenty of ideas for our Menlo Park house. These lamp shades just sing spring. Wrapped in vintage fabric and finished with decorative trim, they'd be a great topper on a $10 lamp base from Target or Ikea. Hmm, I'm thinking of a spot in the little girl's room for this.

I love this look. Bridget hung rolls of bold, unframed wallpaper behind this upholstered bed. It's a great contrast with the bed's simple linens and a fresh idea for wall art.

We're searching for cool wallpaper to doll up some accent walls. The fluid graphics of this vinyl-free wallpaper would add a splash of whimsy to the master bedroom or girl's room. Stay tuned for the next stop on our shopping tour!

More wallpaper inspiration

Early look at our Monterey Idea House

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset home program manager

Our Monterey Idea House is now under construction and slated to open later this summer. The home will be comprised of three connected buildings, with architecture that is best described as modern barn.

The building shown here will house a garage below and a guest suite and artist loft above.

The wood used for the siding is reclaimed from a 100+ year-old barn (and former stage coach station) located in the nearby town of Gonzalez and old water towers from Washington state.

We sourced all the materials from Bear Creek Lumber. More to come as construction continues!

See more Idea Houses

April preview: Pam Zsori of Housemartin (and Ink & Peat)

By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset Home & Design writer; Photos by Jon Jensen

If you haven't already heard of Pam Zsori, the woman behind Housemartin (the must-read blog for home decor and floral enthusiasts alike) consider yourself formally introduced. Check out her gorgeous eye for floral arrangements and pretty much anything design related on her blog, and look forward to being able to walk through that beauty: She's opening a store (Ink & Peat) in Portland in early summer!

We had the honor of photographing Pam's home and her spring decorating ideas for our April issue. Look for the story—and Pam's tips for easy spring decor—on newsstands soon. Until then, enjoy these gorgeous vignettes.

GET THE LOOK (above): Faux-bois cement urns from Oly Studio, Libeco linen printed table runner,  and similar vintage Haeger and Floraline vases available through Ink & Peat Home and Floral. Abstract painting (on wall) by Marshall Leggett. Raleigh Chandelier by Rejuvenation Lighting. Flowers on table (left to right): craspedia, orange tulips, white hydrangea, berzellia, and Sphinx Gold roses. In planters: Sword ferns.

GET THE LOOK (left): Kyoto chairs in coffee by Design Within Reach. Bird paintings by Amy Ruppel and green plate by Alex Marshall pottery available and through Ink & Peat Home and Floral. Polka dot cake and cupcakes from The Bakery Bar in Portland, OR. Flowers: Pale yellow roses, kangaroo paws, galax leaves, and sword fern.

GET THE LOOK
(above, left): Striped pillows by Alpana Bawa, available through Ink & Peat Home and Floral. White planter from Ikea. Polka dot glasses from Crate and Barrel. Plants in pots (on floor): Heuchera Palace Purple Select, Heuchera Lime Rickey, Japanese Bloodgrass, and Helleborus Ivory Prince. Mini tree (on table): Myrtle topiary
(above, right): Black and white botanical print from Peddler's Home Goods and Handmade trio of vases by Judy Jackson Stoneware available through Ink & Peat Home and Floral. Modern Storage Media Stand in chocolate from West Elm. Books (Karl Blossfeldt , Living in Bali, The Hotel Book- Great Escapes Asia) available through Taschen. Mini tree: Myrtle topiary.

GET THE LOOK
(above, left): Abstract paintings (two canvases) by Marshall Leggett.  Tapered wood table lamp in chocolate from West Elm. Chocolate fig and sweet pea dot print pillows on couch and lemon bead print pillow on slipper chair from Hable Construction, available through Ink & Peat Home and Floral. Henley rug in taupe from Pottery Barn.
(above, right): Dinera rectangular green plates from Ikea. Bowls (stylists own) by Jaliang pottery. Hemp napkins by Pottery Barn.

GET THE LOOK (above): Ivory sham with polka dots by Les Indiennes, green quilted blanket by Utility Canvas, and framed vintage seaweed botanical prints available through Ink & Peat Home and Floral. Monica upholstered bed and Calvin nightstands from Room and Board.  Flowers: Sphinx Gold roses.

Spotlight on: Rosanna Inc

By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer; photos by John Granen

A few home-y things I've been thankful for recently:
- Some old family quilts my mom gifted me, which have come into use as these cold San Francisco nights get colder. (Though I'm also admittedly very grateful I don't live in the midwest).
- Votivo's Red Current candles that absolutely embody the cozy smell of winter.
- Holiday decor that's not married to a single day of the year (pumpkins with smiley faces, dishes adorned with turkey-in-bow-tie artwork, napkins that say "Merry Christmas").

That's what I love about this table setting by Rosanna Bowles, founder of Rosanna Inc in Seattle: Not only was this scene perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, it works for practically any day of the year.

The dinner plates, silverware and glasses are part of her Famile a Table collection. I love her casual arrangements of grapes in silver vessels (yes, they're real fruit—from the vines outside her dining room window!) alternating with her Dauphine candlesticks.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Rosanna for a profile piece we did in our November Inside Seattle section (which readers in our Seattle metro area receive). I loved her tip about repurposeing things on your table: “Use old silver and treasures—take them out of the cupboard and re-energize them," says Rosanna. "I use old sugar bowls as flower holders for the table—keeping arrangements intimate and small, thus not hindering sight lines and conversation.”

So refreshing, and unique. Like every day should be.

Check out her lines here.

Starry, starry hutch

By Peter Whiteley, Sunset senior writer

On a recent trip to Arizona, Beth and I bought a number of those three-dimensional punched-tin stars in different sizes. The pointed stars are hinged so you can open them up and put a light bulb inside. We put our collection on top of a hutch where we keep the television, and their angular shapes added interest to that corner of the room. Things got a lot more festive when I added a string of those little Christmas twinkle lights.

I took a  string of 100 lights, wadded them into five groups, and inserted the lights into the star shapes. I spaced them close enough so only one or two connected lights were exposed between the star shapes. Not only do the stars now brighten the corner of the room, but they cast interesting shapes on the ceiling.

You don't even have to make a trip to the Southwest to get some stars for yourself.  Just do a search for "Mexican punched-tin stars" online to unearth a number of sources:

Sunrise Imports
mydanilo.com
Direct From Mexico

Cool seasonal centerpiece

By Peter Whiteley, Sunset senior writer

Ornamental kale is making its appearance now at nurseries and flower shops. The plants' variegated patterns — soft greens and cream or smoky-green and purple — add punch to beds and containers outside, but they can also play a part in long-lasting arrangements indoors.

Here's the Thanksgiving centerpiece my wife Beth made with ornamental kale and sprays of eucalyptus pods. She found the kale at a local fresh-produce market, but rather than being in plastic pots, they were sold like flowers with long stems. They must have bolted.

Even if you can't find kale on stems, you could use young ones grown in 4-inch plastic pots and temporarily plant them in a tall-sided pot. We used an antique terra cotta baking dish for a container, cut the kale stalks, and attached them to metal "frogs" set in water. The softening eucalyptus sprays tuck into voids and spill gently out. The arrangement should last weeks.

What are you doing for your holiday tables this year? Tell us! Just click on the "Comments" link below.

And see our December 2007 story for more casually elegant bouquets.