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Category Archives: San Francisco Bay Area
2012 Kitchen Design Trends
Reinventing the hood One of the most striking visual changes we’re seeing in next-generation kitchens is that ventilation hoods are turning into works of art. That’s not a crystal chandelier in the photo above – it’s a stove hood! Now, … Continue reading
shop local on Etsy for holiday gifts
Do you love the idea of buying local, but find it hard to forgo the convenience of shopping online? Me too. Which is why I’m super-excited about my latest discovery: shopping local on Etsy.Here’s a quick sampler of holiday gift … Continue reading
living walls
Living walls are cropping up all over the Bay Area! Vertical expanses of greenery provide a restful connection to nature without taking up too much space. They also require less water than horizontal gardens. The living wall at left serves … Continue reading
Bay Area nature photographers
This post is a follow-up to my last post about Bay Area nature art. Here I’ve featured work by photographers who have interpreted local nature scenes in a particularly artistic way. The photo montage to the left, by Cris Benton, … Continue reading
Posted in art, San Francisco Bay Area
Tagged Cris Benton, John Harrison, John Wall, nature photography, nature photos Bay Area, Stephen Joseph, Terry Way
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nature art of the Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area is a nature-lover’s paradise, and landscape artists often come here to paint the beautiful scenery. In this post, I’ve highlighted a few artists who I believe are doing a great job of capturing our region’s … Continue reading
tips for selecting exterior paint colors
#1 Honor the neighborhood. While interior colors are primarily for you and your family to enjoy, exterior colors are a contribution to your entire neighborhood! Take a walk along your street and consider what kind of palette would blend most … Continue reading
designing spaces that support innovation
What type of environment supports creative thinking? The Bay Area’s most innovative companies have been asking – and answering – this question for years. Touring their offices brings us a great set of “best practices” that can be applied to … Continue reading
Posted in design ideas, health & wellness, San Francisco Bay Area
Tagged Brainstorm, California Academy of Sciences, Collaboration, Creativity, designing for innovation, Facebook, Genentech, Golden Gate Park, Google, Googleplex, Health, IDEO, Innovation, interior design and creativity, interior design and innovation, interior design ideas to support creative thinking, offices that support innovation, Play, Playfulness, Twitter, Wellness
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keeping fresh food fresh
First some good news: Americans have made some major progress when it comes to dealing with our garbage. Disposal of waste to landfill (as a percentage of total waste) has plummeted dramatically, and in 2008, we recycled and composted 83 million … Continue reading
Posted in appliances, countertops, health & wellness, San Francisco Bay Area
Tagged food freshness, food storage, reducing food waste, storing fruits and vegetables, storing produce, why do fruits and vegetables spoil, why do fruits go bad, why do vegetables go bad, why do you think fruit and vegetables spoil?
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how to paint a painted lady
San Francisco’s “painted ladies” are nearly iconic as her cable cars, or the Golden Gate Bridge. The City by the Bay is not only the birthplace, but also the international capital, of the “boutique” approach to painting Victorians – a … Continue reading
Posted in art, San Francisco Bay Area, specialty paints
Tagged Alamo Square, Cole Valley, color palettes for painted ladies, color palettes for Victorian homes, color palettes for Victorians, color schemes, color trends for painted ladies, Haight Ashbury, Mission, Nob Hill, Noe Valley, Pacific Heights, painted lady color schemes, painted lady homes in San Francisco, painted lady ideas, painted lady styles, San Francisco, SF Victorians, Victorian architecture, Western Addition
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backyard waterfall
In the hilly terrain of the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve seen countless backyards that slope up steeply behind the house. More often than not, this portion of the yard is left to its own wild devices, which can be … Continue reading
Posted in design ideas, feng shui, hearths and mantels, outdoor entertaining, San Francisco Bay Area
Tagged fire pit, hillside landscaping, indoor-outdoor living, landscape design for a steep slope, landscape ideas for hilly backyard, landscaping a hilly backyard, Marin County, San Francisco Bay Area, sloped backyard, stone wall, treehouse, Waterfall
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