More than 30 talented West Coast designers have breathtakingly transformed the historic and stately mansion at 2020 Jackson Street, for this 35th annual Showcase—a benefit for San Francisco University High School’s financial aid program.

I was privy to a peek the other day, and I came away impressed and filled with inspiration. Many spaces are memorable, but I found myself reflecting on the creative and cozy eating areas. (It was lunchtime, after all.) Here’s a just a taste of what you’ll see….

(Click on the photos for more detail).

Such a festive solution that Marysia Rybock and the team at Scavullo Design created in this vibrant and inviting dining room. The goal was to achieve “a space that balances the room’s existing Gothic Revival elements…with whimsical pieces and a unique layout that connect it with a contemporary lifestyle.”

And that Jonathan Browning mother-of-pearl chandelier. More than stunning—it’s taken up residence in my brain cells.

Photograph by John Merkl.

A secret spot for tea (or to check in with your iPad) is found in the Modern Pantry, by Tinsley Hutson-Wiley and Allison Bloom. Tea isn’t the only British influence you’ll see in the space (you won’t miss it — I swooned at the artistic use of neutrals).

I’m astonished this compact catering kitchen was orchestrated using all removable pieces and overlays to the existing decor. No pressure to the homeowners, but I’d keep the gals’ work!

A mere tidbit of the savory kitchen and family room served up by Jeff and Tray Schlarb at Green Couch. When you visit, be sure to take in the family room’s fresh brick finish and the planetary Coup d’Etat light fixture.

It wouldn’t be a San Francisco Showcase without a scenic enclave from which to savor the Bay, and this year doesn’t disappoint. Frank Holbrook bedecked the Roof Terrace in comfy elegance. Think he’ll mind if we pop that champagne?

Hungry for more?

Showcase runs April 28 – May 28, Tuesdays through Sundays and Monday Memorial Day,
2020 Jackson Street, San Francisco.

• Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday 10am – 3pm (last entry)
• Thursday & Friday 10am – 7pm (last entry)
• Special “Friday Nights at Showcase” 5pm – 7pm each Friday.
• Sunday & Memorial Day 11am – 4pm (last entry)
• Closed Monday (except Memorial Day)

Tickets are available at the door: $30 general admission; $25 seniors (60+). For group rates, call (415) 447-5830. Check www.DecoratorShowcase.org for additional information on designers, special Friday Night events and shuttle and parking information.

Watch HomeWorkshop.com for more about a few of the home’s fabulous transformations. But in the meantime, serve us up a comment about your favorite spaces and details highlighted here, or others you see in person at Showcase.

I don’t know about yours, but our family (especially our 10-year-old daughter) is in love with The Cake Boss. Buddy and his passionate fondant-rolling, frosting-piping New Jersey clan have us riveted, hungry and chuckling every week.

So as you can imagine, we were over-the-moon excited to learn that our own Nursery and Kid’s Room Design Contributor, Sherri Blum, would be creating a space for Buddy and Lisa’s new baby!!

That’s right! Tune in to the one hour Cake Boss Baby Special, tonight Sunday, March 6 at 9:00 PM/8:00 PM Central as Sherri Blum, owner of Jack and Jill Interiors helps Buddy and Lisa design their baby nursery!

Read more details, and see photos at Sherri’s blog at Jack and Jill Interiors. Also, check out Sherri’s contest on her Facebook page here!

Enjoy these fun and funky choices:

West Elm’s Martini Side Table is a like a sweet, little bon-bon for the room, glittering in recyclable aluminum.

I’m digging the studded sides, and the storage capacity of Worlds Away’s Nora Side Table in White Lacquer.

Add feminine curves with Urban Outfitters Coil Side Table – a great use of wire.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a fat stack of design mags in your living room. Corral them in a storage table like Home Decorators’ Emily Side Table, in Antique Yellow.

This one’s got texture, glitz and rhythm –
Worlds Away’s Davis Basketweave Side Table, in Silver Leaf.

Want a uniquely shaped table with a good-sized surface, that doesn’t add much visual weight to your design? Try Pottery Barn’s Potter’s Wheel Accent Table.

Here’s a shot of rustic – Modernarks’ Whisky Shipping Crate Side Table.

The storage swivels left and right with Heal’s mod, Tube Side Table, in Green.

And if your room could use a little ‘tude, I spy SilverFoxSalvage’s Hand Painted Eye Table.

What’s your fave side table?

Everyday can be special, when you welcome friends and family around your table.
Mari Robeson—Interior Design expert and Contributor—helps us do so with style and function. Mari takes us inside the world of design, and helps us bring beauty and color to the places we call home.
 

I love entertaining. The way you set your table and present your entrees can be like a mini Interior Design project. First, let’s talk some dining room basics.

Dining Room Table

Here are some tips for selecting a dining room table for your family:

• Round tables are great for flow and ease of conversation and usually seat 4 to 6 people.
• If you entertain more than 4 people, a rectangular table may be a better selection for you.
• The base of the table is important too. Keep in mind that a table with a trestle base will allow you to seat more people around it.

Good Lighting

Another important item when setting up your dining room is lighting. A chandelier centered above the table is traditional.

• The bottom of the chandelier should hang approximately 36” above the top of the table.
• The scale of the fixture is important too. If the room is 10’ x 10’ add them together for a 20” chandelier.
• Sconces perform a secondary, ambient light and look beautiful in a dining room.
• Also, most people forget these…dimmers! I highly suggest putting them on all your light fixtures, especially the ones in your dining room.
• Here’s one last little tip about lighting. If you’re having candles on the table with your meal, I’d suggest unscented ones. The smell of your amazing homemade cooking should take center stage.

(Dining Room by Jonathan Adler.)

A Colorful Tablescape

Once you’ve selected the appropriate table and lighting for your needs, have fun creating your tabletop.

Last year Pantone picked Turquoise to be the color of the year but it looks like turquoise is here to stay throughout 2011 as well. I did notice that the color has gotten deeper and richer this year but as you can see from these examples Turquoise is still hot.

Peacock Cups at Amazon. All other items from ZGallerie.com.

I’m seeing a lot of Peacock-inspired designs too, which are so whimsical and fun. Let’s face it, our country has gone through some tough times lately and having these cheery colors around our home is a nice little pick-me-up.

Cake plates, mixer and dishes from Macys.com. Coasters and placemat from ZGallerie.com

I hope these little tips and colorful finds help you, and perhaps inspire you to have your own dinner party. There is nothing more special than sharing time with loved ones in a home that is warm and inviting!

Mari Robeson — an Interior and Product Designer, and a published Illustrator — strives to bring beauty into the world whenever she can. Mari shares with us her Interior Design tips and advice, and makes learning design concepts fun. With her fresh, creative projects, Mari spreads her love of color and beautiful textiles.

Most days you can find Mari working up her latest designs or teaching Interior Design Workshops in her colorful studio nestled in the countryside.

 
 
What colors, or special items help you create a stylish table?

Let’s give ourselves a sweet design treat, with Contributor GraceAnn Simoni. An Interior Redesign and Staging Specialist and Instructor from the Chicagoland area, GraceAnn shares with us budget tips and advice for decorating with your existing furniture and accessories.

–

Are you aware that you will spend 1/3 of your life on average sleeping? Your environment for sleeping should be of great concern.

We typically decorate and maintain the areas of our home that the ‘public’ sees. Why do we not take the time to create a beautiful space for ourselves?

February is the month for Romance so now is the time to focus on your Master Bedroom.

• Colors,
• Bedding,
• Lighting,

…all play a part in how the space will make you feel.

A colleague of mine, Joyce Hammig, owner of Blue Heaven Interiors, who specializes in Feng Shui, has offered the following tips to perhaps create a ‘spark’ for Romance and maybe even a better night’s sleep!

1) One of the first things to consider in creating an intimate, romantic feeling in the bedroom is color. Soft, warm tones are best – such as yellows, warm off whites, tans and beiges, soft pinks and peaches. These colors are supportive and nurturing.

2) Who are you inviting into your bedroom? Do you have photos of your parents, family and friends prominently displayed? Find another spot for family and friends to hang out – remember – this is a special nest for you and your beloved!

3) Is the furniture in your bedroom something you bought together or is it inherited from your aunt? Is your mattress the one you slept on with an ex-husband or ex-wife?! For couples the bedroom is the place to have things that represent your relationship, not Aunt Midge and Uncle George’s!

4) Experiment with where to place your bed so that you feel safe and snuggly. Ideally your bed should have a view to the door but not sit directly in front of it. If it must be close to the door or a busy hallway create a more private space by using a screen or plant or piece of furniture between your bed and the doorway.

5) Include photos of you and your beloved, artwork that you love, pairs of things such as candles are accessories that enhance the romance.

6) Computers, electronics, desks loaded with paper are not conducive to intimacy! Your bedroom is the oasis that allows you to be recharged so that you can plug into the hustle and bustle – elsewhere.

Happy Valentine’s Day!
 

GraceAnn Simoni of Yours Redesigned Naperville, IL, is a Redesign and Staging Specialist and Instructor, and a member of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists (I.R.I.S.).

If you need help getting the The Home You Want With the House You Have™ visit www.yoursredesigned.com.

 
 
 
 
Is your bedroom ready for romance?

Here’s a fun DIY for you and the kids, from our Nursery and Kids Room Design Expert and Contributor, Sherri Blum. A pioneer specialist for children’s-room interior design, Sherri designs for celebrities, and for the baby next door.

Let’s face it, most children’s rooms are small. And considering that these rooms usually hold more junk stuff than most, parents find ourselves dealing with organizational nightmares!

We have four children and it’s a constant battle trying to convince them to clean up their rooms and put things in their proper places. Truthfully speaking, I cringe every time I open the door to my 17 year old son’s room. Some cases are just hopeless- but in the hopes that some kids’ hygiene habits are salvageable, I frequently try to come up with ideas for helping them stay organized.

I love do-it-yourself projects and especially enjoy those that we can do with our children. I’ve found that when we include the kids’ in such projects, they will take pride in the end result and by some miracle of fate might actually enjoy using the item (at least for a while).

One of the least expensive and yet most appealing ways to keep clutter in its proper place is to purchase a set of either galvanized pails or storage boxes, and decoupage them to coordinate with the style of the room. Decoupage is a very easy process that really can’t go wrong. So even if you are “artistically challenged”, when finished with this project, you’ll come across like Monet.

Gather your supplies and protect your work surface – this is going to get a bit messy.
You will need:

• The pails or storage boxes. (I purchased a galvanized pail at Home Depot for
  about $6.)
• Mod Podge or simple white school glue
• A sponge brush or small paint brush
• Decorative papers and scissors

I spray painted the inside and outer rim of the pail a sweet pink color. It took several coats.

Party napkins, scrap book papers, wrapping paper and fabric scraps are perfect for decoupage projects. Select several coordinating patterns to keep it interesting. Choose a theme such as sports, transportation, princesses, flowers, or anything interesting to your child. I’ve chosen pretty pink and green scrapbook papers to coordinate with my studio colors.

You can either tear random patches with ragged edges or use decorative scissors to make a scalloped edge on the papers or fabric. No need to measure, as the key to this is keeping things somewhat random for a patchwork appeal.

Place some glue in an old bowl (you’ll want to dispose of the bowl when done) and add about 2/3 as much water and mix.

Using your sponge brush or paint brush, coat a small area of your surface and place a few papers on the wet glue, making sure to overlap the edges of the papers.

Once the papers have been placed, lightly spread more glue on top of the papers. Move on to another section of the pail until the surface is covered. Coat the entire surface several times with a thin layer of glue and allow drying time between layers.

You can then embellish the surface with crystals, ribbons, silk flowers, buttons, and more by using a hot glue gun.

I chose not to add it, but wouldn’t the pail be cute with this fun beaded fringe around the top? I chose to tie some sweet bows at the ends of the handle instead (see top photo).

I’m keeping this particular pail for myself and will eventually be making more of them, as my studio itself is in dire need of some organizing. Here, I’ve placed the fan decks from my favorite paint stores in the pail. A second one will be created to hold fabric swatches from my favorite bedding companies.

As for kids’ rooms, these pails or boxes can hold things like art supplies, photographs, medals/awards, school supplies, books, hair ribbons, CD’s and more.

Create a box for each collection you find lying around your child’s room and give each set a proper home. And while these items unfortunately won’t put themselves away, it might make it easier for your child to return the items to a properly labeled bin when available.

A mother can dream, right?

Sherri Blum loves putting her talents to use designing beautiful rooms for her tiny clients. Sherri’s designs are popular among celebrities and have been featured in numerous TV shows and publications.

Sherri operates her design firm Jack and Jill Interiors and she creates her signature line of children’s wall art, clocks and hand-hooked, wool rugs — Sherri Blum Designs. Sherri writes the Jack and Jill blog, and resides with her family in rural Pennsylvania.
 
 

What’s your best trick to help keep the kids’ rooms organized?

Studs and nailheads are leaping off edges, moving from trim to the featured decoration. And the pyramid stud—formerly punking only leather cuffs and collars—is going mainstream.

Beyond studs, add a little ‘tude to your decor with a strum of chrome, leather, or some rockin’ hard lines.

How are you rockin’ your decor? Do tell…

Or colorful, textural crewel embroidery.

As a young girl, I spent many an evening cranking out chain and satin stitches, and flocks of french knots. You’d often find me enveloped in my bedroom’s lime-green beanbag chair, my airport-marshall-worthy headphones pumping out a disco beat, while I speed-embroidered a palette of yarns onto my latest pillow or wall-hanging.

Lately, I’m reminded of the beauty and impact of crewel embroidery, by some fresh and fun contemporary examples like Janlynn.com’s Sunburst pillow kit.

Or the comfy crewel and felt embellishment on Mudandtwig’s nest pillow.

Humble yarns explode into fantasies in color and line, in the hands of Toronto textile artist Odile Gova.

Odile (aka Woolly Fabulous) creates original designs based on her doodles. She told me, “I’m a sketcher and a doodler…I wish I had more time to devote to my sketch books.”

“I was a floorcloth maker for many years and that involved a tremendous amount of designing and painting. I developed a strong graphic style….”

“I wish I had more time to design and do more crewel work,” Odile said. “I really love it. The opportunities for bold design and colors are endless and that’s very exciting for me. Painting with a needle and thread!!!”

Here’s a retro motif in progress, inspired by the pattern on a bowl she picked up at the thrift store.

You’ll be treated to more of Odile’s Crewel work at her Flickr pool. And don’t miss the textile wonders at her Wooly Fabulous Etsy shop (zipper-and felt brooches and OMG will someone please buy me that evening bag!)

If a mod, riot of hues isn’t your cup of tea, traditional crewel designs in clean color schemes can spark a space. Like this crewel-print fabric covered chair from
Neiman Marcus.

Or these crewel-look rugs from Ballard.

And HomeMaker Movement’s Crewel Boudoir Pillow at Etsy.

This all makes me want to go scare up a beanbag chair and some Bee Gees.

Think you’ll break out your own needle? Check out The New Crewel by Katherine Shaughnessy

 
What handicraft takes you back? Thought of reinventing it for your present space?

When I found Lexi Adams’ dresser transformation, I pounded my forehead – why didn’t I think to do that? Here’s the Before and After and the scoop on the fresh look this Brooklyn, NY photographer got with a little paint, elbow grease, and good advice from Dad.

HomeWorkshop (HW): Are you a design-diva, big into DIY and decorating, or was this a fluke? How did you score the dresser?

Lexi Adams (LA): I’m not a design diva! But I am a carpenter’s daughter, so when I was having trouble finding a dresser I liked, I was definitely keeping my eye open for something cheap I could fix up or paint myself.

I scoured Craigslist listings, worrying about bedbugs all the while, only to have a free wooden dresser fall into my lap on a walk in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. My amazing little sister helped me carry the dresser from the curb where it was left to my apartment and up four flights of stairs.

HW: What inspired the graduated-colors scheme?

LA: Benjamin Moore paint strips. I had some graduated green ones from the hardware store tacked up in my kitchen, and they gave me the idea to mimic the look on the drawers. Luckily I had white paint and green paint already from other projects, so I mixed the two together to make the different shades of green.

HW: How would you describe the room decor where the dresser lives?

LA: Today, the dresser lives in a very small bedroom, which has lime green as an accent color. The decor of the space is in transition. I moved in with my girlfriend, who has more traditional taste, and my interests are a bit more eclectic, from Mid-century Modern to Postmodern rustic design like Nightwood (Editor’s note: Cool stuff here, Design Junkies).

So, we’re going piece by piece, from sofa to dresser to wall art, mixing items together that feel like us.

HW: About how long did it take you to complete the makeover?

LA: Around two or three afternoons, lazily spread out. As you can see on the before picture, the dresser was real wood, probably of IKEA-ish provenance, but it had some scratches and gouges — perhaps from a dog. It was also finished with poly.

I sanded thoroughly it with an electric sander, and painted it with B.I.N. shellac primer. My first time using this primer, which my father recommended, and it was amazing. Great adherence and it sealed in the pine knots to keep them from bleeding through the paint.

Then I painted with a semi-gloss white paint and different mixed shades of green for the drawers. I planned to buy new drawer knobs, but the painted wooden ones are working for now.

HW: Any challenges?

LA: My main challenge is probably wishing I had a workshop — it’s hard to use power tools and high-VOC solvents in a small Brooklyn apartment!

HW: What’s the next creative project you’ve got planned?

LA: My next project after the dresser was getting some of my own photography prints framed, and hanging them at home. Next, I’m also having a fantasy of replacing my kitchen cabinet doors — but I live in a rental and acknowledge this is probably a ludicrous idea.

–

Lexi translated the design from simple paint chips into a furniture makeover. What’s something around your house that might inspire your next transformation??

Here’s the latest decor forecast for the little ones’ rooms, from our Nursery and Kids Room Design Expert and Contributor, Sherri Blum. A pioneer specialist for children’s-room interior design, Sherri designs for celebrities, and for the baby next door.

—

Happy New Year! Besides recovering from the holiday madness festivities, the beginning of each year usually means I’ll be interviewed by several Web sites, blogs and magazines about my predictions for nursery trends of the New Year.

I wanted to share some of those predictions with you, so you’re among those in the know.

We’ve already seen plaid regain popularity in fashion during the fall of 2010, and this year I believe we’re going to see it more frequently in home decor.

Interior design always follows the trends of the apparel runways. The mood of consumers is reflected in what they are purchasing. With a weak economy in 2010, consumers are longing for a simpler life and we are looking to craftsmanship and style trends from the past for a homey, comforting, vintage appeal.

As for fabric, we’re mixing it up with lots of patterns! Plaid is strongest in 2011, and stripes and polka dots will be seen more frequently. Floral is always on the scene for the girls but is mixed in with plaids or stripes to keep it from being too stuffy.

We will continue to see lots of texture in kids’ rooms with pleats, puckers and frayed edges on the fabrics. Denim is also strong in 2011, consistent with the vintage trend.

As for the hot nursery and kids rooms colors for 2011, coral will be strongest. It took a backseat to turquoise for 2010 but will be seen everywhere in 2011! In fact, Pantone named “Honeysuckle” —a sweet pink/coral color—its color of the year.

Other strong colors: lemon yellow, mossy green and purple. We will continue to see lavender challenge the ever-popular pink in girls’ rooms. Gray will remain a popular neutral as it was in 2010, however it is going to warm up and will lean towards brown a bit. White and tan will be popular neutrals of 2011 as well.

.

What will parents seek in terms of furniture? Raw, aged or hand-hewn wood will be a popular look in furnishings, especially for boys. And eco-consciousness is more important than ever. Therefore we are mixing old in with the new for a heavily traditional look, but pared down by blending in some contemporary accents.

Parents are choosing transitional furniture (crib that converts to a full size bed), and multi-functional furniture such as the dresser that has a removable tray on top so it is also a changing table for the first two years. Iron cribs do remain strong, and are eco-friendly as they last many generations. As for furniture aesthetics, traditional but not too fussy, and dark wood are the most popular looks for 2011.

When it comes to storage, we’re reusing furniture such as the now obsolete television armoire once used in the family room – and are now putting them in our kids’ rooms to be used as computer stations, gaming areas or a space for arts and crafts. Rather than buying a new glider, we’re using in the nursery repurposed chairs from the living room, or Grandma’s attic. Reusing and recycling is definitely a trend that is here to stay.

Overall, MIXING is the key word. Mixing of patterns, mixing of traditional with contemporary, mixing of old and new!

Sherri Blum loves putting her talents to use designing beautiful rooms for her tiny clients. Sherri’s designs are popular among celebrities and have been featured in numerous TV shows and publications.

Sherri operates her design firm Jack and Jill Interiors and she creates her signature line of children’s wall art, clocks and hand-hooked, wool rugs — Sherri Blum Designs. Sherri writes the Jack and Jill blog, and resides with her family in rural Pennsylvania.
 
 

Design Junkies, what are your plans for the kids’ room this year?