Creating a Colorful Home In San Rafael’s Lincoln Hill Neighborhood
Marin native finds her happy place in the Lincoln Hill Neighborhood.
Silver Oak Winery’s Eco-Conscious, Barn-Like Transformation
Architect Daniel Piechota gives the rural northern California winery vernacular an urban flair. DANIEL PIECHOTA’S FIRST COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS designed under the banner of his new San Francisco architecture firm — wine production buildings and a matching satellite structure with tasting room and banquet spaces, for Silver Oak winery in the Alexander Valley — are essentially […]
A Modern Napa Home Designed in the Cloud
Mike Neil, a Microsoft executive living in Seattle, contacted San Francisco architect Jim Zack in part to prove how easy cloud computing — Neil’s specialty — and the digital sphere make it for people to work together at a distance. Hundreds of miles away, Zack was enlisted to visit a 15-acre St. Helena hillside lot […]
A Modern Napa Home Designed in the Cloud
Mike Neil, a Microsoft executive living in Seattle, contacted San Francisco architect Jim Zack in part to prove how easy cloud computing — Neil’s specialty — and the digital sphere make it for people to work together at a distance. Hundreds of miles away, Zack was enlisted to visit a 15-acre St. Helena hillside lot […]
Take a Peek Inside Chicago Author Stacey Ballis' Restaurant-Quality Kitchen
A kitchen renovation can seem like a daunting task, but for local novelist Stacey Ballis it was truly a labor of love. “I walked in,” she says of the first time she visited her house, “and the building gave me a hug. It felt like home in such a warm and visceral way.” That was […]
High-Style Furniture at Big-Box Prices
IKEA hacking—upgrading and embellishing affordable IKEA furniture to create a more unique piece—is all the rage these days. But even if hacking isn’t your thing (who’s got the time?), there’s a wealth of super chic, hack-free home décor to be had if you think inside the (big) box. At big-box prices, you can definitely afford […]
6 New Year's Resolutions for Your Home
This year, resolve to get your home in the best condition yet. These resolutions, developed by Northfield-based Orren Pickell Building Group, will make your home safer, greener and more luxurious in 2014. Some you can accomplish on your own, while others will take a reliable professional team. Here are six resolutions to get you started: 1. Ready the fireplace. […]
Decorating Private Spaces with Public Flair
For the past three years, I’ve spent my days photographing the homes of people whom I’ve never previously met. Afterward, I use my photos and interview notes in an attempt to weave an interesting narrative along with a few takeaways for readers who are interested in gussying up their own pads. After touring so many different […]
Make a Happy Home Even Happier
“A house isn’t worth anything if you can’t make it comfortable to live in,” explains Thomas Wesely. Wesley is an Evanston-based interior designer who set out to do just that for his friend when she bought a 1920s-era Tudor-style home, which is located on a leafy street in Evanston. Tell us a little about the […]
DIY Decorating: Mixing Antiques and Contemporary Styles
Sylvia Cardenas relied on instinct and advice to decorate her Highland Park home. When George and Sylvia Cardenas first bought the Highland Park lot where their home stands today, the surrounding area was mostly farmland. “We used it to park the trucks for our business,” explains Sylvia Cardenas, of George Cardenas Landscape Design in Highland […]
