Spring ahead: Time to Spruce up your Outdoors for Spring!

Can you believe that in 13 days daylight savings begins again?  It feels like yesterday that I was just toasting the New year and taking down the Christmas tree.  

For me, Spring starts as soon as daylight savings begins.  More daylight means more time outside in the sunshine, and one of my favorite things to do is to enjoy the extension of the spaces that we create right in our backyards.  

Many of my clients like to do small changes and additions to their homes with the changing of the seasons, and look to me not only to create the design, but also direction on what they should be focusing on as each season approaches.  So here's my tip for Spring: now is the time to think about how to make your backyard areas functional, fresh, and fun!

When well designed, backyards are a great area to relax and entertain.  

Here are just some of the outdoor spaces I've helped clients design over the years.

  

I love creating a outdoor space that has appeal, whether its great lines in the furniture pieces themselves, a welcoming cushion or a surprise burst of color or design in the pillows.

I always pull from the natural landscaping and its many shades of green.  I find that the color green coordinates beautifully with rust, red, blue, teal, and yellow.

Concerned about wear and tear of the materials?  Well I'm here to tell you, outdoor fabrics have come a LONG way, baby!  Not just in durability, but they now have style and endless options: Fringes, tassels, cordings...you name it, they have it.  

When searching for fabrics for the great outdoors my top priorities are:

Durability and breathability

Fade and mildew resistant

Stain and weather resistant*

*It always best to cover or give your cushions shelter in the off season to extend the lifespan in conjunction with the right material selection.  

One of the most dramatic design elements I love creating to really dress up an outdoor space is adding outdoor draperies!  They transform patio areas and add a bit of chic glamour, and who doesn't love a little escape in their everyday lives.

The final element I always take into consideration are container plantings.  They are the perfect finishing touch - and a little goes a long way!  One of my favorite places to get inspired for spring is Every Bloomin Thing, located in Atherton, CA.  They have a wide selection of seasonal container planters, and everything that they design oozes with style.  I love designing alongside their staff, they are always friendly, professional and fun to work with.

Wishing you lots of sunshine and free time to spend enjoying the great outdoors right in your own backyard this spring!  Feel free to drop me a line if you would like me to help you get your home ready for the sunny months ahead.  julie@juliemifsuddesign.com.

The San Francisco Decorator Showcase

There are a few things that mark a new year in San Francisco.  The first is the distinct absence of snow followed by gorgeous sunny days and fog-free nights.  The second, for an interior designer at least, is the anticipation of a new Decorator Showcase House, and the hope of being chosen to design a room.

This year showcase house is at 2020 Jackson.
Fun Fact: This is the second time this particular home
will be featured in the Decorator Showcase.

Though I did not pitch for a room this year due to my busy client schedule, I do admit I love taking a sneak peak at the homes each year, and every time I do I can't help but to think back fondly of the year I participated in 2006.  

My main goal, like any other designer who has had the honor of participating, was to make my room unforgettable. I knew I needed to collect the perfect elements and create the feeling of a space that was delightfully unexpected.   

The space I was so honored to adorn was the Second Floor Family Bath.  My concept was "Where French Country meets forward-thinking lighting designer, Jim Misner."  If you know anything about my design, its heavily inspired by travel, Provence and the Mediterranean.  

Vintage prints, meandering vines and beautiful repurposed
garden urns always add an easy elegance to a space.

If you know anything about Jim Misner, his lighting designs are nothing less than a work of art, something I consider to be wall jewelry for the home.  

I knew his truly exquisite designs would be the perfect feature for this pretty bath.  

Pulling in one high-end element such as Jim's lighting, quickly becomes a slippery slope of perfection.  Once the lighting was chosen, designing the other elements that could stand up to the glamour became the next challenge.  Fortunately, the solution lie in my team of amazing artisans that I often use on my client projects.  

For drapery and any soft custom goods there is no one better than the meticulous Susan Chastain.  There is a reason you will see her name in conjunction with nearly every designer in the showcase house.  Its because she is amazing at what she does!  No one can construct a stunning window treatment like Susan Chastain can.  The beauty she was able to achieve in my bathroom with my window treatment and shower curtain (which was decadently detailed in a box pleated, leading edge ruffle and detail welt) was inspired, and truly showcased how luxury can be achieved in any size space when you pay attention to the details.  

 After I had found the perfect team for the lighting and window treatments I knew that I had to take the application of the paint in the space to the next level.  Nicolai Larsen was just the person for the job, and the design solution was having a rich, beautiful, hand-painted ceiling.  

I love embellishing ceiling elements.  Not only is it unexpected, its easy to maintain -- even in a busy family home!  Little hands can't reach so high as the ceiling.  So if you are looking to add a little drama to a space that will withstand the test of time, apply a custom finish or treatment to a ceiling for a wow-factor that everyone can enjoy!  

The final finish detail that added a luxurious, old world, yet timeless and clean feel was the tile I chose for the space.  With all the embellishing details I designed into the ceiling, lighting and fabric treatments, I knew that for the tile less would be more.  For the baseboards, backsplash and shower walls, I opted for Carrera marble, using varying sizes of the subway tiles, punctuated by pencil liners in the same material and set in a running bond, with the master work of Artistic Tile and Stone.  The result was subtle and striking.  And incorporating the Carrera into the custom designed vanity piece was understated and decadent at the same time.  

The end result was a perfect shared retreat for family and guests.  A bit of French Country, a la high-style, in the middle of the city.  

Good luck to all those participating in the Showcase this year.  The drama won't be only limited to the final design:  watching rooms blossom in a matter hours, after months of work, witnessing how problems were solved (I saw 6' tall pieces of art fall down the stairs -- OH MY!), were just a few of the twists and turns I relished and cringed at as the house was transformed into a dramatic grand finale that concludes with a designer feast for the senses that is worth the all applause, attention and most importantly, the effort.     

To take a peek at this year's showcase house, (I highly recommend the opening gala), visit www.decoratorshowcase.org.  All proceeds go to benefit San Francisco's University High School.