The Master Bedroom--Our Little Sanctuary

The master bedroom looked gorgeous in the real estate photos.  And it also looked good staged for sale, but once the furniture was removed, I realized that I wanted to replace the carpet before we moved in.

Under the carpet there was only subfloor.  No hardwood at all because this room was added on at some point.
So I decided to carpet all the bedrooms in wall to wall seagrass and layer wool area rugs over them.
I'm so glad I did!


After the seagrass was installed, I wrapped the room in Madagascar grasscloth creating a warm and cozy feel.


Here is the bedroom with all the artwork hung, furnished and window coverings installed.


I chose a tortoise bamboo shade for window above the bed.  I love how it coordinates with the grasscloth.

A collection of fern prints bring a feeling of tranquility.

 My pine sofa table found a new home in the bedroom.
It anchors the television and holds my collection of turquoise, clutches and belts displayed in glass cases.


A charcoal velvet chaise is the perfect spot to sit and read or watch tv.


I hung a series of botanical specimens mounted on black linen next to the chaise.


California Closets turned the dingy little closet into an efficient closet with room to spare.
It isn't as glamorous as our City closet, but that's ok.


What I love most about our bedroom is the French doors that open to the deck.
They were replaced with energy efficient doors that open out, instead of in.
I hung white linen draperies on either side for privacy and light control.

With Phase 1 finished, we're gearing up for the larger construction of Phase 2.
This room will be a retreat from all of that chaos.
Our little sanctuary!

The Dining Room

When we bought our house in San Mateo in 1999, the first thing I did was wallpaper the dining room in red toile. I loved it! But a year later, red toile was everywhere: fabric, wallpaper, bedding, dishes and even notecards. I still loved the red toile. Besides, it looked good at Christmas when we actually ate in the dining room! So I changed the curtains three times over the past ten years to keep the look fresh. From green velvet to plaid to the current brown floral.

Recently, I changed the wallpaper. This was a big decision. Should I paint? Should I go neutral with grasscloth? Should I transition from the apple green entry and pick a damask? I chose the damask. It really lightened things up and I think the brown floral drapes and captains chairs still go with it. In my attempt to lighten up, the rug was rolled up and down went a large seagrass rug. Christmas will still be lovely in the new dining room. In the meantime, here it is staged for fall.