Jinny and Matt's Home Tour

As one of my oldest and dearest friends, Jinny has always had a great sense of style accomplished with ambitious DIY tendencies. And the home she's built with her husband Matt (and dog, Ziggy!) is a great reflection of this. They live in an amazing, spacious duplex that mixes character with modern upgrades.

Jinny and Matt were also expectant, first-time parents when we documented their home, and we especially loved the nursery they put together for their son, Liam. Little did we know that Liam would arrive less than a week after we took these photos!



A spacious living room and Ziggy showing off.



Inspired by Etsy, handmade by Jinny!

Rethink :: Rugs

It's amazing how much interior design is like fashion.  I was reminded of this again as I started noticing all the great rugs featured in our home tours.

Like fashion, I love the idea of layering and this concept extends to rugs.  It's the perfect opportunity to mix high and low and to combine prints and patterns.  

If you've ever shopped for a rug, you know that the larger the rug, the more expensive.  A common solution is to layer a bolder, smaller rug over a natural woven rug which is less expensive.

Don't be scared to mix prints and colors to add a fun but warm look to any room.

via Creamy Life

via Creamy Life

Finally, add in textures such as a sheepskin or cowhide rug to add a little glam.

Via Karen and John's home tour

via FashionToast

Karen and John's Home Tour

As Creative VP for HauteLook and NordstromRack.com, it's no surprise that Karen’s great style extended to her home in Hollywood, CA where she lives with her husband, John and daughter, Sophie.  Their home was beautiful and the neighborhood was absolutely charming.  We especially loved the home's arched pathways, French style windows and the winding staircase.  It was complimented perfectly with John and Karen's very stylish aesthetic. 

We had a blast getting to know Karen's family and having girl time with little Sophie!  They recently decided to move into a larger home so we're happy to have been able to capture their lovely home before the move.

We Love :: Copper

I recently saw this copper KitchenAid mixer and loved it (little did I know how expensive copper can be!) Regardless, it made me appreciate copper finishes and I found a few similar treasures for the kitchen.



1. Segno Italiano copper kitchen utensil set via Monoqi.

2. Copper Pendant light via Cibone.

3. Asahi Japanese drip coffee copper kettle via Ebay

4. Kaikado Canisters via Tortoise General Store

Featured Home :: Puglia, Italy

It's one of my not-so-secret dreams to live abroad and take on a historical renovation project to restore an old property. A farmhouse in the countryside of France or Italy would be ideal. So when I saw this home in Puglia, I fell in love. It was a renovation project taken on by its architect owner who wanted the space to maintain its cultural and historical integrity while creating a modern refuge for his young family. I especially love the rustic elements that have been maintained throughout the home, and the statement furniture pieces that add unexpected pops of color.

Yes, I could live here. 











Featured in Milk Magazine. Photos by Alexandra Meurant

Featured :: Institute of Domestic Technology

We're deviating a little from our usual topic of home tours but I promise that it's worth it! Last weekend, I spent the day at the Institute of Domestic Technology where the staff was kind enough to let me observe and photograph their Foodcrafting 101 class. It's one of several hands-on classes, workshops and events the Institute hosts throughout the year to not only educate participants about food staples but to inspire at-home adoption and application. I first read about IDT in a past issue of Martha Stewart Living, and knew I had to make my way there, especially when I found out that its headquarters was more or less in my backyard in Altadena, CA.

IDT was founded by Joseph Shuldiner as he envisioned a place to share the "lost art" of food basics that seemed missing in today's culinary landscape. These topics range from cheesemaking, pickling, jam making, coffee roasting, fermenting, etc., and are just a few of the courses offered by IDT. Joseph is supported by a great group of knowledgeable and accomplished craftsmen - chefs, restauranteurs, cookbook authors, cheesemakers, etc. - that serve as faculty for the Institute.

Foodcrafting 101 was a day-long class that focused on four main areas: jam making, breadmaking, cheesemaking and DIY mustard. Each section was led by a different instructor who walked participants through a basic recipe, and showed techniques to recreate the processes at home. Even as an observer, I had such a great time and learned so much about how easy it is to create these basic pantry staples -- it's definitely made me think twice about buying them at the store!


The majority of Institute classes take place at the Zane Grey Estate which has an amazing history unto itself, and also still serves as a private residence. 




Students cutting and prepping fresh strawberries for jam making.










The Estate is also home to Mariposa Creamery, a micro-dairy with a small herd of goats.


The beautiful entryway of the Estate.


The Estate also features a solar-powered Airstream that's available for farmstays via AirBnb!







I hope to go back and take some courses (tofu making, anyone?) Many thanks to Daniel and everyone at IDT for allowing me to visit. For more information about and all upcoming courses and events, visit the website.

Rethink :: Portait Paintings

A recent T Magazine article touts the prevail of personal style and tastes over trends in interior design, and it made me realize that this is the common thread that runs through our home tours. We've certainly seen trends in our home tours, but each application is varied and suited to the specific space and personality of our subjects.

It's also another reason that I love shooting these home tours. It's opened my eyes to new ideas and new ways of looking at space, color, design and creativity, even beginning with the first home tour we featured. I developed a new appreciation for portrait paintings after seeing them at Casey's, and now have an affinity for them after seeing these:









From top to bottom. 1. via Marie Claire Maison 2. via Savvy Home 3. via Alice Gao 4. via Ethnic Cottage