Musings

A client of ours with a project in Hawaii mentioned her role as the long-time official family whistler to summon people in from the beach. (Yes, she demonstrated her impressive whistle right in our office.) Her humorous description suggested an unexpressed desire to have a beautiful way of letting everyone know it was time to…

Last weekend, I was driving home along the lagoon between Bolinas and Stinson Beach. Suddenly, the view was so spectacular that I pulled right over. For perhaps a minute, I wavered between soaking in the beauty and trying to capture the scene with my phone. Everywhere I turned, I saw breathtaking combinations of the sea-and-skyscape.…

I’ve described our deck at home as The Place where we gather. It is intentionally designed for us to be totally comfortable outdoors at any hour, to savor the light, the view, and the sounds. I also have a favorite non-gathering outdoor spot. It is for talking, but not for socializing. I discovered it during…

Our deck has always been The Place for our family and friends to gather. When our son was small, he loved to “overnight” on one of the sofas. We have a pair of them, and the larger is actually a teak wood pallet that I built with a young neighbor some years ago, put wheels…

Spring has officially arrived, and the new season feels fresh. As I was marveling at these ranunculus, I reflected on the happy occasions this bucket has been part of over the years. The bucket (and its relatives) held flowers on the tables at my son’s high school graduation party in our garden. Then, they became…

What now feels like forever ago, I visited Lake Lugano en route to the 2019 Salon del Mobile in Milan. One morning I took a walk, with no destination or purpose beyond absorbing the landscape. Until I came upon a gate and beyond it, a simple little house. Vines had grown across the gate, so…

Many things have slowed down all around us, providing time for both reflection and groundedness. I have spent more time out of doors, closer to home, than in longer than I can remember. I’ve also thought about things that develop over time, in nature as well as in the things we create. One afternoon a…

One of our recent projects is featured in the current issue of Modern Luxury Hawaii (Nov/Dec 2020). We partnered with Walker Warner Architects on this Kauai oceanfront home, which gracefully grew into a compound when the adjacent property became available. Reading the article took me back to its incredible beach views—which you can spot in…

Now that we are well into autumn, the days are definitely feeling shorter. This season is such a glorious time for light from the sun in California. The ash in the late summer skies prompted me to reflect on how we rely on natural light for our psychic energy and sense of well-being. When I…