The Curated Edit #18 Hello my design-loving friends, Some cities grow. Others curate themselves. Santa Barbara did the latter. Last weekend I was there with Veranda Design Society, spending a few days immersed in architecture, textiles, gardens, and antiques. It’s a place where the built environment feels unusually intentional—and once you notice it, you can’t unsee it. That intention traces back nearly a century to a decision that permanently shaped the city. One of the most resonant themes...
26 days ago • 4 min read
The Curated Edit #17 Hello my design loving friends. This will be a quick hitting issue. I’m just back from KBIS—our industry’s largest kitchen and bath show. By the time you read this, I’ll be en route to Santa Barbara with Veranda Design Society. We are hitting antique stores, a textile manufacturer, and Lotusland in inimitable Montecito —I’m especially excited to soak in all of the Spanish Colonial lineage from the likes of George Washington Smith and Lutah Maria Riggs. Architecture that...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
The Curated Edit #16 Design Dispatch | The Domino Effect It started, as it often does, with something simple. The floors. My parents are in the process of downsizing and found a wonderful home — and in a twist that almost never happens, they purchased it under budget. That gave them the rare gift of making thoughtful upgrades before moving in. The plan felt straightforward:Paint the interior.Replace most of the flooring. The existing finishes were well-loved (translated=in need of upgrading)—...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
The Curated Edit #15 I’m starting with a little honesty: this one took longer to write than usual. The past month has been full—family transitions, logistics, and one of those seasons where life needs your attention before work gets its turn. And in a way, that pause shaped this entire edition. Design Dispatch | Luxury That Thinks Ahead The past 6 months have been a whirlwind as I’ve been helping my parents downsize after twenty-seven years in the same home. Twenty-seven years of memories,...
2 months ago • 3 min read
The Curated Edit #14 Christmas Edition🎄 Every December, without fail, we all ask the same question: How is it already almost the new year? I vividly remember my Grandpa Joe telling me, “The older you get, the faster time goes.” For some reason, I always picture him saying this around Christmas/New Year. I didn’t understand it then—but it stuck with me. Remember how endless summers felt as a kid? Time stretched because our days were defined by exploration, creativity, and learning. That was...
4 months ago • 4 min read
The Curated Edit #13 Design Dispatch | Thanksgiving Table Tales Ready or not! It’s almost here. I pulled out the linens discussed in our last edition and settled on what I’m doing for the table this year. Our extended family is at 30 and counting. With a group our size, I usually set two tables for the adults and one for the kids. I’m keeping the palette simple and subdued; cream and varying shades of plum and rounding it out with some bronze and as always, well layered. This year, my mom’s...
5 months ago • 4 min read
The Curated Edit #12 Design Dispatch | Organizing for Effortless Entertaining & Transitioning to the New Year Before the season gets into full swing, a little organization goes a long way. Start by gathering all of your entertaining essentials — serving pieces, linens, and glassware — and give them a quick clean or polish. Pro Tip: I’ve stopped pressing napkins or tablecloths altogether; instead, I pull them from the dryer while they’re still slightly damp. Napkins are easy to hand-press and...
5 months ago • 3 min read
The Curated Edit #11 Design Dispatch | The Sink That’s Redefining the Modern Kitchen Ever noticed how once you buy a certain car, you start spotting it everywhere? Same thing with this. If you haven’t paid attention to workstation sinks yet, you soon will—because they’ve quietly become the must-have of modern kitchens. Over the past few years, workstation sinks have gone from niche to nearly essential—so much so that almost every major brand now offers their own version. So what makes them so...
6 months ago • 3 min read
The Curated Edit #10 Design Dispatch | Autumn Outdoor Design If pressed, I think most people would choose fall as their favorite season—I did some research and found that, in fact, 39% choose fall, with summer at 22%, spring hot on it’s heels at 21%, and winter at 10% according to a Rasmussen poll. One of my fondest memories growing up was running through the grass at my brother’s soccer games—sidelines dotted with adults tucked into folding chairs, hands stuffed into pockets against the...
6 months ago • 3 min read