DREAMY RENTAL SOAKED WITH COLOR, VIBRANT FIXTURES, AND FLEA MARKET FINDS

This project provided so much opportunity to break from traditional design rules and make unapologetically bold choices. From the moment I met Danny, I knew I’d want to take him on as a client. A well established Bay Area real estate agent, Danny has a keen eye for design touches and knows what’s lacking in the rental market. He had already redecorated his enviable San Francisco Victorian impeccably, but when it came to this little cottage on the property he didn’t really know where to start, except that he’d want to rent it out to friends and Airbnb guests alike. With just over 400 square feet to work with, we’d have to make the cottage pop to make up for the lack of space. As I hunkered down to create a mood board, I kept thinking about the classic Paris apartment; the creamy white walls that capture the morning light through floor-to-ceiling windows, the curation of vintage and contemporary furnishings and art that looks imperfectly perfect. I had also just gotten back from Palm Springs, and found myself wondering if we could bring old Hollywood Glam into the design. Luckily, Danny was up for the challenge.

Our first action was painting the whole thing, and I really wanted the kitchen and cabinets to be the same deep blue color, a move that actually made the space feel larger. The coral cabinet hardware, Chinese lantern, and bamboo blinds provide the most classic nods to Palm Springs. Moving into the living room, it starts to transform into the Paris apartment. The white walls and matching sofa offer the perfect backdrop for a gallery wall, accented further with an old trunk turned coffee table, geometric rug, velvet curtains, and the vintage “Hollywood Regency” glass lotus flower floor lamp that I snagged from a famous San Francisco consignment store for $150! I really wanted to bring more pink into the bedroom, and once I saw this cranes wallpaper I knew I had my piece de resistance. The black embroidered linen bedding felt especially Parisian and looks so dreamy against the warm pink walls and feels like a continuation of the black and white shower curtain in the little bathroom.

On a summer Saturday in the city, Danny and I met to finalize all the details. Four hours of styling later, the “When Paris Met Palm Springs” cottage was born! Countless guests since that day have confirmed that Danny has, by far, created a stand-out rental property in the heart of the historic Castro district.