Elements of the Perfect “Shelfie”

The styling of a shelf or bookcase can go from gorgeous, space-making moment to cluttered mess with a few wrong moves. Most often, things go awry when too many items are on a shelf, or when the objects are too similar in size and shape. We have two rules when it comes to shelf styling: variety is the spice of life (and shelfies), and less is most-definitely more. Apply these two rules to your favorite mix of the following elements and you’ll be on your way to creating the perfect “Shelfie”. 

ART BOOKS

Our shelves and bookcases are meant to be interactive and functional as well as a space to display special items in a unique and attractive way. In addition to favorite and classic novels, we love incorporating great art books that make for a casual read and gathering inspiration.  

UNIQUE VESSELS & OBJECTS

Funky bookends, vintage boxes, small sculptures, and artisanal ceramics are items that make shelf styling personal and special, especially when these items have been collected through travels and experiences. 

SMALL ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Memories of life’s best moments add a lot of joy to a shelf, so a photograph or two nicely framed and matted are a wonderful element for a shelf. Small scale artwork is a wonderful way to build a quality collection without large walls or a large budget, and these small pieces are right at home on a shelf. Not to mention, artwork is a great way to add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral palette.

SOMETHING GREEN

A touch of greenery goes a long way to add texture and life to a shelf moment. Nature has the unique ability to make even a stack of paperbacks feel more alive and interesting, and we utilize plants often when styling shelves. Sometimes our clients lifestyle calls for faux greenery, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Succulents and branches are also a wonderful low-maintenance option.

A TOUCh OF THE UNEXPECTED

True to our signature style, we love to incorporate a touch of the unexpected into every space. A little bit of whimsy, edginess, or playfulness is a wonderful way to remember not to take a shelfie, or oneself, too seriously. Whether it’s a brass hand throwing a peace sign, or a bowl with edgy spikes, pick an item that makes you smile.

Take your shelves, bookcases, and your entire space to the next level with our full service offerings – reach out to discuss your design dreams.

all photography by Kuoh Photography

5 Interior Design Trends We’re Here For in 2022

We created a layered natural color palette at our Forenza Project

The trends that will reign in the new year share a common theme that speaks to the collective need for comfort, valuing resources, and a connection to nature. It’s no surprise that after the period we have endured and the resulting economic impact and supply chain fallout, we all crave a little softness in our environments. We feel fortunate to create spaces that add meaning and value to our clients’ lives, and look forward to continuing to work with our favorite design trends in 2022.

NATURAL COLOR PALETTES 

As paint brands and color experts release their choices for “Color of the Year”, a clear trend is emerging. Neutrals and calming nature-inspired hues, like Benjamin Moore’s October Mist and Evergreen Fog from Sherwin Williams, are here for a reason. We are seeing ourselves and our clients drawn to enduring color palettes that comfort and connect us with our surroundings like warm and cool beiges, soothing blues, and soft, earthy greens. 

Round shapes mixed with unexpected angles at the CHID Studio

ROUND SHAPES

Goodbye sharp edges, hello curves! From pillows, to sofas, to cabinetry, round shapes exploded in 2021, and show no signs of slowing down in 2022. We adore this trend for the fresh feeling that soft shapes can bring to a space and the inspiring ways we can layer round angles and sharp angles to boost visual interest. This trend further affirms the collective need for comfort, softness, and soothing environments through the softness of shape.

MINIMALISM

2022 ushers in a return to minimalism with a focus on airy, open spaces. Less is more, and especially so when done so thoughtfully and with intention. When combined with our other favorite trends of natural color palettes and round shapes, this year’s minimalism is the antithesis of severity. This brand of minimalism carries deeper meaning and the calmness evoked by negative space and a return to nature.

NATURE & NATURAL MATERIALS

Perhaps our favorite of this trend round up, we adore nature and natural materials. Topping our all-time list of most-loved surfaces and textiles are marble, onyx, light woods, linen, cotton, and handmade ceramics and all of these materials are perfectly on trend for 2022. Plants of all varieties bring nature indoors, adding life, texture, shadow and organic colors to a space. 

FLEXIBLE SPACES

After the harsh realization that our homes had to serve as our workplace, classroom, gym, and beyond in 2020, it’s no surprise that an emphasis on flexible spaces and multi-functional furniture is here to stay. We’ve been serving our clients needs with a surge of requests for rooms that function as an office, craftsroom, learning center and more. Custom cabinetry that reveals a workspace during office hours, but hides it away when focus shifts to downtime is another iteration we are designing for ourselves and our projects alike. With real estate continuing to climb in California, every square foot is more valuable than ever and our homes should support the multi-hyphenate of daily life. 

Give us a call to incorporate these favorite design trends into your home for the new year!  

Do You Need Us? When It’s Time to Call in the Pros

With all of the inspiration and resources available online and via social media today, it can be confusing to know when to DIY a design project or call in a professional interior designer. We’ve assembled our top four tips to help you decide when you need us.

WORK WITH US IF YOU’RE READY FOR A CHANGE

When you’re ready to make a big change, a designer brings many benefits. We approach a project with a full-picture perspective, starting with a design concept that defines the aesthetic. The experience to curate options to fulfill that vision makes the process less overwhelming, allowing you to choose from a short list of best options. Our tried and true systems streamline the process of completing the project, from purchasing to installation, leaving you to enjoy the results.

WORK WITH US FOR MID-LEVEL AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS

While a contractor can tell you how to make changes, there are a million details that go into a successful renovation experience. A designer addresses the big picture and the smallest details to ensure the result is incredible and cohesive in both form and function. A design studio like ours provides project management services, alleviating a lot of stress -- no need to sweat the small stuff, like where to place electrical outlets, we do that for you.

Our Diablo Ranch Project, view more.

WORK WITH US IF YOU HAVE A REASONABLE BUDGET

When you’re ready to invest in your home, a designer’s knowledge is invaluable. Our skill set allows your budget to go further, thanks to our special sources and strategic understanding of where to splurge versus save -- not to mention the time you’ll save on Pinterest. That said, our clients who have the best experience with the design process have planned ahead budget-wise, so we’re able to deliver an incredible transformation with their investment.

WORK WITH US WHEN BUYING A NEW HOME

Moving is almost always overwhelming. A designer can alleviate stress by handling the design and renovation aspects of your transition. We can improve elements that need immediate updating, like selecting paint colors, to larger renovations to modernize the home or to simply make your new space perfect for you. When it comes to furnishings, we can see opportunities and challenges before they become obvious and cumbersome. A professional will create a layout that serves the flow of your new home and supports your lifestyle, and a great designer will work with you to merge existing pieces with new to create a space that is cohesive as well as the most beautiful expression of your taste.

Ready to collaborate with us on your whole home design or renovation project?

Give us a call or stop by our studio in downtown Danville to achieve your design dreams!

Seasonal Shifts: A Transitional Approach to Lifestyle and Design

This time of year is full of hope as the seasons transition to Summer with warm days and nights still cool enough to cozy up to an outdoor fireplace. This year brings even more meaning to the idea of the seasonal shift as we step into new tiers of reopening and our collective energy feels that much brighter and more hopeful.

Ever-inspired by nature and our community, this period has brought wonderful moments of reflection on the importance of balance, being present, adding value, and the notion of quality over quantity. As true and timely as these ideas are for our personal lives, they ring equally true in the exploration of thoughtful and intentional design. We find ourselves having slightly different conversations with our clients and opening our studio to explore a new category of services. Throughout the last year, our homes have revealed themselves to be even more important as our safe havens and sanctuaries, and our outdoor spaces have become necessary extensions; and so we expand our design eyes to serve landscape, hardscape, and outdoor spaces as we would interiors.

As it is often encouraged to bring the outdoors in, we also believe in bringing the indoors out, and treating exterior spaces with the same attention and elevated design elements. The tenets of transitional design style are about merging classic with modern, layering texture and color, with an emphasis on understated elegance. At Casey Howard Interior Design, we also add our unique touch of the unexpected to the mix. Whether you’re taking on your own home projects, or consulting a professional to spruce up your landscaping, modify the flow of a courtyard, or furnish a poolside, these guidelines apply and will help prepare your space for a hopeful shift of seasons and beyond.

Give us a call, or stop by our studio in downtown Danville, if we can help you achieve your design dreams for your interior or exterior spaces, or both!

3 Top Home Decor Trends Seen Through CHID x Revitaliste

We’ve all been there — searching through Pinterest to find the latest DIY project to spruce up our home and make it a fun space. Well that’s what we did, but through a transformative lens as a result of our latest collaboration with furniture revitalization company Revitaliste. We partnered with this innovative business focused on the goal of transforming ordinary “big box” furniture pieces into one-of-a-kind extraordinary pieces. With these metamorphic pieces, we wanted to showcase how you can embody the latest design trends through accessible customization.

Cutting-edge Color and Pattern Play

It’s hard to believe these stools didn’t originally come designed this way, the end result blew us away! We added color, texture and pattern by powder coating the metal base in a deep green made to match Benjamin Moore Tarrytown Green. Next we replaced the ivory linen seats with a boxed seat cushion and added a whimsical pop of punk with a luxurious Christian Lacroix fabric (choose your favorite pattern!). We completed our design by adding a dimensional leather trim around the seat. We’re drawn to unique fabrics, textures, materials here at CHID and love to create combinations that are unexpected.

Materials Inspired By Nature

This table is definitely a favorite of ours! The original table is lucite (also known as plexiglass) which is what makes it clear. We didn’t want to completely cover up the original piece, so we wrapped the table in a fibrous wallpaper to keep the translucent table visible, then covered it with a high gloss clear coat to make it functional and spill-proof.

Lucite is a synthetic material, so when choosing our design we wanted to go the opposite direction and give it an organic feel by using this beautiful open web material which is a handcrafted paper made out of South American fig tree bark. Even though the foundation of this table is synthetic, we transformed it into a piece that looks like it’s plucked right out of nature.

Saturated Neutrals 

Neutral colors are having a huge moment, not only in fashion, but interior design as well. When done well and purposefully, neutral pieces can bring vibrancy, depth and warmth to a space! With this piece, we reupholstered the footstools in a fun, neutral Kelly Wearstler fabric inspired by contemporary art and added a chic fringe. 

The fabric color used is far from just another mousy brown. It’s an artistically inspired natural tone saturated with color that pops when paired with the dark iron base of the footstool. The textured fringe adds a playful touch to what began as an ordinary piece of furniture. 

Photo credit: Annie Meisel Photography

Event Photos

Thank you again to everyone who came to our event! It’s always so much fun to see everyone and make new connections at these events. We want to give a special shoutout to Amy and Danielle at Revitaliste for all of their support and guidance while designing these pieces. If you’re looking to revitalize a special piece of furniture, you have to work with them, they’re amazing! We are so lucky to have such a supportive community around us and look forward to continuing to share our passion for design with you!

Photo Credit: Lauren Andersen / SENCreative

All the best,

Casey & team

CHID is an Expert Contributor at Danville Living Magazine

We’re excited to share with you that Casey Howard is now the Expert Contributor in the Interior Architecture and Design category for Danville Living magazine! Danville residents can now look forward to reading industry insights and wisdom from Casey and the CHID studio. Everyone at the studio is thrilled about the opportunity to share our passion for sophisticated design with an edge, so be on the lookout for Casey Howard Interior Design in Danville Living Magazine! That being said, we wanted to share our article with our amazing followers who may not have access to the print version. We hope you like it, and if you have any suggestions about what we should spend some time writing about, please feel free to send us an email, we would love to hear your thoughts!

Click the button below learn more about Danville Living Magazine.

The Benefits of Bold Design

by Casey Howard, Principal, Casey Howard Interior Design

It is our belief here at Casey Howard Interior Design that your home should have a personality of its own, that reflects and enhances the unique character of the people that live there. The walls that surround us are not only there to shelter us from the elements. Each line, corner, curve and opening are the result of thousands of years of development and refinement! You can’t deny the feeling of awe you get when you step into a daringly refined space, and that is because those bold design elements truly do add to the quality of our lives. 

Our clients weren’t afraid to go bold in their fun and funky family room!

When a space is well designed, objects of different scale, color, texture and shape take on a life of their own and begin to tell a story. What story does your home tell? If the answer to that question is “Well, my home can’t seem to get its story straight!” or “An incredibly BLAH story…” you are missing an amazing opportunity to enhance one of the most important parts of your life! Our homes are the backdrop for many of our most meaningful moments. Coco Chanel said it best, “An interior is the natural projection of the soul.” Now, there was a woman who was not afraid to be bold! We tell our children to embrace who they are and what makes them different, but why is it so hard to put that sentiment into action when designing our homes?

It’s true that not everyone has an innate artistic eye, and a creative endeavor like the cohesive design development of your home is a daunting task for anyone, but that doesn’t mean your home should not embody all of the quirky characteristics that make you and your family who you are! We all know that we feel our best when we can be our fun loving, authentic selves in all aspects of our lives, and your home is just another piece of the complex puzzle that makes you, you!  

Patterned accent pillows and contrasting colors make for a playful space.

If you are ready to design a home as dynamic as you are, that is infused with personality, we are here to guide you through the process! Click the button below to learn more.

Style Like a Designer

After an amazing event last month we wanted to share some of the CHID products and accessorizing tips that our team used to pull together the eclectic bookshelves at our venue. Most of the items featured in this post (even the killer Amanda Wright pottery pieces) are shoppable through our online shop. Each item is handpicked by Casey for the unique qualities it possesses. Whether it’s an edgy piece inspired by avant-garde fashion, or a captivating conversation piece full of personality, Casey’s chic sense of style stems from her passion for designs that transcend trend and add a distinct point of view to a space. These tips are some of the tried and true techniques we use when accessorizing a space, we hope you find the time to experiment with them in your own home, with only one caveat, be bold and have fun!

LAYER

Imagine your shelf, side table, or coffee table as a landscape with a background, middleground, and foreground. When you are using the layering technique the goal is to build interest throughout the entire landscape by paying attention to the background as well as what’s in front. Typically you want to begin by placing larger pieces in the back so the smaller pieces aren't lost in the layers. In a larger shelf you can even place artwork or a mirror in the back to really give the space some depth. You may also want to consider a patterned or colorful wallpaper option in the back of your shelf this adds another layer of interest in a place that is typically forgotten about.

In the middle and foreground you can focus on the pieces that will be your focal point. This is the place to create compelling arrangements like a bowl stacked on a book, or a collection of objects from a similar family. Casey also loves incorporating live plants into her design compositions, they add yet another layer of interest and bring a fresh and lively feel to a space.

PERSONALIZE

Some of the most successful designs are the ones that are inspired by a client’s own personal style. Accessorizing is the perfect time to incorporate some of the pieces from your personal collection. Pieces acquired while traveling, or special objects that are meaningful give a space a very personalized feel that can't be replicated. We don't want your home to look like a copy of someone else's, instead your home should be one of a kind, just like the people living there!

You can begin to incorporate these special pieces by using the layering technique and don’t worry, just because something has a different style, or comes from a different period of time, doesn't mean it wont work well with other pieces. Casey loves to blend vintage items with modern pieces and the result is an eclectic look that can't be placed in one time period.

BALANCE

You know that feeling when a design just works and you can't pinpoint the reason why? That’s balance! This is probably the most abstract of the three tips but it’s still important to take balance into consideration when designing. When you're accessorizing a space you often need to step back and take a look at the whole picture which includes the interaction of objects with the other objects around it, as well as the negative space surrounding each item. Sometimes a shelf can feel heavy, maybe there are too many items in relation to the other shelves. Other times a shelf can feel lifeless, usually this happens because there are too many of the same type of object. Both of these scenarios can easily lead to a boring shelf!

You need variety when styling a shelf, variety in scale, texture, color, material, and object type. It is also helpful to create a focal point which creates a more compelling composition. The rule of balance goes beyond just accessorizing, and some people are naturally better at it than others, but like everything else: practice makes perfect, and by experimenting with balance you can begin to see beyond a single object and start to see the space as a whole!

We hope these tips inspire you to clean off those bookshelves and start fresh! Bringing a fresh new look to your space is not as tough as you might think and reworking your accessories is a great place to start!

EVENT PHOTOS

We’re excited to share some of the photos from our event! Amanda Wright, and the Khrista Jarvis Team made it so special! We also want to give a special thanks to everyone who attended and everyone who made it happen behind the scenes. We love our community and are grateful to be able to share our vision through these events.

Collaborative Events at CHID

We hope that with each event we are able to share our passion for the exceptional and unique by introducing the community to individuals and experiences with distinctive points of view. Our inaugural event showcases a group of driven women who are each pushing the boundaries of their respective industries. We are excited to celebrate the hardworking women in our community while empowering others to push the creative limits in their own lives!

Khrista Jarvis Team

Our goal is to provide the world’s finest customer service in real estate to our East Bay clients in Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, Dublin, Pleasanton and San Ramon. We love what we do. We are passionate about real estate and pay close attention to all details to ensure clients get the experience they deserve. We believe in teamwork. Our team blends extensive real estate knowledge, professionalism, honesty and integrity into our business all to benefit buyers and sellers with exceptional service. Our extensive knowledge of our community and our appreciation for the beautiful place in which we are fortunate enough to live inspires us to give back. We regularly participate and volunteer for events and charities to benefit local schools and organizations.

Amanda Wright Pottery

Using white stoneware and neutral colored glazes, Amanda Wright creates traditional forms charged with a modern spirit. It is utilitarian art intended for everyday use. With the Servitude collection, Amanda strives to create bold pieces that elevate and highlight the unique styles of subcultures and society’s fringe groups. She is constantly exploring the nooks and crannies of San Francisco to find inspiration and fresh design concepts.

Amanda originally got her start in the fashion industry and spent many years working in L.A. designing costumes for TV and movies. Eventually Amanda and her husband decided they wanted to leave southern California, opting instead for a slower paced lifestyle to raise their family. St. Helena is home to many artists and designers who are drawn to the idyllic sloping hills and vineyards. Despite being at home in wine country, Amanda’s main source of inspiration continues to be fashion.

Casey Howard Interior Design

My inspiration for each event is driven by my desire to bring an alternative design viewpoint to my community, and by hosting these events, I can show others how this aesthetic can be achieved in their own homes. When designing a space, I look for objects with edge, that add richness and quality to each of my client’s homes. At CHID we strive to create immersive spaces that stand the test of time, and we achieve this by continuously refreshing our knowledge of the industry. 

I discovered Amanda’s work while I was working on the Napa Valley Showhouse, and I have been a huge fan of hers ever since. Her aesthetic embodies exactly what excites me in the design world! Something different, fun, and of course a little provocative. Seeing these pieces come to life has been a dream come true, and I am very excited to be able to share this very special Servitude collaboration with you all!

The Collection

The Amanda Wright x CHID Servitude collection combines Amanda’s bold and sensual Servitude with Casey’s signature style, a little punk rock with a playful kick. The collection includes a plethora of pieces ranging from a killer studded skull ice bucket to an oversized ceramic fringe tray, but the cherry on top of it all, is the collection of 12 mirrors that Casey and Amanda co-designed specifically for this event. The goal when designing these mirrors was to find a way to leverage Amanda’s incredible artistic ability to create unique home accessories with personality. These pieces are meant to draw your eye, and bring a touch of design indulgence to any space.

We are passionate about this collection and encourage everyone to experiment with the bold and the unexpected within their homes. Each of these pieces are a work of art and we believe that high quality pieces, like Amanda’s, add value and a richness to our homes that we cannot achieve otherwise. At CHID we like to share the things that excite us with our friends and clients. This collection is at the heart of what we stand for, and we are blown away by the results (we hope you are too!).

Meet the Maker - Amanda Wright Pottery

“It is well known that working in the design field requires a constant hunt for inspiration.” -CH

This inspiration can come in a variety of forms, for example; nature, fashion, and artwork, are among the many things that I look towards when I want to get the creative juices flowing! On a gorgeous Thursday afternoon, in Napa Valley, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet with one of my favorite artists, and after spending only a few hours together, I quickly learned that her story, and personality, are as inspired as her pieces.

Amanda’s St. Helena kitchen

Excitement was in the air as we pulled up to the beautifully manicured and unassuming home of Amanda Wright and family in St. Helena. We were greeted at the door by Amanda herself and were instantly put at ease by her down-to-earth demeanor. Artwork adorned the white walls of the living room while the warm light from outside filled the kitchen. Amanda graciously got to work opening a bottle of bubbly while introductions were exchanged.

Amanda originally got her start in the fashion industry and spent many years working in L.A. designing costumes for TV and movies. Eventually Amanda and her husband decided they wanted to leave Southern California, opting for a slower paced lifestyle to raise their family. St. Helena is home to many artists and designers who are drawn to the idyllic sloping hills and vineyards that span for miles, a perfect example of nature as inspiration! Despite being at home in wine country, Amanda’s main source of inspiration continues to be fashion.

Amanda’s throwing wheel and studio space

Everyday Wear

Both Amanda and Casey begin their design process by pulling inspiration from the traditional and then pushing the boundaries with unique details that are both novel and unexpected. The pieces in Amanda’s Servitude collection possess a domineering air about them, they are strong, and demanding of your attention! In contrast, her everyday wear pieces have a quiet beauty about them. The two different collections reflect a duality that we believe many women share. We can be strong, passionate, and tough when the time is right, but we are approachable, helpful, and refined when we choose to be. We saw these two sides in Amanda when we visited her studio and found it extremely endearing.

Amanda’s Wall Tiles

“ Pieces like Amanda’s embody the fun, funky, and fresh AESTHETIc that i LOVE to INCORPORATE in my designs” -CH

This meeting was born from the mutual appreciation both Casey and Amanda share for each other’s work and mission. You can see many of Amanda’s pieces dotting the interiors throughout Casey’s portfolio, and when we started planning our first CHID event, we knew instantly that we wanted to highlight Amanda’s work. After taking a tour of Amanda’s home and studio, with a quick stop to pick some oranges from her burgeoning orange trees, we were on our way to lunch at Archetype in downtown St. Helena.

Backyard orange picking

Archetype Napa

After a lovely lunch it was time to get down to business! Casey and Amanda had to decide on the final design of their collaborative piece. This piece would be shown for the first time at Casey’s first event which will be taking place at the end of March. In the end, after all of the discussion, Casey and Amanda agreed on, not just one piece, but a set of 5 custom mirrors that reflect the aesthetic of both women, and pay homage to the many multifaceted women that inspire us! We can’t wait to share Amanda’s pieces with the local Danville community and we are forever grateful for your continued support, and the support of inspiring artists like Amanda Wright.

All the best,

Casey & team