Lamps Plus has long been my go to lighting source for all things lighting when it comes to sourcing for design projects. Whether I’m looking for a stylish bathroom sconce, the perfect kitchen pendant, a chic ceiling light - or, for example, as was the case recently, well functioning ceiling fans.

A 1920’s Craftsman house in Silver Lake was in need of adding ceiling fan lighting, for the functional purpose of both lighting and cooling of rooms. Given the relatively low ceilings and the house retaining heat during warmer temps, ceiling fans were the ideal solution to help keep cool.

Identical Lamps Plus ceiling fans were installed in the living and dining room of this quaint Craftsman home. It was ideal to feature a matching pair with the adjoining rooms. The white fans blend nicely with the white ceiling. Since the ceilings are low (characteristic of Craftsman style), one challenge was finding a ceiling fan that did not have too low of a drop or a long stem, which in researching, many did. The ideal find was the 52” Casa Elite White LED Hugger Ceiling Fan. After seeing it installed, it’s perfect - I really like how closely mounted it is to the ceiling.

The close to the ceiling mounted ceiling fan doesn’t obstruct views nor hangs too low for the relatively low ceilings, like in this living room. A Craftsman house, such as this one, has modest size rooms and less of an open floor plan. The ceiling fans help to circulate and cool the rooms. They’re also a huge energy saver to racking up a costly AC bill during the summer months.

For the bedroom, we opted for the 56” Casa Endeavor White Finish LED Ceiling Fan. A larger ceiling fan was the best choice for what is consistently the hottest room in the house. There was a bit more flexibility in the drop down space, so this particular ceiling fan has a stem. More fan blades were preferred to amp up the cooling affects and this ceiling fan has five blades, compared to four with the 52” Casa Elite White LED Hugger Ceiling Fan.

Summer is a season when we enjoy spending more time outdoors, but it seems in today’s circumstances the outdoors we are spending time in, is our own - our backyard, patio, or poolside. In fact, I recently helped a client furnish her backyard patio to help create that much needed indoor / outdoor living oasis. Then I discovered the company StruXure, manufacturer of technically advanced pergolas. If you’re looking to turn your property into the ultimate staycation, they’ve got you covered!

After months of working on the interiors and remodeling of a client’s home, my Simi Valley client was ready to tackle her backyard and outside patio, just in time for summer! Of course, we were in the midst of our stay at home restrictions, but as most of our design collaboration has taken place over online design, this project wasn’t much different: she emailed me photos of the space along with existing furnishings she was interested in incorporating (wrought iron loveseats, coffee table) along with those dimensions, and in addition to that I helped put together concepts and selections, then formatted into the concept board above for one flat fee. From there, she did the purchasing and implementation. Recently, she forwarded me photos of the completed space - and the progress looks great!

Her backyard patio includes multiple seating groupings, great for entertaining and accommodating a lot of people. There’s a firepit with seating for four, a dining table with benches, a sitting area with loveseats, and an outdoor kitchen with pull up stools.

The pedestal base dining table is ideal for benches and pull up seating.

Love these classic Adirondack chairs.

Outdoor accessories and planters all tying in with the chic neutral color scheme.

The covered patio areas offer shade for both the dining and sitting areas.

Moving onto a phase two of the outdoor space, my client requested additional sourcing for chaise lounges, umbrellas, and throw pillows. I merged the new selections with some of the previously selected items on the concept board above.

Looking to makeover a room in your home using your existing furnishings & accessories? Want to transition a room to a better arrangement but can’t quite figure out what to do? I can help! Email photos of your space along with measurements of the room and existing furnishings and receive:

• a new furniture floor plan layout (incorporating your existing furnishings)
• a concept board with ideas & direction for a new look
• paint color swatches (as an option to repaint)
• overall ideas & feedback provided in a written format to improve the look of the space and provide consultation feedback to any of your design dilemmas

Just $225 per room makeover

A few week’s ago we took a road trip from Los Angeles up north for an extended weekend getaway to the Central Coast of California. We stayed in San Simeon, nearby to the quaint town of Cambria. While I had been to the central coastal communities of Carmel and Monterey last summer, it had been about a decade since I’d been to both Cambria and San Simeon. It was great to escape the city for a few days, especially after the last several month’s of non-existent travel. It seems as if road trips to destinations nearby are going to make for the best travel during our current times. Fortunately, living in California we have beautiful coastal, mountainous, and even desert regions to explore!

Our trip began with a drive up the 101 freeway, past Santa Barbara, with a lunch stop at Firestone Walker Brewing Co in Buellton. A great choice for beers and burgers. (I’ve since learned we have a location in Los Angeles too - good thing, because the food and drinks were really good and I’d love to go back.)

Driving further up the 101, through some of the more inland areas, are several vineyards with wine tasting rooms. We stopped briefly in Santa Maria for a wine tasting at Costa De Oro Winery.

Arriving in San Simeon, we stayed at a family friend’s condo located on the beachfront. This is the view we woke up to the next morning.

Later that afternoon, we took a nature hike at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. The preserve offers cliff side coastal views and trails to walk, sighting some small animals like birds, lizards, and squirrels.

After our nature hike we stopped in the town of Cambria for a brief stroll and for drinks at a pub in the charming town.

Next we headed over to Moonstone Beach, right in time for the most spectacular sunset.

Along Moonstone Beach Promenade is The Sea Chest restaurant. It had been recommended to us by more than a few people and apparently it is well known for their seafood and oysters. The restaurant is in an old house reminiscent of a quaint New England seaside cottage. The oysters and seafood dishes were really great!

The next day, we decided to take a drive just a little further up the coast, past Hearst Castle to view the elephant seals at the Elephant Seal Rookery. Along the beach were several groupings of elephant seals. It was fascinating to watch them and learn more about their behaviors (mating, playing, molting, etc).

California coastal scenic views along the central coast.

After a few days in San Simeon and Cambria we decided to visit downtown San Luis Obispo on the drive home. The “Downtown SLO” area is a vibrant walking town full of bars, restaurants, and shops. It also offers historic architecture like Art Deco courthouse building above, Mission style, Craftsman, and Victorian homes too.

Above is the Mission San Luis Obispo De Tolosa located right in the downtown area.

We had a great time hanging out in Downtown San Luis Obispo for the day, checking out the scene and people watching, all the while sampling beers at a local spot.

Highly recommend a Central Coast road trip! Makes for a great getaway even for just a few day’s escape!

Happy to be included as a contributor to the recent post from Fixr.com on the subject of designing a home office.

You can read the full article here: Designing A Home Office in 2020 and Beyond: Expert Tips to Create the Best Workspace

Flat Rate Outdoor Patio Design via Online Design for anyone, anywhere.

Looking for ideas on how to design an outdoor backyard, deck, patio, courtyard, or balcony? Want help with accessory & furniture selections? Get a complete outdoor room design for just $450 with online design. Email dimensions along with pictures of the space along with any existing furnishings you would like to incorporate and receive a complete design package which will consist of:

• a furniture / exterior space plan layout (two options)
• furnishing selections (accessories, decor, furniture, etc)
• a concept board featuring the overall look & selections
• & a list of resources - all within your budget, which you can implement and purchase as your time & budget allow

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Please email JSInteriorDes@aol.com for more info, questions, or to forward photos and measurements.

I was recently introduced to the company Smart Films International SFI. They develop and manufacture Smart Film and Smart Glass products for Privacy and Solar Control (Energy Efficiency) solutions. Smart Films International SFI supplies to both the architecture and automotive industries. I found it interesting for use in interiors to provide flexibility in glass treatments and being able to switch from transparent to opaque.

For Installers, Architects, Interior Designers, Property Owners they offer a full package of Self-Adhesive Switchable Smart Film ready to apply on existing glasses.​