The Mill

INSPIRATION

One of my favorite places to meet a friend for a cup of coffee is the Mill. They not only serve delicious FourBarrel Coffee and yummy Josey Baker Bread – but the space is just so supremely fantastic. Their use of white tile and wood creates a bright, airy feel that still feels warm and inviting. Added bonus – they have the coolest selection of kitchenware and cookbooks for sale.

themillsf.com

TheMill

The San Francisco Skyline

IN THE STUDIO

San Francisco is filled with iconic landmarks – the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Building, Sutro Tower – they are really fun to incorporate into local party invitations. Take a look at this modern wedding suite from just last month – we even got the trolley in there!

Calligraphy by Janis Anzalone

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Coyuchi

INSPIRATION

I am obsessed with Coyuchi linens. Their designs are rustic yet elegant and soooo soft. A visit to their store in Point Reyes is very inspiring – I just love admiring all of the lovely color combinations and subtle patterns.

Their blog, The Naturalista, is also a great resource for reading about their great community of artisans, locally sourced products and sustainable practices.

coyuchi.com
coyuchi.com/the-naturalista

 Coyuchi


Rustic Elegance

IN THE STUDIO

Lexie and Mark knew what they wanted right from the start – a rustic invitation design that still had plenty of elegance. We used a great big oak tree printed in matte gold as the focal point for the invitation and paired that with soft green type and a wood grain backboard. For the menu, we kept the rustic element with kraft paper but used white foil stamping for an unexpected polish. Stanlee Gatti brought his uncomparable talent to the wedding day design – raw, unfinished wooden walls juxtaposed with elegant florals and linens. We just love the branches and lanterns hanging from the rafters!

Event & Floral Design: Stanlee Gatti
Wedding Planner: Stanlee Gatti and Aloe Events
Photographer: Hilary Hood Photography
Wedding Gown: Jin Wang
Bridesmaids Dresses: Gregory Parkinson
Calligraphy: Michele Papineau

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Wood and Tile Flooring

HOMELIFE

We are embarking on a home addition next year, expanding our main floor into a larger, open family space. One of our challenges will be how to transition a high traffic kitchen floor into wood floor that exists in the rest of the house.

I loved some of these solutions – We could blend tile into wood or use a porcelain tile that looks like wood. I also fell in love with all the work at Tabarka Studio. Their wood floorings are works of art!

tabarkastudio.com

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EveFloors2photo credit: tabarka, tile to wood, entre le murs kitchen, blue herringbone, herringbone tile


Pumpkin Carving Creativity

INSPIRATION

Halloween is such a creative time of year – DIY crafts and decorations, costumes, and, of course, pumpkin carving. We can’t help but be inspired by all of the unique approaches to what was once a steadfast medium for the classically carved jack-o-lantern.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Pumpkin Carving


Black and Orange

IN THE STUDIO

With Halloween this week (and the Giants in the World Series!), we’ve got black and orange on our minds. Here’s a fun look back at some of our black and orange invitation designs…

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Sausalito Home Remodel – Front Hall

HOMELIFE

When we moved into our new house, I immediately saw the potential in a strange, open area underneath our staircase. The front hall of our house, as with most homes, is a high-traffic area with most of its occupants carrying keys, purses, phones and immediately kicking off their shoes. We had a cabinet maker help us create a chic storage area complete with white wooden paneling working its way up the wall to meet the curving staircase. Now all of our shoes fit nicely into the lower cubbies, the diaper bags, purses and hats are behind cabinet doors, and I’ve also bought a big tray for all those “I’ve just walked into the house” sundries. Now, no one in our home has an excuse if they cannot find the keys.

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Before:
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After:

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Ode to Oscar de la Renta

INSPIRATION

The passing of fashion icon Oscar de la Renta has saddened us all. At the studio this week, we’ve been reminiscing on his amazing design contributions and can’t help but be inspired by his outrageously beautiful use of flowers.

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Ever After

IN THE STUDIO

We loved working on this invitation. Not only is it easy to get inspired by Cavallo Point Lodge, but we loved the soft palette of this entire wedding (the Golden Gate Bridge doesn’t always have to be red!). Wedding Planner, Stacy McCain, brought the whole look together with gorgeous florals by Atelier Joya. And don’t you just love that dusty pink dress?!

Wedding Planner: Stacy McCain 
Photography: Sabine Scherer
Floral Design: Atelier Joya
Venue: Cavallo Point Lodge
Calligraphy: Barbara Callow
Invitations: A Day in May

HaywardWedding

Ida Pearle

HOMELIFE

I stumbled across these alphabet cards when I was decorating my girls room and became officially obsessed with Ida Pearle’s work. I love the flat graphics balanced against the touches of pattern. Luckily, I’m not the only one in my house as enamored – there have been many a night when bedtime is pushed back by half an hour or so, because we just can’t decide which is our favorite “letter” that evening.

idapearle.com
idapearle.com/alphabetcards

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Mast Brothers

INSPIRATION

There are so many high-end chocolatiers on the market these days. Our very favorite though, is Brooklyn-based Mast Brothers Chocolate Makers. The small batch sweets are of course delicious (I’m partial to Sea Salt), but their packaging is what stands out most to us. We love the clean, simple logo and type. Plus, every bar is wrapped in beautiful patterns and colors printed on a matte butcher paper. Elegant, thoughtful design.

mastbrothers.com

MastBrothers

Ode to the Calligrapher

IN THE STUDIO

Let’s face it, we all wish we had better handwriting. Fortunately, for us common folk, there are some very talented calligraphers in this world that make the written word look oh-so-beautiful. So much so that we often incorporate it into our designs. Whether it’s simple or embellished, classic or modern, subdued or playful, here are some examples of how integrating the work of skilled calligraphers can elevate your design.

Featured below: Tara Jones, Michele Papineau, Barbara Callow

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ABC3D

INSPIRATION

We’re pretty obsessed with type around here so when we came across Marion Bataille’s little book, ABC3D, we literally flipped out. This three-dimensional pop-up book transforms the way we look at letters and type… The ‘V’ becomes ‘W’ via a mirrored page; “X” magically becomes “Y” with the turn of the page (and the help of a little paper tab); and the lenticular cover shows you the entire alphabet in seconds. We’ve given this as a child’s gift but I can guarantee that any adult will love it just as much.

marionbataille.com

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The Barlow

HOMELIFE

Once in awhile, it’s always fun to take a break from “homelife” and head out for an afternoon with the ladies. Eight of us recently spent some time meandering a few blocks in Sebastopol called “The Barlow”. Located in an old apple cannery, it’s a beautiful street of galleries, restaurants, wineries, breweries, boutiques, even a distillery – all owned by local artisans. Each spot was more charming than the next and I was completely blown away by the design and branding of each spot – complete eye candy for me!

thebarlow.net

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Navy Stripes

INSPIRATION

We love seeing navy stripes in fashion, home decor, and graphic design. Traditionally, when paired with white stripes, you would think of a nautical / seaside theme, but these days navy stripes take on a sharp and sophisticated look on dry land. We like to think if it as a softer black and love using it for our designs. It’s bold and classic.

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Wine Country Wedding

IN THE STUDIO

There’s a reason Napa and Sonoma are such popular spots for weddings – they are absolutely breathtaking. Our goal is to make sure that the invitations we create for a wine country wedding don’t veer into a cliché of grapes and wine glasses! Take a peek at one of our designs.

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