The other day, we grabbed the kids, packed a picnic, and headed out to the Presidio. I thought we'd scope out the view of the Golden Gate Bridge, enjoy some redwoods, and maybe toss a ball on the wide grassy fields. When we got there though, we saw signs for something that made my husband draw in his breath: an exhibit on Mary Blair, the extraordinary Disney artist. As I looked at her work, I was struck by her masterful use of color. It occurred to me that any one of her pieces would serve as a great palette for a beautiful room. Check out these pairings.
Read MorePalettes at the Japanese Tea Garden
I'm a huge fan of Pinterest. I spend time on it everyday, checking out photos of interiors for inspiration. But when it comes to designing rooms, other rooms aren't the only muse. Nature is a great place to look for palettes. And the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco has some astonishing ones to choose from.
Read MoreMoving plans
I'm thrilled to announce some exciting news for Sarah Coombs Design: I'm moving to the San Francisco Bay Area this week! I'm accepting new clients in California, so if you know of anyone there who is looking for a designer, please consider sending them my way.
Read MoreCrate & Barrel Designer Custom Challenge
This year I discovered a particularly fun design competition: the Crate & Barrel Designer Custom Challenge. I had a great time designing my chair, which I think is a nice blend of bohemian and chic. But did the judges agree? Read on to find out!
House numbers, Brooklyn style
Here in brownstone Brooklyn, nearly all of the buildings are over a hundred years old, and many of them have some pretty remarkable house numbers. Some are etched into the sides of the buildings. Others use tiles attached to the steps. And many were hand painted on door glass decades ago. Following are some of my favorites.
Read MoreWallpaper wonderland at Flavor Paper
One Friday recently, fellow designer Kate Hayes and I braved the Brooklyn rain to trek to a magical realm of wallcoverings: Flavor Paper. The small business designs and produces a myriad of patterns right in our neighborhood, and I couldn't wait to check out their offerings up close.
Flavor Paper is not what you'd call subdued. In fact, their work is pretty outrageous. So it's not for the faint of heart, nor is it for every space. But for those with a good sense of humor or bold taste, it's a truly excellent resource.
Read MoreThe Exploded Mind of Mulholland Hwang
Fun fact about my husband Andy Pratt: he's a maniac for beautiful children's books. He's been known to confiscate them from our toddler son, with the (correct) assumption that the books might otherwise become compromised (pen drawings of trains in the margins come to mind).
So when Andy came across news that Oliver Jeffers, one of his favorite illustrators, had teamed up with jewelry designer Aaron Ruff for an art exhibit, we packed up the kids and off we went. Read More