This month’s “Stylish Solutions” Column in Lamorinda Weekly.

Reaching 65,000+ in Bucolic Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda. Click HERE. Like, comment, and share.

My team and I absolutely love local and are passionate about supporting local businesses, communities and friends.Lamorinda Weekly reaches 65,000 people.

This month’s column is titled: “What’s New in the World of Design from New York Design Week”

My thoughts about design week tend towards making au courant design relevant to today’s homeowner in bucolic communities around the country. Our towns are relatively small and unhurried even though they are within commuting distance of San Francisco and tech-centric South Bay (Palo Alto, San Jose).

I believe it’s one of the reasons Orinda was voted the second most friendly town in America by Forbes in 2012. The geography helps, as you can see. Winding roads, oak dotted hills.

We still have hometown parades, an original deco movie theater and small downtown businesses: ice cream & yogurt shops, coffee shops, tack shops, antique & consignment stores. I’ve often dreamed of having a quaint office across from the Country Club and keep my eye on those historic spaces. I have a heart for that old Phair’s Building and row of small buildings. Yes, I love the old, small and quaint nature of our downtown. Can you see our beautiful office someday in one of those? I can. Buzzed in, monthly salon talks, trunk shows for custom fabrics, music playing, original building in tact but re-done? Tea in the front room. Lovely. I digress…one can always dream.

Lamorinda is a special place and I am deeply grateful to live here and work from here.

Copper in Christopher Peacock Cabinetry. I love custom beauty.

We also do not compromise on design. The question is, how do you translate what is trending on the runway so-to-speak into daily life in the suburbs? I love modern, but it is not always appropriate to the setting.

My top three thoughts centered around:

1) making tradition current

2) keeping it real in scale & displays on tables, consoles and counters

3) using natural or artisan made products whenever possible

I shared on these three in my article.

Later this week, we chat Dacor.

Blessings,

Ann McD.