It’s been a minute since I had a ‘Californians at Home’ post, but we are off to an exciting start in 2022, with my fun and stylish San Franciscan friend Mary Ann Pickett as our guest. Mary Ann is a blogger who writes the very popular, Classic Casual Home which many of you know. She also is a busy designer and mom of two grown kids. She’s had a culturally rich life, living all over the world, and I am excited for her to share her pretty San Francisco hilltop apartment with you and also her style secrets and insights into California living!
Tell us about yourself, Mary Ann.
Thank you so much, Kim, for having me visit today. It’s really an honor to be here with you and your readers!
A little about me…I was born in San Bernardino, California. Both my parents and one set of grandparents were also born in southern California. I went to school in Northern California at the University of Santa Clara and spent some time in San Francisco before meeting my husband Howard in Los Angeles.
Once Howard and I were married, the career moves started. We lived in New York (our daughter was born there), Chicago, Orlando (where our son was born), Paris, Fort Lauderdale, Newport Beach, and finally back to San Francisco.
I’ve always been involved in building and designing our homes but it was in Fort Lauderdale (about twenty years ago) where my decorating business took off after helping one of my husband’s business associates with her home. My sort of “California casual” style was popular there and my client list quickly grew by word of mouth.
What elements define your interior design style?
I love to use elements that have meaning to my clients… incorporated with pretty fabrics like linen blocked prints and updated accessories like lighting. I believe that if you make small tweaks every year or so, you won’t end up with overwhelmingly dated interiors.
How has your personal decorating style been influenced by living in San Francisco.
We live in a 1920’s highrise apartment with a Beaux-Arts feel. There are views of the Bay from practically every room, so I wanted to make the interiors almost an extension of the blues outside.
The French antiques that we purchased when we lived in Paris, fit with the architecture. And personally, I feel like every seat should be comfortable.
What do you love most about your apartment? What do you love the least?
I DO love the views! From the kitchen and dining rooms, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge and from the living room, you can see Alcatraz Island and the eastern portion of the Bay Bridge (especially at night when it’s lit up).
It’s fun to live in a place that tourists value so highly (I love walking my dog, Chief, and helping people with directions)and we have wonderful restaurants that are so convenient.
What I miss is having an outdoor space…even just a small garden. And a barbecue grill would be nice to have again.
What paint colors did you use in the interiors?
All the walls are Benjamin Moore White Dove and the trim is similar to Navajo White. The landlord let us paint the ugly pickled pine cabinets in our galley kitchen Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter.
What is your most recent purchase for your home?
A new narrow tray to update the coffee table …can’t have too many trays!
What is your favorite piece (or pieces) in your home that have meaning to you?
We have a French demi-lune table that was in our childhood home. I asked my mom if I could paint it and she said sure.
We also have artwork from Paris and as I mentioned, some antiques like a bookcase in the dining room that stores dishes and a commode in the foyer that holds all our table linens. Storage is key in a small place!
Can you recommend a few home shops in San Francisco that you love?
Hudson Grace and shopping on Sacramento Street is fun. So is Elsie Green in Concord and Emily Joubert in Laurel Heights/SF.
How would you describe your fashion sense?
I wear clothes like my interiors…classic and casual.
Since I’m only 5’1″ tall, I like retailers with petite sizes (Anthropologie, Banana Republic, J. Crew) but I am not opposed to getting things tailored (something that I learned in Paris as most French women like a good fit).
For my daughter’s wedding last year, I found nice dresses at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. I also like comfortable shoes since I do a lot of walking in San Francisco.
Thanks for having me over, Kim! Always a pleasure to spend time with you!
Thank you Mary Ann for opening your home to us and sharing your San Francisco life with us!
You can subscribe to Mary Ann’s blog HERE and Instagram HERE.
Get the Mary Ann look..
Blackbird Camo Birdies, Beaufort Tray, Striped Glass Vase, Jacqueline Pillow Cover, J.Crew Pintuck Shirt, & Mirabelle Rug.
Like this post ? Save it on Pinterest…
Visit Mary Ann’s blog, Classic Casual Home today, where she also is having me on as a guest!
If you enjoyed this post you may also like Californians at Home, Cindy Hattersley
Thanks so much for your patience. More Californians to come this year!
Kim
If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.
Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog!
I love this series, Kim. Never more than when the subject is someone I know and adore. So glad it’s back for 2022! With Mary Ann’s apartment its hard not to get caught up in the views and miss her incredibly deft hand creating her signature classic, casual style. I could look at these photos for days. Is there a rule about how many times I can Pin them … once, twice, three times … it’s not enough. Her style speaks to me … screams to me. So fabulous … yet accessible. Her apartment, her client spaces and her personal style … the absolute peak of California, casual chic. xo
Thanks Juliet. I was very excited to have her on our Californians series as she’s a true Californian girl and has a very unique look, almost French with a California vibe. So glad you liked it! xx
You are so sweet and talented in your own right, Juliet!
WELL DONE!
SO YOU STARTED OFF IN YOUR MID FORTY’s decorating!THATS IMPRESSIVE!
YOUR APARTMENT DOES HAVE THE VIEWS!
LOVE THE INTERVIEW YOU DID ON KIM!
Thanks so much E. Mary Ann has done so well for herself with this business. The views in her apartment must be some of the best in SF!
Thanks for having me over, Kim. This was a lot of fun!!!
Thank you Mary Ann for doing this! I loved having you over here. It was fun swapping blogs today! xo
I love Mary Ann’s style. It is incredibly elegant. Thanks for sharing her story and style with us 🙏🏻
Thanks Sarah I agree!
How fun to have lived all those places!! I’ve enjoyed Mary Ann’s IG page for years, her apartment views are stunning, but it’s her interiors that keep me coming back!! Thank you for featuring her, Kim!
I agree Tracy so wonderful to have lived all those places as Mary Ann has! She has a great mix in her home of classic and eclectic I think! xo
Thanks, Tracy!!
Kim, Mayann is amazing. Her style is “classic, casual and impeccable.” It is a fun to see her space and ll of her personal touches, the table from her childhood home, the pieces from Paris, to name just a few. Thank you for sharing MaryAnn and her beautiful apartment.
Elizabeth, love that- a great description! She has a great mix that is all her own.
Hi Kim
Your Californians at Home Series is so good, such a great concept. And of course it is so fun to see my pal Mary Ann. Her apartment is so charming. So glad to see it featured.
Thanks Cindy! I love doing this so much! I hope to to have more this year. xo
Kim! I love this series! I can never get enough of you or Mary Ann! Mary Ann’s apartment is so dreamy and I have been lucky enough on a few occasions to stay in her guest room and waking up to those views is just amazing1 That and the sound of the cable cars! Such a fun read today!
xoxox
Annie I know you know what it’s like to be a guest and stay there. I adore her guest bedroom! The little cable cars outside are so magical with the views…xo
I can imagine the views! I’ve walked from one end of San Fran to the other and I just love it there. What a beautiful place.
Thanks Joni. I wanted to share her spot with those views. San Francisco and her place are really special.
HI Kim,
Mary Ann’s apartment is lovely! She’s got incredible style and the beautiful interiors don’t fight with those stunning views from every window The guest room looks so inviting. How fun for guests to hear cable cars right outside, a real San Francisco treat!
Mary Ann is so warm and kind! And she’s lived in and travelled to so many beautiful places! I envy that. The experiences she’s had give her a unique world view and a style all her own.
Such a good feature!
XO Heidi
Ps I love seeing one of my tulip paintings hanging in her dining room, gives me a thrill every time!
I LOVE That painting, Heid!!!
Heidi she did a great job with that didn’t she? The pretty interior and the views together work! I noticed your tulip painting right away! She has good taste. xo