#ADmagazine Archives - Northern California Style

Hello it’s our Weekend Meanderings time with Elizabeth and Juliet. I hope your week’s been nice. Ours has been heating up and we even had humidity this week. There are some things I can’t live without during the heat and I thought I’d share a few..

Carve Shorts

I love dresses, but I live in shorts most days of summer, especially when I’m at home. I don’t know what it is about these Oahu shorts by Carve Design, but they are the most comfortable and flattering pair I own. They are the tiniest cord and never look or feel tight. Last year I bought them in the cement color and wore them tons. I just ordered them in this olive, another good neutral. The inseam here in 4 inches. I like my shorts slightly oversized and bought an 8 in these.

If you like a longer short they also have a 6 inch inseam version..

Chantecaille Ultra Sun SPF 45 Primer

I love this primer and sunblock in one and how it makes my skin look. I often wear it alone if I’m not going out. It is a bit pricey, but I find it lasts a long time and has excellent ingredients that actually improve your skin over time. It has a very light feel and a little goes a long way.

Body Lotion

I also tend to get drier legs and arms and use more body lotion in summer and this Fresh Seabury is hydrating, nourishing and soothing.

Stronger Sunblocks

For sunblock, we buy ELTA MD Face and Body lotions as everyone here is sensitive and can’t use many of the drugstore brands. We love both of these and have for years. I just noticed you can buy them as a bundled together now on Amazon for the summer and save $16!

Summer Jacket

Here in California, we always need some kind of light jacket for most evenings. Last summer I bought this Tommy Bahama Two Palms Jacket and it’s been a staple that goes with so much, is light, but cozy. It travels well and I love it with shorts and over dresses and the raw edges make it look cooler than normal. I keep wondering if I should get another, but the natural color is so good with everything. The white or olive would be my second choice.

Loving Frank Book

I love getting into a good book in summer and began a new novel this week on the recommendation of an Instagram pal. Loving Frank is based on the affair that Wright had in 1903 with the wife of a couple he was building a house for. It’s a blend of fact and fiction and won countless awards a few years back. This one description of it from reviews:

“Loving Frank is one of those novels that takes over your life. It’s mesmerizing and fascinating–filled with complex characters, deep passions, tactile descriptions of astonishing architecture, and the colorful immediacy of daily life a hundred years ago–all gathered into a story that unfolds with riveting urgency.”

Sounds like a great summer read..

An easy summer dress

When the high heat hits, all I want is an easy dress to wear with slides to stay cool. This pretty indigo number came onto my radar and it ticked all the boxes. Love the color, shape and length..and well, pockets! This is another great style from Madewell who does simple California chic so well!

Microsoft’s New Green Work Space

I was able to finally take a tour of my husband’s new Microsoft work digs which I’ve been wanting to see for a while, but you know pandemic and all… He’s been talking about it for a while since it’s not only a beautiful design, but it extremely green.

It’s a work space reimagined so everyone has gardens and open spaces they are looking at or able to work in. They even have windows that crank open, and walls open to the outside. They want employees to mostly use natural light when they can and all other power sources are all from their solar. They use no municipal water except sinks and drinking water. Everything is recycled stored and reused. They actively are storing extra rainwater from their living roofs to improve local Stevens Creek and restore the habitat of 30 species.

I had lunch at one of the many restaurants and then we took a wander to the smoothie bar. Everything is in regular dishes and glasses and coffee mugs instead of disposables. Smoothies were one thing that wasn’t.

It’s light, bright and truly open air, unlike most office buildings. Birds and butterflies were enjoying the space as were workers. Obviously Microsoft has money to do this, but they are innovating how we think about work places. If work spaces can feel less sterile, and more like a home (many living room type spaces like above left), how nice is that? Wandering outside the walls to work or just open the window, get fresh air and work by sunlight, are all things we need more of. All spaces are designed around courtyards, paths, rooftop gardens and walkways that bring the outside in. I loved seeing seeing artichokes, lemons, flowers and blackberries thriving next to Max’s desk area.

I thought it was pretty cool and that’s why I wanted to share it here. It’s truly visionary and it was designed by WRNS and more about it here.

Bryce Dallas Howard’s Home in AD

Bryce Dallas Howard, star of the both the Jurassic and Twilight series, and now a director in the footsteps of her father, Ron Howard, has had an interesting life and recently built a home to reflect her life in film. It also has a lot of pink and was made to flatter a redhead, which she and her designer, Claire Thomas are both. I thought it was lovely and fun you can see more of it on AD this month here… How do you all feel about pink decor? Is it growing on us more?

Sorry if this post seems short. I had a busy blog week and also wrote a Signature Style post about the latest lipsticks I am loving here and also a Five Ways to Bring a Summer Feel to Your Home for Project Design.. So if you aren’t sick of me yet, you can click on those for more! LOL.

Well that’s my meanderings for this week. Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs too see what’s on their radars this week…

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Thank you for being here. Have a lovely weekend,

Kim

If you missed last week’s blog, I shared Jubilee fun, Father’s Day Gifts, ( still adding to those), pretty summer tops, an outdoor lantern I love and more.

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I just got my February issue of AD and am in love with this cover home, a gorgeous California gem in Altadena, California. The whole thing is stunning- the yard and every detail ( cat included.) It renewed my interest in wallpaper and choosing it for the house.

I’ve always planned to wallpaper after the remodel and even had some walls prepped for it. When we first moved in I was all ready and then I got overwhelmed with all the final choices and I just had to put the breaks on making one more decision. I just couldn’t go there with the holidays coming and all. Now that I’ve finished the last bathroom, we are about to get the media room started and I’m feeling ready. I’ve even had dreams about putting it up and not getting it to stay up. Is that a bad omen?

Oh man there are so many choices, too many. I know I want something fun with punch in the new entry, something neutral on the long wall leading into the house that wraps around the dining room, and something floral and romantic in the bedroom. A few choices I’m considering below…

Love this Wave Wallpaper from Anthro.

I think this Lattice Paper is nice for the bedroom- the mint would be pretty with an all white bed, no?

Serena & Lily has many choices and one favorite is the Granada Wallpaper in the Fog/Smoke color. I can see it on my long wall with these tones. Fun, but in this color, a bit chill.

I also adore their Palm Wallpaper which would be cool in the black/ white in the entry and make a statement.

Alternatively in the white/sand for the bedroom..

The other thing Serena & Lily has is grasscloth and I have always loved the look of that. My mother had our living room covered in cocoa colored seagrass growing up and it was very pretty. Just coming back from Hawaii, It’s been on my mind, especially for the entry and long wall. I also like the ability to hang things wherever and not worry too much about wall marks and holes, as I change decor up a lot. Fixing the walls makes my husband nuts, so that’s a plus. Just a few of the pretty grasscloth they offer..

Anthro also carries Farrow & Ball and I’ve had a crush on this Helleborus from Farrow & Ball for a long time. I think in the bedroom this would be so pretty..

Silvergate by F&B is so cool. Would I get sick of this dark color on a long wall or would it be the pop of color this house needs and some fun? It could go only in the entry as another idea.