I've just returned from a long overdue vacation out to the west coast. The beauty of that part of the country made returning home to a seemingly endless amount of emails to catch up on and an even longer to-do list all worthwhile. I'm a west coast gal at heart and immediately felt at home out there. The sights and sounds immediately brought me back to my roots and my senses!
Surrounded by beauty in every direction, I couldn't help but think about how much I love to design using the earths five elements: earth, water, wood, fire and metal. This vacation brought me new inspiration!
Our travels started in Oregon where we were surrounded by lush greenery in shades we couldn't have imagined. Of course, Portland is known to be the "greenest" city in the U.S., although they aren't exactly referring to the landscape! One can't help but think that many other cities are "green with envy" at the beauty of this environmentally conscious city. Seeing colors this vibrant and so saturated explains why I love to infuse lots of unexpected bursts of color into my design work. The energy that it brings to a room is indescribable.
Next we made our way to the Golden Gate bridge where we were reminded of the strength and beauty of steel. Very often in design we use some sort of steel element to bring in that sense of strength and stability.
This pair of metal Hubbarton Forge table lamps work well as bedside lighting. Strength + Beauty = Stability.
Our visit to Muir Woods had us doing our forest bathing and also reminded us of the daily need (and respect) for wood. I love working with wood because each piece holds a story and brings its own natural energy to room. There are endless ways to bring wood into your design, Try adding a barn board accent wall to your room, or a handmade piece of wood furniture that speaks to you.
Can you imagine what the barn board inside this 1850's barn would say if it could speak? Well, I felt like it did speak to me during this remodel and I think the result was both warm and playful, with a respect for the past and present.
The mix of wood and steel used in this redesign literally makes me giddy!
As we wiggled our way down the California coast, the ocean was always our steadfast partner. The scent and majesty was awe inspiring (not to mention a nice boost of negative ions!). So many of us work really hard to incorporate the look and feel of the ocean into our home décor and for good reason! Water's natural beauty is out of this world. Perhaps it's the color palette you are drawn to, or the feeling you get when you are near the coast that you are trying to recreate. Why wouldn't you want to recreate that in your home?!
Even though it was April we found ourselves surrounded by many working fireplaces throughout our trip. I love the majesty of a fire! Adding the element of fire to any room, indoor or outdoor creates a royal sense of warmth. Just look at the ambiance we created in this master bathroom and bedroom by adding a two-sided Ecosmart fireplace!
Gather with friends and family around an outdoor fire pit that looks beautiful day or night!
In the end, our road trip reminded me that Mother Nature is the ultimate designer. The rest of us are just trying to keep up!
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!
Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.
We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.
Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.
I highly recommend Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design. I don't think I will attempt to decorate another room in my house without the help of Renee!
Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!
Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.
Rene is amazing! Great customer care and wonderful attention to detail.