Larkspur Creek home Interior Design. When I arrived for my scheduled meeting I first noticed the Front Elevation of the House, clean and proportioned with a few details, as a result I unconsciously said “Deco”, the squares and other details, therefore I call the house Larkspur Creek Deco.
It has been over a year since we completed a First face of the Larkspur Creek Home Interior Design. Hence we typically recap for evaluation reasons and will describe and share the Design Process and events associated with the Design process. I have added Creek as this denotes the area close to the famous creek.
First we met the client through the Internet. No referral. She emailed us on our website’s Contact form so we set a time to talk. We had the address so the location was familiar to us, furthermore we saw the listing as they had just bought the home, staged on the pictures and we knew what it looked like before the call. The couple were from Chicago, and Larkspur would be their second home for now.
Marin county where Larkspur is located is part of the San Francisco Bay Area and starts on the North of the Golden Gate Bridge. The towns of Sausalito, Belvedere-Tiburon followed by Corte Madera and finally Larkspur, about 10 minutes North of the GG Bridge, consequently very close to San Francisco. It is a beautiful small town with a Creek and a Lagoon.
The Larkspur Ferry Terminal is the largest hence most important terminal, north of SF. The Lark Creek Inn (now closed) was considered for many years the best restaurant in Marin with Chef Bradley Ogden, as the owner as well. Now it is a nice Perry’s a good casual American dining spot.
Seating next to the creek the house as a result you can walk from there on the creek side to the Town, to the Lagoon or to Corte Madera all by a walking path. This is a perfect area for Doctors to live in too as you are right behind the Marin General Hospital and Center where all the specialty medical offices surrounding it, also a less than 10 minute drive, without entering major roads.
Coming from Chicago, I suspected from of our phone call arrangements was an MD, or should I say MD’s he and she in different specialties. She actually grew up in Larkspur, and had just sold her mother’s home across the creek. I have always said this new one is better.
First we are trying to make our orders and supplies logistics as most convenient to everyone, specially the client. So we had the client pay directly for all their purchases. Their tax, freight, receiving et. in their hands, this process is very smooth, the client knows exactly what they are paying for, lastly they can keep the records they want.
Second of all we design, specify, quote and obtain discounts (transferred to client who pays NET), furthermore we do keep control of the budget and alert the client a part of our services on the budgetary status, consequences, their/our selection on a pro-forma basis. As a result they can see how their budget goes up or down.
We make sure everything squares and just apply a set up consulting fee or markup for our services, set up in advance. Also this way the Designer is not a Tax collector, why should one be, all vendors even Fabric lines are now willing to collect the tax and send it to the Tax authorities, we rather not get into that again. When we do a larger project or a Corporate one this might not work and we might end up doing “Turn-Key”, in which case we make the payments for the client. Will see what works on our next Hotel project.
Client requested we order from Catalogue lines (rather than custom, more associated with High-end). We also decided to work on a set budget required for completion. Back in 1991, the Editor of House Beautiful, at a reception honoring me for the year’s award, was chatting with a colleague on the catalogues for Interior Design could actually be used as method on a project, so I had been familiar with the option for 30 years already waiting for the opportunity. We have of course used many catalogue lines over time, but this was an opportunity to mainly do it that way. Consider them the source.
This was very interesting as we could compare between different catalogue companies, and the client could see the furniture I had specified in the Chicago Showrooms by themselves, approve, or propose alternatives. We looked at Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, RH, WS home, and others. Decisions were made and processed very quickly. Their monthly trips to Larkspur from Chicago always had a delivery or two, so gradually, the three of us would be looking at the progress in the space.
She asked me initially how long I thought completion would take, 6 months? I said yes 6 months is good, subject to the logistics which include site accessibility and the fact clients only came in a day or two at a time. As they were using the house when I first interviewed sleeping upstairs I assume we were not doing Turn-Key where we manage everything until they move in, they were already moved in.
As a result we did complete the layout and 90% of the furniture in 6 months, making it very livable, nice and functional, yet we kept working on details for another 6 months. And we still have a punch list. We hadn’t done lighting, landscaping art, et.
The Property has two street aspects facing different streets that provide frontage or access. The front facing the wooded creek, the main Elevation is pedestrian access only. Not very common but as a result very desirable, the motor entrance is at the back in a cul de sac street. This is a house is two levels, entrance or ground floor are living areas and upstairs are the bedrooms. We worked on the ground floor only.
Rooms of the ground floor we designed: Entrance Foyer, Great room or Seating Room, Dining room and kitchen Family room.
Excluded areas. Laundry room and powder room were not part of the scope. Budget was limited, so it is usually best to reduce the scope. Maybe address other areas at a later time.
Larkspur, California home floor plan. Furnished by Jerry Jacobs Design ©
It would have been better to start by sanding and repainting and lighting and so on (attached items). I actually spent so little time inside the house I hadn’t really noticed how some improvements were necessary here, logistics too, with the owner living away and not having open access. However things came up and they were taken care of gradually. As Furniture tends to be a long lead item we focused on that and ordered while details on site were moving ahead.
This time we asked the client to make all payments directly. We kept control and tracked everything but never had clients funds other than the markup we charged. Altogether a cleaner process and client is able to see in detail the discounts obtained, the Net charge and additional costs like freight and delivery, or extras. I hope that worked for them too.
We act as designers, specifiers and consultants, not as resellers. If the client at a later date wishes to do additional purchases directly and obtains our discount and takes all the time involved then it is their prerogative to do so as well (DIY is OK). In addition, we value our time and expertise let alone our Design Concepts and Solutions, as well as services, if they don’t need them as a result of their time being less valuable it is their option.
I guess we should mainly work for those that can afford our services and benefit from them. Those who ‘s income is higher than ours (almost everyone). Everyone likes Design and wants to be able to choose…
Larkspur CA, home Interiors. Living Dining layout shows furniture and window coverings, the smaller round mirror above fireplace. We had 44″ from mantle to ceiling and the mirror was 42″, hard to install (they did a great job), and the client did not mind the tightness. Circles lend themselves to tightness.
We scouted for options available off the floor and select a Rug Gallery or two, to bring to the site the selection we made for the client to approve, or select one, see how they look on site. This is a service several of our dealers provide us with. See Eucalyptus silk golden tones rug. works well with exposed wood floor too and the coffee table Burl wood.
I selected and clients approved “Blue” as the dominant color”. Different Blue fabrics were selected for living, and seating chairs and curved sectional. The curved sectional (2 piece), fitted very well maneuvering an jutting protruding corner. Round all around the central coffee table axis.
In a small house particularly consistency is basic to create harmony on the walls. A cleaner message. Transparency was desirable as the outdoors brought natural light in and then there was the Creek view. So we selected a Sheer fabric and accentuated with color bands all the same blue fabric. The main window facing the Creek has a bottom-up treatment which blocks traffic (few cars or pedestrians, more privacy), but clears view to the creek wooded area.
“Blue” as the dominant color” we didn’t drench or not even painted (so far) any wall, however the wallpaper did help convey the mood we was looking for. The one sample I sent to Chicago was immediately approved, it was made to order, blue and Gold
Larkspur Creek home Interior Design by Jerry Jacobs Design ©. Dining room. Adjustable height lamp. Banquette at wall. Contrast pillow. Fabric by Pierre Frey.
Lighting is always important. Yet you have to be careful with what is there. The dining room had a pendant, that could have looked good somewhere else, but it didn’t here. Clients sometimes want to keep what is there, as in to save something from the previous owner or not necessarily to be replaced. Yet it had to be changed. So gradually clients warmed up to the idea, without my initial request which can feel abrupt. Here sometimes is best to set a “Flat fee” at a certain stage, so there is no questioning additional purchases.
We used an adjustable height wide spread lens LED European limited fixture, you pull it closer or further from the table surface as mood requires, and a hand sensor control the dimming from the fixture. It is also small inconspicuous, it does the lighting function, not a statement “Chandelier”. Or the statement is its minimalism. Gradually we used the same lighting line in the kitchen island pendants and Foyer ceiling, and floor reading lamps. All the same fixture consistency again, creates harmony, timeless, good investment.
The table and chairs can move around, like if you want to seat groups of a size or another, as a result it should not be boring. In addition to 6 rotating chairs we added a banquette for 2 in different fabrics for a small contrast. The Pendant is centered to the table, and you can simply rotate the table or the banquette and experience another layout, as shown on below diagram.
Larkspur, California home floor plan of Dining room with 3 different layouts. Furnished by Jerry Jacobs Design ©
Two circled round mirrors were selected for the living area walls. An advantage of Catalogue companies so you can always return if something doesn’t work, with custom (FFE ) furniture and fixtures you usually can’t, or a restocking charge applies. Now I hate returning for the inconvenience but certainly more so for Circular and Planetary issues.
The 2 mirrors worked perfectly well. Both round but different size, opposite one another and aligned with the rooms center axis, the round coffee table and fireplace. A no brainer with dramatic effects.
Larkspur CA, home Interiors. Living Dining layout shows furniture and window covering reflected on the larger of the two one round mirrors, see the smaller one above fireplace.
It is in progress, missing the art or wall drench. So we show area rug, bench and cushion.
The Foyer. A blue rug of laser printed hide (certainly not catalogue item), a velour bench and a striped pillow make the foyer coloring. Yet to come the wall with the Art.
Art on the wall. See our Art Blog @ https://jerryjacobsdesign.com/art-home-interior-design/
Art on the walls happens in many ways on our projects. Often the clients bring their own collections, we select, frame and place them to coordinate with the rest of the home project. Occasionally too Art is gradually bought. It is strategically important and critical to enrich the project. We will gradually update project and photography as it happens. Mirrors here (see above), were very helpful.
I was looking at I picture I took at First Tuesday Art walk in Mill Valley, when the client texted to announce a visit. I said are we doing the Art, and forwarded the photo. She bought it on the Spot.
Radiant by Alison Haley Paul, from Aerena Galleries. It is a diptych or a 2 piece. easy to carry in the trunk. Full of enery and sunlight in the open nature. Sitting rather then hanging on an entry console.
Then with time the owners will decide what they like and the space needs.
By Jerry Jacobs. Not professional yet, to be updated.
Jerry Jacobs Design. San Francisco . Belvedere-Tiburon. CA+1.415.435.0520. www.jerryjacobsdesign.com
JACOBS DESIGN, INC. © 2024
