A Spring Reflection

I’m sitting in the midst of a cacophony of construction noises. A building is going up across the street from our downtown Oakland studio, project managers are chatting on the phone, a car alarm is going off, and I’m hearing the steady hum of a fan cooling down the heat from our old radiators that think Winter is still here.

Even though it is loud, there is a certain comfort in knowing I am surrounded by humans doing things that are moving life along, especially our projects. And I am comforted knowing that after the end of a productive day, I will make time to watch the sunset and walk my dog Kiko around the block.

This Hacienda living room in Orinda was refreshed with a custom oversized walnut table and an abundance of welcoming seating.

Life is progressing, and things are going well on our projects. The time we’ve invested in creating structures to support our processes, having said yes to the ones that are a fit and no to the ones that aren’t, allows me to enjoy what I do. It’s not to say there aren’t stressful moments — they happen! But Spring reminds me that growth is happening, and the sun shines brightly when we expect things to work out AND put in the work to make sure they do.

We adore this refreshed powder room in Piedmont with its vibrant wall covering and custom mirror.

Though Spring officially began last month, this feels like the first true week. The sun is shining, the poppies are pushing up through the cracks in the sidewalk, and the streams are flowing through the redwoods near where I live. It all brings me a feeling of promise and hope, and an expectation that everything is blooming. I appreciate that I am wired for positive outcomes. Some say that is magical thinking, but I swear by it. Things always seem to work out.

This Gold Coast living room was given new life with a light fixture and coffee table from custom makers we discovered on Etsy.

With this belated Spring arrival, I felt an awakening rise up in me today that brought a surge of renewed energy for creating and getting things done. Luckily, I landed in a profession that presents many outlets to be creative. Aside from the obvious of designing interiors, I also get to write, to problem solve, to build relationships, and one of my favorite things… marketing! I love writing this blog, and the posts on our Instagram account, which allow me to stay connected to this community. Some of you have followed me and read this blog for more than 15 years. Thank you!

We partnered with Oliver Builders to remodel this Upper Rockridge Tudor with new tradish vibes featuring a bench-crafted dining table from Jacob May, and our client’s own rug from Turkey.

This month, I thought it would be fun to share some of the projects we’ve completed this year. We don’t always photograph our projects… in fact, many barely see the light of day on our social media stories. Though we’re usually more inspired to share images captured by our family of talented photographers, we’re proud of the interiors captured in these not-so-polished iPhone shots. 

Our remodel of this Orinda kitchen was made possible by contractor Tom Ducharme and features architecture by Rebecca Amato and slabs from IRG.

We have paused taking on new projects for the moment to focus on some tight timelines. We look forward to being open to new clients soon. In the meantime, I’m delighted to share some snapshots from recent gems we’ve completed over the past few months.

Words and photos by Laura Martin Bovard.