The Sunrise Home Blog

Getting Current...

2011-05-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Okay Okay I know I am way behind the times, but I have been busy! Better late than never as they say....So we have a new toy here at Sunrise Home. Mara, (from the younger generation, I might add), has hipped us up and we now have a facebook page. I am supposed to ask you to please like us!

We add photos every day - things that have come in (the Ups man thinks we are crazy as we stand there ripping into boxes looking for cool new things to take photos of), and events and
great little "stuff" that happens around here. So please check it out and give Mara some feed back!

Meanwhile we are sort of springy happy one minute and then back to fog and frozen the next - not our happiest Spring to date. We are wanting to get with the sandals, shorts and smiley
lazy days of summer....our pedicures are going to waste....and our spring cleaning isn't getting done due to this dang weather!

2011-05-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

We are all so excited about Pantones color for 2011 - It is so cheerful that we have now done our entire entrance around it...

Then we added Michael Cutlip's amazing paintings and WOW!

Honeysuckle, when combined with aqua and yellow creates a buzz of energy and we defy anyone who adds this combination to their home to be grumpy - ever!

In Marin we are known for our plethora of talented musicians, of which there certainly are many, BUT we also have an incredible number of talented artists as well. One of our very favorite ways to spend a day off is to jump in the car, (top down), and cruise around to all the different Open Studios..... right about now from Sausalito to Pt. Reyes artists are opening their doors to visiting guests and enthusiasts. One of our new haunts is the Donna Seagar Gallery featuring artists like Carl Dern, Kay Bradner, Brigitte Reynolds...

As designers we feel strongly about the role art plays in a space.

It can completely change the mood of the room and the people who use it!

Spring STUFF!

2011-04-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

So many new things are on the horizon in the design world that it's hard not to be jumping up and down with anticipation. Great new removable wall coverings...YES, wall coverings you can put up and enjoy and then take down and store for the next house, or the next time the mood strikes! Cool!

Garden stools that were once actually sitting around the outside in the garden have now come inside to be used everywhere, including, get this, the shower! Yes, one of our clients shred with us that she puts hers in the shower where she can now enjoy sitting to shave her legs, or use it to set her shampoos on. Pretty clever as it will never rust or show any wear and tear from the water and steam, and it adds a shot of color while providing storage and seating....These are inexpensive,come in a gajillion colors and styles and are really easy to find.

Butterflies are back! This classic chair has found its way back into interiors as well as by the pool and on the patio. Polo has introduced one that is way way way out of the usual price range of the "common" butterfly chair which usually runs under $100.....leave it to Ralph to introduce a customized version in leather that retails at close to $4500.Check it out in his newest collection - California Romantic! http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/

Minimalism may not be dead but it could certainly be waning....The Wall Street Journal ran a wonderful article recently declaring that the new BUZZ in home decor is the "acquired" or lived in look! We celebrated this in hopes that the "I want my house to look like page 52 of the catalog in my mailbox, just like everyone else's is OVER!!!! Long live individuality expressed not lonly by the way you dress but by the way you live!

That's it for now, but watch for more frequent blog postings now that we are getting the hang of it!

2011-04-23T16:26:00.001-07:00

CLICK THE SPRING STUFF!
WHAT'S NEW BUTTON!

Console yourself.

2010-01-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

I admit that I have been a snob. I always thought t.v. was a waste of precious time. But as life changed television has become part of my calming down in the evenings as I transition from a hectic work day. I hate to admit it but sometimes my husband and I even eat dinner watching t.v. (Even worse some of the things we watch are fairly silly but ridiculously entertaining)....

But, being a design freak, I of course, have to watch tv in an environment where I can focus on the show and not the clutter around the tv. We have now gotten plasma screens, clean, spare and immensely easy to love. Honestly they are downright sexy. Seriously. In response the furnishings industry has gone crazy creating consoles compatible with flat screens and here at Sunrise I have gone equally berserk showing these wonderful new pieces.

I catch myself showing them to clients using ridiculously glowing terms including "wire management, heat escapement, and smart eye"..... When I fell, I guess I fell hard.

Lately there are "things" that have seriously improved my day to day life....and again I am embarrassed to say they actually are "things"..... my kuerig coffee maker, my plasma tv that

I can actually operate by myself, and my new console that is so pretty and hides everything I

don't want to see so I can concentrate on what I do want to watch!

So, if you've come to the "dark side" where watching American Idol and DWS is part of your evening routine - you can at lease console yourself by knowing you are doing it in style.

It all has to start somewhere!

2010-01-15T10:39:00.001-08:00

Decorating can sometimes feel a little mysterious, a tad confusing and unfortunately sometimes a little overwhelming.....so to cut through all those potentially intimidating emotions lets just start somewhere - most of us here at Sunrise will always shout out, "Start with the RUG!"....

If you are lucky enough to get to do a room from scratch then we say go from the ground up gals and guys! Simply stare at the room shape, with an idea towards very basic furniture placement.

If the room is rectangular you will most likely want a similarly shaped rug, obviously, NOT a round or square rug! One way to determine the size you need is to decide on how much floor you want showing and then come in from the walls the same amount all the way around the room. If your room is 12 x 15 and you want about a foot of beuatiful wood floor to show you should be shopping for a 10 x 13- ish rug.

Keep in mind that the hand made rugs have varying sizes while most machine made rugs will be truer to size. Basic rug sizes are: 2x3 4 x 6 5 x 7 6 x 9 8 x 10 9 x 12 10 x 14 and so on...

Once you have fallen in love with a rug you can "pull your paint color" out of it and then you are good to go. With a well coordinated rug/wall color you can simplify the process of furniture fabrics immensely.

So - GREAT NEWS! I just returned from one of the very very very best rug buying trips EVER!

We have a wonderful collection of rug "corners" - (the newest and easiest way to try out rugs for your home) - Stop in and see our wide, creative, beautiful collection of rug options for you to choose from.

You have to start your decorating project somewhere - start it at Sunrise!

2010-01-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am living out of a suitcase! January brings all of the shows - New York, Atlanta,
Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, just to name a few..... As a buyer I try to cover every square inch of every show seeking out the newest, coolest, most interesting and unique things. Still exhausted and jet laggy, (is that a word?) from COLD Atlanta - of course it snowed - go figure - but so so so happy with the things I found. As a result of the slow economy some of my purchase orders arrived home before I did and some of the things are already shipping! Wow - fast and immediate gratification.

LOTS of vivid color and playful accessories. Cool, large wire mice that can playfully hang from the table (you have to see them to appreciate them) as well as many many cows - truely I went on a serious cow binge and so expect to see the walls in Sunrise covered with horse and cow paintings.....and dogs. I added some ultra modern dog sketches as well as dog paintings - if you like golden retrievers I have the perfect painting for you! I guess 2010 brings with it a sense of playfulness, whimsy and a desire to lighten up - cheer up and have fun.

If Atlanta was the Moo, Woof and Neigh buying trip I wonder what New York will be?

2009-12-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

We've made our list, and checked it twice, and really we don't care if you've been naughty or nice - as long as you come see all the great new things we have stocked the store sky-high with! We think we have the very very very best selection in our 33 year history. That's huge.

First of all if you are NOT holiday-happy with how your home looks let me remind you - WE HAVE 30,000 SQUARE FEET of furniture that can be delivered instantly for that super quick make over, fix up, re-do or what ever you want to call it .....so that you can entertain, relax, enjoy and be proud of your home. Our designers are pros at quick fixes and can even help you via phone, (415-456-3939) or email - Check out our designer bios -They can work miracles.

Secondly if your home is already perfect, but you need gifts we have:

1. Gift certificates
2. Candles, Agraria, Allore, cozy throw blankets - we can wrap them and send them with just one phone call or quick email......
3. An in-home design consultation makes a wonderful gift - Again, we can take care of this simply and quickly via a phone call or an email. This gift is a REALLY great treat.

If you are giving someone a television ( Flat screen t.v.'s are apparently the number one requested gift this year?), remember we have an amazing selection of entertainment consoles that arrive with all the bells and whistles such as wire management, smart eyes, etc. From contemporary to traditional we have a wide variety - many of them are in stock, or are "quick ship."

THIS WEEKS SPECIAL: AGRARIA! IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS LOVELY HOME SCENT COLLECTION YOU WILL KNOW HOW INCREDIBLE IT IS, WITH ITS OWN DEVOTED FOLLOWERS ... Perhaps one of the nicest and most well recevied gifts you can give...

We RARELY offer savings on Agraria - temporarily, through December 15th save 25% off the entire line. Too busy to shop? Call one of our designers who will be happy to facilitate sending

you exactly what you want or wrap it and send it off to your lucky pal as a gift!