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MAKING IT HOME
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We are passionate about helping you to realize your vision of
comfort, livability and beauty in your home. Our aim is not to
put our "design stamp" on your home, but to create a home
environment that expresses your personality and lifestyle.
- Full Service Interior Design
- Renovation Design/Build
- Kitchen & Bath Design
- Custom Furnishings
- Paint, carpet, fabric selection
- Project Management - all phases of construction
- Selection of Interior Hardscape
- Editing & Organization
- Refresh, rearrange existing furnishings
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With our expertise, your home will stand out above the competition
to bring the highest return on investment in the shortest amount
of time. We are sensitive to the needs
of both Seller and Realtor in the marketing process, especially where
timing and budget are concerned, and want to partner with you to
ensure a successful transition.
- Project Management on all facets of property preparation
- Full Staging Design & Installation - we have a large warehouse of unique, high quality furnishings
- Color Consultation
- Landscape Staging - Interior and Exterior floral
- Partial Staging - Edit/Refresh Owner occupied rooms
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Capitalizing on the lovely Craftsman architectural details of this Palo Alto
home, we created a soft, sophisticated color palette that toned in with the
existing hand painted tile featured in the kitchen and family room. We carried
those same colors throughout the home, creating a harmonious and serene
sanctuary.
This Spanish Colonial Revival home had been remodeled several times over the
course of its long life, mostly to its detriment. Its new owner
wanted to bring it back to its Spanish roots, keeping true to its
original architecture with authentic detail.
Our client loved the original hand
painted Mexican tiles that were inlaid on the stair risers, so we
sought to incorporate this detail into our overall design.
All original fireplaces in the home
were refaced to mimic Mission and Spanish architectural style.
Without completely gutting the
unfortunate 80's "Country French" kitchen, we were able to salvage
cabinetry by painting and glazing it to an Old World finish. Handpainted
Mexican tiles, farmhouse sink and oil rubbed bronze hardware completed
the transformation.
Custom bathroom cabinets were made
with hand carved Spanish detailing.
We ordered a handmade wrought iron Spanish
chandelier to grace the beautiful beamed ceiling in living room.
Santa Cruz Staging
This older Santa Cruz home needed a vacation feel to make it market ready.
Hillside Aptos Remodel
We helped the owners transform this newly purchased home in the
Aptos hills that needed some serious updating, into a family
friendly beach getaway with colors inspired by sand and surf.
We brought a beach feel to the furnishings
with sand colored cotton duck sofas, sisal rugs, nautical striped pillows and
beach style accessories.
Kitchen cabinets were repainted bright white,
counter was replaced with Coast Green granite, and we added a nautical style
pendant light over bar.
All bathrooms were redone using light beach
colored travertine tiles with sea glass colored accent tiles.
We created a tropical feel in the Dining
Room with cane chairs, a glass topped table, Tommy Bahama rug, and a large
tropical fresh floral centerpiece.
Guest bedroom was repainted a soft gray
ocean blue, and the bed was dressed with a seagrass headboard and an ocean
inspired duvet.
We added a weathered "driftwood"
mantle to the fireplace.
We reconfigured the odd angles in the Master
Bath, adding a deep jacuzzi tub faced with sand toned travertine tile.
Adjacent shower was updated to mesh seamlessly, with clear glass frameless
door and multiple shower heads.
Old tile counter tops were replaced with marble,
and beach colored glass tile backsplash. Cabinets were repainted bright white,
and the walls painted a soft, sea blue.
We replaced the old Corian counter in guest bath
with marble and oblong glass tile backsplash in colors of the ocean on a
foggy day.
The outdated fireplace was given
a lift through the use of a blue-gray limestone tile that mimicked ocean hues.
This family wanted to create a cozy,
vintage inspired cottage for their parents from a separate two car garage on
the property. In a 500 sq. ft. area, we transformed this cluttered garage
into a Craftsman charmer. Complete with large kitchen, pantry, spacious
living room, bedroom, built in washer and dryer, and plenty of extra storage space!
We created a spacious kitchen with Absolute
black granite counters, custom wood cabinets, a full pantry, and full sized
french door refrigerator. Schoolhouse ceiling lights completed the retro style.
While only 50 sq. ft., we managed to
make this bathroom seem ultra spacious through the use of bright Carerra
marble, white porcelain subway tiles, white wainscotting and frameless
glass shower doors.
Most of the windows and doors were
re-purposed from salvage, and the floor is a rustic, engineered hardwood
laid directly over the original slab.
In marketing
this 1890's Palo Alto home, we sought to highlight its Arts & Crafts style
to suggest a Cape Cod bungalow.
We used weathered wood and colorful mission
style chairs in the kitchen, along with nautical details.
Using the owner's original New England
artwork, we brought that cheerful coastal feeling into the den with nautical
stripes, an oversized and stuffed white sofa and seagrass side chairs.
This home in the Santa Cruz Mountains
had been sorely neglected, but had
some wonderful California Ranch detailing like re-purposed barnwood flooring,
exposed beam ceilings and heavy wood cased windows which inspired its new
owners to restore its architectural intention.
To carry through original detailing
like natural beams and heavy wood cased windows, we completely reformed an
unsightly fireplace surround with a more architecturally interesting and
authentic shape, inlaid tile, and a salvaged wood mantle.
The original kitchen in this home was
gutted to create an open Great Room with large island fitted with wine
bar and shelving for for the owner's cookbook collection. Bar seating
spans one side for easy entertaining.
Custom tile frames the new gas
range, and custom cabinetry is framed in Old World style solid wood Cherry.
A Farmhouse sink and oil rubbed bronze
vintage style faucet replaced its funky predecessor.
Breakfast Nook with Saltillo tile floor.
Older baths were upgraded with granite,
custom cabinets, lighting and bronze fixtures.
Eichler style homes proliferated
in the Bay Area in the 50's and 60's, and revolutionized California
lifestyles. There is now a resurgence of that mid Century style. These
clients wanted to maintain the "open air" spaces that are the
Eichler hallmark, while bringing the homes up to current standards with
insulation, updated kitchens and baths.
This atrium Eichler had the hallmark
large kitchen/family area, but its Corian peninsula was outdated and
prevented good flow. We installed a large island to replace the peninsula,
new contemporary cabinets and granite counter tops.
We relocated the laundry
area that was behind louvered doors in the kitchen, and replaced it
with a large french door refrigerator and double oven, expanding the
kitchen even further.
An older, brass screened fireplace
was re-done using limestone tile squares all the way to the ceiling,
for a cleaner contemporary feel.
In helping to market this older
Eichler style home, we suggested de-cluttering, repainting, and
updating two older bathrooms. The home sold with multiple offers
substantially above asking price.
The family room was painted in a washed
out, pale blue that made the room feel cold. We repainted with a
neutral gray-green that warmed up the space, and furnished with
complementary colors.
In the kitchen, we recommended new,
contemporary ceiling lights, and a fresh coat of paint on walls and
cabinets.
Bathrooms also just needed a fresh
coat of warm, neutral color and to be de-cluttered.
All this airy Eichler needed
was a coat of paint on the old brick fireplace, freshly painted walls,
and new carpets. Contemporary furnishings and lovely original artwork
brought out its innate charm.
California townhouses and condominiums
have been increasing in popularity with the new generation of upwardly
mobile young adults as well as baby boomers who are scaling back. From
luxury townhomes to modest, cozy condominiums, we've brought these beauty's
back to life with contemporary upgrades like new kitchens, bathrooms,
re-faced fireplaces, paint and flooring.
This lovely Palo Alto townhome
needed only a fresh coat of paint in a soft,
neutral color, that coordinated with existing tile surfaces, and furnishings
to highlight its warmth and upscale sensibility.
Renovated Los Gatos Townhome
Fresh carpeting and paint, along with
contemporary furnishings make this space both inviting and livable. The
same limestone treatment to living room fireplace completely contemporized
the townhouse.
To market this home effectively, we tore
out the outdated kitchen and installed new cherry cabinets, granite
counters, new appliances, new engineered hardwood flooring. Move in ready!
In the Master Bedroom, we re-faced the old
brick fireplace with limestone, a relatively low cost fix with huge results.
El Camino Real
Contemporary furnishings were all this
small condominium needed to show off its easy livability.
In all of these homes, our clients
wanted to create kitchens that were modern, practical and that fit their
individual lifestyles. Our promise is to work within each defined budget
to make it all happen with the least amount of upheaval.
We reconfigured walls to open up
the space between the kitchen and family room, re-arranging counters
and appliances and creating room for a large island, and huge sub
zero refrigerator.
We created a custom tile
design behind the six burner range with "4x4" slate
tiles and mosaic accents.
Without changing the original kitchen
layout, we created a spacious, open feel in this Palo Alto kitchen with
light marble counters, a neutral, receding color palette, and sleek
stainless appliances.
Randomly placed accent mosaics
of glass and granite accentuated the warm colors of the Bianco Romano
granite counters.
Spanish Colonial Kitchen Renovation
This client wanted to
re-create the feel of her grandmother's warm & cozy kitchen without
breaking the bank.
We refaced and repainted her
cabinets, installing glass front doors on one side, and used the same
counters and backsplash as her Grandmother - timeless Carrera Marble.
A new stainless French Door
refrigerator and gas stove completed the clean but vintage look.
A small peninsula with built-in
shelving for cookbooks & alcove for trash separates the breakfast nook
from new kitchen.
Simply paint, new counters and
appliances transformed the look of this Santa Cruz kitchen.
Complete remodel for this Palo Alto Eichler
"Mimi has been fantastic to work with! We initially hired her to do all
the paint color selections in our home, and ended up hiring her to do the
kitchen remodel in our downstairs apartment because we loved her sense of
style and professionalism. She is approachable and easy to work with - she
listened to all of our concerns and wishes, and made suggestions that made
sense both functionally, aestheically and economically. Best of all, there
were no surprises with budget and timing! We will definitely use she and
her team for all our future projects."
"I recently worked with Abode, specifically Mimi, to redecorate one of our
rentals. I was very impressed with her design and her professionalism.
The job she did for us was completed in a timely manner and under budget.
I would highly recommend her to anyone wishing to remodel or redecorate
their property."
"What a joy to work with Mimi and her team! They transformed our home prior to sale.
Their design, project management and staging work resulted in a stunning home that inspired
multiple buyers to bid substantially over our asking price, and a final sale price beyond our
wildest dreams. They jumped in again to make our new home a stunner...!"
"Mimi has been highly instrumental in obtaining the highest price for my Seller's
properties. Their strength is in their ability to analyze what is needed to create an effective
staging plan and implement it seamlessly and professionally, always sensitive to budgets and the
stress Sellers feel when preparing their home for market. I have the utmost trust in her
recommendations for capturing that most important "first impression." Mimi is a
resource I highly recommend to my clients as part of my marketing toolkit."
| Geraldine Asmus | |
| Coldwell Banker |
"I have worked with Mimi on multiple projects over the last 4 years prepping the homes
for resale or living. Mimi has an eye for design and colors which brings elegance and style
to the home. All the projects we work together on are fun.
We worked on projects in Capitola, Palo Alto and Menlo Park with us installing new counter
tops to bring the kitchen counters up to date.
Mimi is a true professional bringing experience to her clients and partners."
| Michael Mok | |
| Vice President |
| Artistic Stone Kitchen & Bath |
"Mimi - ...we have a contract pending.. Your work - so perfect for the house - undoubtedly helped
us get an early, excellent offer.
Use me as a reference any time!"
