I’ve never seen one of these before, and then I saw two! Similar, but slightly different variations.




Posted in Found Objects, tagged carved post, carving, decks and railings, details, finial, Massachusetts, octadecahedon, post, tetradecahedron, whimsy, wood on August 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »
I’ve never seen one of these before, and then I saw two! Similar, but slightly different variations.




Posted in Design Projects, tagged arch, curved gluelam beams, process, small buildings, Treasure Island, value, volunteer, whimsy, woven on March 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »
This project was completed in 2007 as a volunteer project for TISC, a community boating program on Treasure island.
They needed a place for the students to change into sailing clothing and the budget was tight.
They had these old concrete block walls and asked if I could turn them into changing rooms.










Posted in Information, tagged earthen floor, Forestiere, Fresno, garden, hardpan, houses, tunneling, underground, whimsy on November 3, 2025| 1 Comment »
This place had been on my list for a while and I finally got a chance to check it out. One man, Baldassare Forestiere, tunneled in and under the hardpan on his property for many acres to create rooms and gardens of fruit trees and vines. The earth and the shade moderates the wide temperature swings of the Central Valley, allowing Baldassare to grow plants that normally couldn’t grow in that location. His underground rooms stayed comfortable as well. I cant write more but here it a link to the Website for more info.













Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, houses, patterns, victorian, whimsy on October 11, 2024| 1 Comment »
These guys are still waiting on some steel railings & southside deck & stairs, but you can see the basic transformation. We added some rooms on top and were sad to loose the distinctive little attic dormer. (See before shot below) I think we added just as much whimsical character back with the new details up top. Some serious energy upgrades and top to bottom remodel also occurred along the way.


Posted in Design Projects, tagged ash, diamonds, eclectic, green, houses, kitchen, lighting design, patterns, whimsy, wood on March 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »
We still are not ready for a full photo shoot, but we got a chance to visit this project in Inverness over the weekend. The remodel (Bay Builders general contractor) was extensive and included many upgrades to the exterior for energy efficiency, wild fire safety and general design improvement. We got to have some fun in the interior including the green Arto tile backsplash and the handmade ash island posts with diamonds cut into them. (They match the three redwood posts on the back porch)



Posted in Design Projects, tagged color, details, fun, houses, patterns, Sun Rays, victorian, whimsy on August 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Design Projects, Found Objects, tagged Berkeley, color, details, fun, historical styles, house, Sun Rays, sunrays, trim details, whimsy on July 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Albany, historical styles, houses, humor, whimsy on July 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, blacksmith, botanical, collaboration, craftswoman, details, hand forged, iron, patterns, process, stair, steel staris, whimsy on June 17, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I never managed to get any photos of this project….but it was a tiny addition and rearrangement of the south end of a house on two levels to better connect to the yard and maximize the south light. The centerpiece was a stair with botanical railing and thick wood treads. The blacksmith, Shawn Lovell recently gave me some progress photos that she took. Thanks Shawn! I’ll take a photo of the organic handrail she made for our place and post that next.
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Berkeley, dormer, houses, humor, whimsy on February 18, 2021| 1 Comment »
Posted in Design Projects, tagged cabinets, details, fun, Rockridge, whimsy on September 28, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Design Projects, tagged beam with animals, beam with monsters, Berkeley, color, decoration, details, interiors, paint, painted beam, patterns, small buildings, whimsy on September 26, 2020| 1 Comment »