So, as I mentioned before, I have lots and lots of interviews that I have been collecting as we were getting Jubella ready for launch. One of them is an interview I did with Victoria, aka sfgirlbythebay quite a while ago. She took some time to chat a bit about her design inspiration and all things lovely about living in San Francisco! Obviously, for anyone hooked to the design blogosphere, Victoria is quite the inspiration and I am so honored that she took out a few moments of her time to give her creative dose & to grace the pages of Jubella! So, here you go, be inspired by her San Francisco Suite that is filled with so much charm, character, style, and creative decor!
Jubella: How long have you been keeping your design journals?
Victoria: I have been keeping ‘Idea Journals’ with daily journal, sketches and thoughts for over 12 years. The design/inspiration journals I started about two years ago. I used to keep all my tears from magazines etc. in folders, and then it came to me that I could paste them into these journals and have an on-going record of my taste (which is constantly evolving) and what’s inspired me over the years.
Jubella: What elements do you like to include within them and do you have a favorite one out of the bunch?
Victoria: I keep tears from magazines and catalogs I get that I think I may like to work into the design of my home, or maybe even a friend’s home. I also keep ideas that I think I might be able to use down the road should I move into my own home. I also keep photos, drawings, quotes, sketches - anything that sparks my interest. Even fortunes from Chinese fortune cookies. I don’t really have a favorite - certain pages really stand out for me when I go back and look at them.
Jubella: How often do you incorporate elements from your design journals into your own home?
Victoria: Quite often. I am constantly changing and re-arranging my rooms, changing out color schemes and mood, so there’s lot of inspiration from these journals reflected in my rooms.
Jubella: How would you describe the style of your home & what is your favorite spot/room?
Victoria: I saw the book ‘Bohemian Modern’ by Barbara Bestor featuring the fabulous modernist homes in and around Silverlake, CA. When I saw the gorgeous photographs and her definition of ‘BoMo’ I knew that was what my style was. I’d never really had a name for it before that - I always just called it flea market eclectic. It’s really about creating a space that’s self-expressive, comfortable for entertaining, and enjoying the simple pleasures of your surroundings. Home has always been important to me and is my safe haven from the hectic world.
My favorite room is the living room. I scored some great mid-century modern white vinyl chairs and a great flokati white fluffy rug on craigslist and I can sit and look at them with lots of pleasure. It was one of my better finds. The bay window and doors to the little terrace bring in lots of light as well, so it’s a room with lots of good energy.
Jubella: What are some of your favorite pieces and why?
Victoria: The mid-century modern chairs and flokati rug as I described above for sure. I also have an art deco buffet I found at a yard sale about 15 years ago. It moves everywhere with me. I got it for $5.00 - it was covered with white paint, so I stripped and sanded it and polished it up. I love it! I also love my kitschy portrait of ‘Rico Suave’ I found at the huge Alameda Flea Market. He’s not really Rico - I just named him that. I wish I had more great portraits like this one and am always on the lookout for inexpensive ones.
Jubella: What boutiques, on-line shops, and other resources did you utilize the most when it came down to decorating?
Victoria: My biggest resource is craigslist.com. I find everything there, even my apartment and my dog, Cooper. It’s the best and you can find really great deals. I also shop the Alameda Flea Market on the 1st Sunday of the month - it’s another great resource for vintage finds. As far as retailers go, I frequent Ikea, and a lot of little boutiques around San Francisco. I love Nest, Swallowtail, The Apartment, X21 and Timeless Treasures, all of which carry fun vintage finds.
Jubella: What do you love most about your apartment and living in San Francisco?
Victoria: My apartment is really pretty special. I love the tall 13′ ceilings, the ton of light I get through the living area windows and the copper-faced fireplace is lovely. My neighbors are also pretty amazing. We have a wonderful sense of community; we call our two ’sister buildings’ Buchanan Manor. We look out for each other and have fun BBQ’s and holiday parties. When I broke my ankl and couldn’t leave my apartment for six weeks. One of my neighbors organized a group to take turns walking my dog and helping me out. I am so grateful for them.
The location in Pacific Heights is not as diverse as I would like, however it’s beautiful and very centrally located. Living in San Francisco is amazing. Clear blue skies (I grew up in smoggy L.A.) and fresh air are great, and you can walk just about everywhere. The things I love best about San Francisco are all the diverse neighborhoods. They’re all so unique, whether you go to the Haight for second-hand threads, or North Beach for excellent espresso, it’s all very small-townish. San Francisco is only 7 miles by 7 miles, so you can get around really easily as well. And, just a few minutes over the Golden Gate Bridge and you can find yourself immersed in nature - Mt. Tamapalias, Marin Headlands, Muir Woods - it’s all so close and such a great quick escape from the city when you need it. I love being surrounded by water. I find it very peaceful. And I think my personality suits the pace of this city.
Jubella: Why is creativity important to you?
Victoria: I’ve always been creative, even when I was little. I was always involved in extra curricular art classes. My mother is an interior designer, so I think it’s in my genes. I’ve always found logical solutions to problems, but think from a right brain perspective. I just find artistic, creatively talented people fascinating and inspiring to be around, so that’s pretty much who I surround myself with. Most of my friends and colleagues are photographers, art buyers, painters, fashion designers, writers, or work in a creative field. I just get excited seeing what they’re up to and feed off their creativity.
Jubella: Top 3 design / creative inspirations?
Victoria: I love the Bohemian Modern book I mentioned above and all beautiful homes photographed inside - that really inspires me and makes me wish I owned my own home. I love seeing my friends’ homes - there’s a few that I always aspire to. There’s always one or two aspects of their homes I admire - a lot of them are very minimalist - something I struggle with. I also really love the studio of designer Amy Butler. I like how she manages the mixture of vintage pieces with fresh, modern color. I really think she has a great eye.
Jubella: Favorite color combinations?
Victoria: It changes - all the time! Right now, I really love lots of white as a ‘base’ color for my furnishings. The I accessorize a lot with slate greys, soft blues with small spots of olive green and yellow. Ask me next month and it will probably have changed. Aqua and green seems to always be a predominant part of my decor.
