Dr. Loves
Flex Watches
Tease Boutique
Bad Kitty Photography
The W San Diego Hote
Deja Vu Love Boutique
Barnette Ave. Adult Super Store

When electrical power failed suddenly across a wide swath of Southern California in September, businesses closed, traffic became snarled and life as we knew it went dark. But survival expert Susan Conniry found the crisis illuminating.

“You saw people having bonfires with their neighbor, not panicking,” she says. “It was so cool.”

Conniry and her husband, Tom Beasley, of Lakeside, are the authors of Ready or Not—A Disaster Survival Handbook. They’ve made a habit of preparing for the worst since 1997, when then-San Diego Mayor Susan Golding heralded the coming El Niño weather pattern in terms reserved for biblical catastrophes.

“We were warned of terrible flooding and deaths,” says Conniry, “but not told how to prepare.”

Luckily, the couple has pre-instilled survival skills. Conniry’s parents are British and taught her that war was always a threat, while Beasley was a victim of circumstance one day when his backpack rolled down a cliff during a hiking trip.

“At that point, he learned to live without one,” Conniry says.

In addition to their 2006 book, Conniry and Beasley administer a website (readyornotsurvival.com) and conduct workshops in disaster preparedness—including self-sufficiency in the face of growing economic chaos.

Conniry’s worst-case advice? “Set aside enough food and water to last seventy-two hours, because that’s how long it takes disaster crews to mobilize.”

Yet food isn’t the priority, she adds—rattling off, in order of importance, shelter, water and fire. “Food is number four. You won’t die if you go seventy-two hours without it.”

Surviving a disaster and thriving amid an ongoing crisis are two different things, so Conniry suggests lining your emergency kit with a few less-obvious little items that may enhance your post-apocalyptic comfort.

“Like spicy food? Pack some hot sauce or dried spices,” she says. “You know what you need.”

More crucial survival items include prescription meds and back-up eyeglasses. But readiness isn’t just about stashing supplies—it’s also about devising and practicing a strategy.

“Do fire drills,” Conniry says. “Before the 2003 Cedar Fire, we were able to get everything we needed, including the laptop and the dog, into the car in seven minutes.”

Then, a not-so-funny thing happened when the actual wildfire struck.

“I just grabbed my husband and the dog,” Conniry says. “I didn’t have time for everything else.”

Conniry and Beasley have become more sanguine in reacting to news of impending doom since 1999, when Y2K panic gripped the nation.

“We assumed we might go into the wilderness if all the computers went kaput,” she says. “Now, I think we’d face it at home with a glass of wine.”

Other, non-alcoholic survival gear musts, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):

●      flashlight
●      radio (battery-powered or hand crank)
●      first aid kit
●      dust masks
●      plastic sheeting and duct tape
●      moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties
●      wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
●      can opener
●      cell phone with charger (inverter or solar)
●      extra batteries

More survival kit tips: ready.gov

Give the gift of relaxation
$99
30-min. Swedish massage and 30-min. European facial using Yonka Paris Skincare line.

Evian Salon and Day Spa
858.224.1500, eviansalon.com
4130 La Jolla Village Dr., Ste. 100, La Jolla

High-tech timber pieces
$119
Get a splinter of eco-luxury with a 100% natural wood WeWood, wholly absent of artificial and toxic materials.
WeWood plants a tree for every watch sold!

WeWood
we-wood.us

Modern furnishings, affordable prices
$139.95
Add a splash of color to your home or office with Underground Furniture’s extensive art and furniture collection. Create your own custom-made sofa with hundreds of colors to choose from.

Underground Furniture
858.581.0229, undergroundfurniture.com
1345 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach

One Tribe Spirithoods, handcrafted accessories
There is a transformation that takes place when you wear a SpiritHood. The experience is indefinable and completely unique to you. Join the tribe, share your experience. Made in Los Angeles, adult and children sizes available. 15% discount code: PACIFICSD

onetribesd.com

Perfect gift for laptop users
$89
An elegantly designed, multi-functional laptop stand that will hold your laptop in bed, lying down or sitting up at natural, body friendly angles.

Lap Dawg
lapdawg.com

Sunday brunch at Analog
$50 (two-for-one)
Acoustic karaoke and all you can eat brunch with bottomless mimosas, plus vinyl DJ set (1-4 p.m.).

Analog
801 5th Ave., Gaslamp
619.233.1183, analogbar.com

Indulge with winter must-haves
$24.99-$94
Stay warm and cozy in Hy & Dot’s Navajo poncho. And remember, accessorizing is key, so top off your look with Block Party hoop earrings by Vanessa Mooney.

Capricorn Boutique
858.551.2660, capricornboutique.com
5544 La Jolla Blvd. Suite B., La Jolla

Body surfing for a new generation
$129.99 Slyde is a new, innovative and design-driven brand focused exclusively on the sport of handboarding. It’s bodysurfing for a new generation.
Use code PACIFICSD for 15% off for PacificSD readers.

Slyde Handboards
slydehandboards.com

It’s not a fanny pack, it’s a Jammy Pack
$49.95-$69.95
JammyPack is a high-kickin’ must-have accessory for any music lover. The retro speaker bag features two mini-speakers, each boosting 3W of stereo-amplified beats. This battery-powered box jams up to 10 hours.
Available in over 20 different colors and designs. It’s even water-resistant. Back packs now available, too.

Jammy Pack
jammypack.com

Natural. Organic. Effective.
$36.99 – $38.99
Four new serums to nourish, renew, exfoliate and repair. Created with your health in mind, our exclusive facial skin care line is full of ingredients guaranteed to improve your skin’s appearance.

R. D. Alchemy
619.825.6078, rdalchemy.com
2040 India St., Little Italy

Protection & the family jewels
Find upscale, trendy jewelry for Men and Women here or online. Plus, protect yourself, your family, and your treasures by purchasing a stun gun this holiday ($40)! Great stocking stuffers!

Hot Rock Jewelry
619.238.4920, hotrockjewelry.com
861 Sixth Ave., Ste. 620, 92101
by appt. Jewelers Exchange Bld., Gaslamp

Cruise the beach in style
$319
This Electra Cruiser 1 Custom is also available in black and adorable ladies’ colors.

Beach Bikes & Beyond
619.276.1145, beachbikesandbeyond.com
1211 Morena Blvd., near USD/Linda Vista

Bike chair by Jeremy Dahl and Stine Poole, sold during last year's Chairs for Chair'ity auction.

By Patricia B. Dwyer

Hold It Contemporary Home is hosting its third annual Chairs for Chair’ity event October 13 to 20, selling stylized seats to benefit the San Diego chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Twenty designers are donating their chair creations, functional or otherwise, for the weeklong silent auction.

“We want everyone to have an opportunity to view the chairs and support this amazing foundation,” says Hold It’s managing partner, Mike McAlister. “Not only will people with the winning bids go home with a piece of functional art, but they will also have a part in making a very special child’s biggest dream come true.”

Proceeds from this year’s Chairs for Chair’ity will help send a 12-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and help support the foundation’s other local initiatives.

Mark Stary poses next to his entry in last year's Chairs for Chair'ity auction.

Chairs for Chair’ity
BENEFITTING: Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego
DATES: October 13-20 (auction ends on Oct. 20)
VENUE: Hold It Contemporary Home, 1570 Camino de la Reina, Mission Valley
TICKETS: $10 advance; $15 door
INFO: holdithome.com

The WeWood watch.

By Alyson Baker

This month, we’re digging punches of Pinocchio in our lives—and that’s no lie. Go against the grain and update your look with these sleek, wood and wood-inspired products.

Watch This

You’d give someone the time in a New York minute sporting a stylish WeWood watch, made from woods including maple, ebony and guaiac. Plus, WeWood aims to —for every watch sold, they plant a tree.
Price: $119
we-wood.us
Shop local:
Ivy’s Boutique
5040 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach
Gaslamp Garage
301 5th Ave., Gaslamp

Shwood's Canby sunglasses in zebrawood.

Stick In Your Eye

See the forest through the trees with Shwood’s classic Canby sunglasses. Each frame is shaped and veneered by hand in Oregon from sustainably harvested wood. Available in East Indian rosewood, cherry wood and zebrawood.
Price: $145 and up
shwoodshop.com
Shop local:
Aloha Sunday
3118 University Ave., North Park
alohasunday.com

Necktie from Wood Thumb.

Neck of the Woods

Get a splinter of sustainable couture with reclaimed wood neckties from San Francisco-based Wood Thumb.
Price: $34
woodthumb.com

The Plank Luxe yoga mat.

Walk the Plank

Find inner peace with a Plank Luxe yoga mat, offering the look of wood with the sponginess of rubber. Mats also come in genuine-looking grass and shag carpet prints.
Price: $85
plank.myshopify.com

Renovo wood-framed bicycle.

Tree Ride

Renovo hollow wood and laminated bamboo bicycles are engineered for maximum performance, offering a shock-absorbing ride that wards off rain and holds up better than most metal models.
Price: $2,700 and up
renovobikes.com

euphorbia shrub (aka naked lady and sticks on fire).

By Catharine L. Kaufman
Photos by Brevin Blach
(unless otherwise noted)

What do succulent plants, camels and pregnant women have in common?

They all retain water.

The difference is, camels and expectant mothers—even those exhibiting a maternal glow—can’t enliven windowsills and landscapes like succulents can. (Plus, pregnant women require higher maintenance than cacti.)

Even at the hands of delinquent gardeners who forget to water them for weeks, these hearty plants thrive in San Diego climes, adding distinctively Southwest appeal to manicured yards, public parks and freeways.

No lawn? No problem. You can grab some of this robust green from just about anywhere—nurseries, grocery stores, even Ikea.

First, let’s see what else local experts say succs around here.

From Aloe to Zebras
Debra Lee Baldwin, a local author who wrote the guides Designing with Succulents and Succulent Container Gardens, regards San Diego as “the epicenter of all things succulent in the United States.”

More than 1,000 varieties of succs (including hybrids) grow in San Diego, where the arid, coastal climate is similar to those of the plants’ birthplaces, including South Africa, Argentina, Mexico and Bolivia.

The common Aloe, a flowering succulent, is best known for its homeopathic sibling, Aloe Vera, the pulpy leaves of which produce a clear gel used topically to soothe sunburned skin.

Other succulents that grow naturally in San Diego include mother-in-law’s tongue, with its long, serrated and sword-like leaves; thick, ground-covering ice plants, which bejewel hillsides along interstates with their vibrant violet and yellow flowers; and Zebra plants, which are adorned with tiny, silvery pearls that form distinct stripes on the leaves.

Variegated century plant (aka American aloe) at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.

Orchids may not grow naturally here, but they can flourish in this climate—and they succs, too.

Kinder Garden
As a rule of (green) thumb, Baldwin recommends planting succulents in a half-and-half mixture of potting soil and pumice, which allows for draining while keeping the soil as damp as a wrung-out sponge.

Succs at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.

Succs at the San Diego Botanic Garden are adorned by a mosaic glass surfboard from artists Garry Cohen and Cherrie La Porte Cohen.

As for sunlight, succulents along the coast can tolerate full sun all year; inland succs need an afternoon shade break from sweltering summers.

For more planting tips, visit debraleebaldwin.com.

Stay Thirsty, My Friend
Succs succeed in San Diego County, “where we can grow more varieties year-round than anywhere else in the country,” says Julian Duval, president and CEO of San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.

Succulents can withstand long periods of drought by storing water in their stems and fleshy leaves, making them ideal for the yards of homeowners griping about high water bills.

“Since 70 percent of drinkable water goes to landscaping, lowwatering succulent gardens conserve precious water,” Duval says. More than just a pretty, prickly face, these low-maintenance plants also make economical alternatives to grass lawns. Plus they’re fire-retardant, so they’re great for San Diego landscapes vulnerable to wildfires.

What ’s Bugging You?
Succulents are fairly insect resistant, except for mealy bugs and aphids. Baldwin’s favorite bug-zapping juice is full-strength rubbing alcohol dispensed from a misting bottle.

Ice Plant in bloom. (Photo by Debra Lee Baldwin)

See Scapes
What Succs, And Where

A prime spot to view succs is the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, which has “a long history of displaying and promoting succulents,” says Julian Duval, the garden’s president and CEO. Duval likens the whimsical garden to a tropical, undersea world in which some succulents resemble coral reefs, anemones and starfish. sdbgarden.org 

The San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society hosts annual shows featuring collectable plants grown by vendors throughout Southern California. The next such event, put on by the Society’s Escondido chapter, is scheduled for late October at the San Diego Botanic Garden. sdcss.net

Rancho Soledad Nurseries in Rancho Santa Fe has become the glitterati of succulent nurseries, thanks to celebrity grower, Kelly Griffin. A mix of Old MacDonald and Dr. Frankenstein, Griffin creates exotic succs by shrinking aloe and agave into dwarfs sure to jazz-up any container. They’re perfect for windowsill and condo gardeners short on space. ranchosoledad.com

Zebra plant. (Photo by Debra Lee Baldwin)

Bixby & Ball owners Melissa Anderson (left) and Betsy Bracken.

By Andrea Siedsma
Photos by Brevin Blach

In the 1920s, celluloid funny man Charlie Chaplin fell in love with the seaside town of Encinitas—so much so that he bought a two-story neoclassical bluff-top home in Leucadia (word is Chaplin may have purchased the house for his mentally ill mother or pregnant teen bride).

The home’s current resident, interior designer Melissa Anderson, can only imagine the extravagant parties the “Little Tramp” threw, which, local rumor has it, attracted celebs including Del Mar horse racing fixture, Bing Crosby.

Romantic notions of Chaplin shuffling about the home in his trademark baggy pants, derby hat and oversized shoes led to a redesign, in which Anderson added period-appropriate elements such as wood-paneled walls, beech wood floors and white marble countertops.

Anderson’s work on the home served as inspiration for Bixby & Ball, a home accessories shop she opened with friend Betsy Bracken late last year. The 1,300-square-foot beach boutique is housed in a 1920s-era cottage in Solana Beach’s trendy Cedros Design District.

“It was the first house on Cedros, and we’ve had customers come in and tell us how they remember playing in the house as kids,” Anderson says. “It’s those kinds of stories that breathe life into a home, or in our case, a store.”

Bixby & Ball is steeped in family tradition for both women. Anderson, whose family on her mother’s side owns Bixby Land Co., has ancestors who ventured west during the gold rush of the late 1800s. Bracken’s great grandfather was one of the Ball brothers, who launched Ball jars, the well-known line of glass canning jars.

“We want to offer products that are timeless and classic and have that sense of history,” says Bracken. “It’s embodied in this space.”

Bixby & Ball, 214 S. Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach, bixbyandball.com

Add vintage or coastal flair to your apartment or home with:

*Funktion dishtowels, napkins and aprons in bright, retro colors and patterns. Price: $22-$78

*Ball jar soap dispensers. Price: $35

*Big Chill retro fridges and ice boxes, which come in a variety of fun colors. Price: $2,800

By Brandon Hernández
Photos by Brevin Blach

For many chefs, the dream of having on-site gardens from which to harvest fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables for their signature dishes is dashed by lack of space. Most of the room at restaurants is gobbled up by tables, booths and kitchen equipment, making home-grown produce a tall order.

These days, some San Diego chefs and restaurateurs are finding a solution in vertical gardens, customized hydroponic systems that require no soil and circulate water and nutrients through a series of pipes. The plants grow upward versus outward, making them perfect for tight spaces. The systems provide sustainable edibles that are more nutritious and costeffective than ingredients grown in traditional gardens or trucked in from across the state or country.

Chef Christian Graves tends to Jsix’s rooftop garden.

Jsix executive chef Christian Graves says growing vertical was a matter of convenience. His herb garden on the roof of downtown’s Hotel Solamar, where Jsix is located, is a flourishing example of what an on-site garden can be.

“We are in a constant fight to make everything taste better,” Graves says. “Herbs that are cut fresh are still packed with their oils, unlike those that sit in a warehouse for a day or two.”

Homegrown flavor at Jsix

Thrilled with the restaurant’s rooftop garden, Graves is in the process of installing a similar one at his house and is hyping the trend to his culinary industry colleagues. One of those buds, Paul McCabe, executive chef at L’Auberge Del Mar’s Kitchen 1540, just finished installing two eight-foot-tall gardens between cabanas in the restaurant’s lush, outdoor dining area. To do so, he had to uproot a beloved persimmon tree, but counts that as a “worthy sacrifice.”

“The vertical garden uses 80 percent less water and 80 percent less space than a normal garden,” McCabe says. “We’re going to have 160 plants—anything we want. I’m especially excited about this one herb that we’re putting in. It looks kind of like a kaffir lime leaf, but tastes exactly like an oyster. Every restaurant in town finishes their dishes with the same finishing herbs, but by growing our own, we’ll be able to separate our flavor profile.”

Vertical gardens aren’t just for big-ticket venues. Churchill’s Pub and Grille in San Marcos was one of the first spots in the county to jump aboard the blossoming trend. Owner Ivan Derezin saw it as a way to get his hands on obscure ingredients that are often tough to find on the open market.

“We are growing a bunch of heirloom fruits and vegetables, as well as rare, obnoxiously hot peppers,” Derezin says. “Doing planter boxes or another hydroponic system would take up too much room and interrupt the flow of my business deliveries. Vertical gardens offer an advanced growing system that doesn’t need very much real estate. I can also move it around as the seasons change, and hydroponics tend to grow faster, cleaner and bigger.”

Other local eateries with vertical gardens include Spread in North Park, Lockwood Table in Solana Beach and Le Papagayo in Encinitas.

By Pat Sherman

Photography By Brevin Blach (unless otherwise noted); model: Nicole Noonan, No Ties Management; stylist: Kelsey Luce; hair & makeup: Christina Mansi, The Factory

From energy efficiency to earthy color palettes to man caves, it’s hard to say which home trend came first. Was it the egg chair or the chicken coops?

Either way, whether it’s an East County estate or a beachfront condo, home is where you hang your hat—or at least where you sleep and recharge your iPad.

Local real estate brokers, a green thumb from Walter A ndersen Nursery and a prominent interior designer helped construct this view of modern home life in America’s Finest. Please enjoy the tour. The expert advice is on the house.

Sautéing is a scenic affair in the kitchen of Al and Janet Johnstone's rotating home.

Luxe Outlook
Expanding residential horizons in San Diego

San Diego County started the year off with a median home price of about $304,000—a decrease of nearly nine percent from December.

But in America’s Finest (and perhaps most scenic) City, the abundant coastal and mountain terrain gives home buyers a chance to elevate their options, choosing from a vast inventory of stunning views.

According to Realtor Seth O’Byrne of Troop Real Estate, a view can increase the value of a home or condo by as much
as 20 to 30 percent, depending on its “wow factor” and scarcity. In La Jolla, appraisers estimate that a view can add $100,000 to $150,000 to a home’s value, he says.

“If you can see breaking waves, sand and rocks, the view could be worth $500K,” O’Byrne says. “Peek-a-boo views on condos or townhomes could be worth as little as $10k, in some cases.

“At a high-rise downtown, if every unit in a stack is identical from the second floor to the 20th floor (and) has the same view, the value to each unit is dramatically decreased.”

Residential mortgage banker Craig Sewing, host of the KCBQ radio show REAL Talk, offers a more moderate estimate. He says a view will historically add about 10 percent to a home’s value, though many variables are involved.

“It’s all about the comps,” Sewing says, meaning that the price one neighbor’s house sells for can have a direct and sometimes significant impact on the sales price of other homes in the vicinity.

While jaw-dropping views come at a cost, average home values in neighborhoods with prime views have decreased considerably, making the time ripe to give these domestic overlooks a second glance.

Rotating Mt. Helix home

Taking Turns
Rotating home a labor of love for retired phone company exec and wife

Things have been looking up—and around—since Al Johnstone and wife, Janet, completed their rotating home atop Mt. Helix in 2004.

The East County home, perhaps the only in the world that can make continuous 360-degree rotations, cost the couple about $1 million, though they received many material donations generated by the initial interest in their project.

It took the couple three years to finish the home, with Al serving as architect and Janet as interior designer.

“You can see the Coronado Bridge all the way around to Steel Canyon Golf Course (in Jamul),” Al says. “We can see the ocean, Point Loma, Downtown San Diego, Mt. Soledad, Catalina and San Clemente Island. So, yeah, it’s a great view.”

Though most rotating bars and restaurants, such as S eattle’s S pace Needle, have plumbing and electrical in a stationary, central core, the Johnstone’s rotating second story uses patented flexible plumbing and wiring.

“In a house, you need to have plumbing and gas, Internet and HDTV in the rotating portion, so I had to go in and invent what I call the swivels that would allow that to take place,” Al says.

He has patented 45 items related to his home technology and says he has an investor interested in building a high-rise in which each floor would rotate independently.

“We have formed a company, 360 Technology,” Johnstone says. “If the economy ever turns around, hopefully somebody will build one.”

Mt. Helix Stats: 4 bedrooms, 5,100 square feet
Elevation: about 1,280 feet
Rotation cycle: fastest, 33 minutes; slowest, 24 hours
Year completed: 2004
Listing price: Not for sale
Investment: About $1 million
Average. Neighborhood home value: $425,000 (up from $390,500 last year)

Dress with belt , $ 248, HH earring, $40, Bloomingdale’s, Bloomingdales.com; Jimmy Choo flat s, jimmychoo.com

Sunset Cliffs Estate
For those wanting to see how the other half views the world, there is no shortage of homeowners willing to rent their vistas for the right price.

Rent on the three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath Sunset Cliffs estate featured on the cover of this magazine and in the fashion photos of this feature ranges from $1,500 to $2,000 a night, depending on the season and duration of the stay.

The Spanish Colonial-Mediterranean home offers inspiring ocean views from just about every room, and is just steps from one of San Diego’s favorite surfing beaches. It can be rented for a weekend respite, wedding or corporate event.

SUNSET CLIFFS
Average neighborhood home value: $588,500 (down from $897,500 a year ago)
Contact: 619.393.0399, sunsetcliffsestate.com

Northwest Carlsbad coastal home

NORTH WEST CARLSBAD
Stats: 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 5,294 square feet
Year built: 1988
Listing price: $7.8 million
Average Neighborhood home value: $490,000 (down from $605,000 last year)
Agent: Patricia Lou Martin, ranchandcoastproperty.com

Plucky 19
Real estate broker Jim Abbott says of the vividly-decorated unit he’s christened, “Comic-Condo,” located on the 19th story of San Diego’s 19th-tallest building, the Meridian, “You can’t help but smile when you walk in.”

The condo was remodeled by Sweig General Contracting with “whimsy” as its theme. Its doting grandparent owners designed the condo as a way to keep their visiting grandchildren visually stimulated, Abbott says.

Downtown San Diego
Stats: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2,500 square feet
Year built: 1985
Listing price: $1.8 million
Average Downtown condo
Value: $305,000 (down from $312,000 last year)
Agent: Jim Abbott, argsd.com

Normal Heights

Normal Heights
Stats: 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, 4,739 square feet
Year built: 1980
Listing price: $1.2-$2.2 million
Average neighborhood home value: $445,000 (up from $339,500 last year)
Agent: Alan Schmitt, alan@alanschmitt.com

This sea cliff La Jolla home is the ultimate in Southern California indoor-outdoor living, mixing modern and organic design. The structure is supported in part by the natural form of tree trunks. (Courtesy Bast/Wright Interiors)

By Pat Sherman

During the subprime real estate boom, while investors were fixing up and flipping houses, design choices tended toward the predictable and staid: elegant yet safe options with massmarket appeal, such as granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Robert Wright, a past national president of the American Society of Interior Designers, says homeowners these days are making bolder, more personal choices that reflect a desire to stay in their homes for the long haul.

“I think people are really looking at their homes more as a home and not an investment,” says Wright, a principal and co-founder of San Diego-based Bast/Wright Interiors. “People are kind of reclaiming their homes, so now the interior design solutions are a little bit more customized and personalized.”

Counters and flat surfaces made of composite stone are replacing natural stones, such as granite.

“It’s a more of a clean, contemporary feel—more straightforward,” Wright says.

Though stainless steel is holding steady in the market, Wright says homeowners are leaning toward tinted and painted stainless in kitchen appliances, window frames and furniture trim.

“We’re beginning to see a big redirection towards gray, mauve and purple— everywhere in the house, in upholstery and paint colors,” Wright says. “Stain colors tend to be leaning more toward the grays. I’ve seen it before; it’s coming back.”

Like fashion, interior design is cyclical. H owever, a home is more of an investment than a new suit, so the cycle moves slower. The colors and prints used in today’s fashion typically appear in home furnishings four years down the road, Wright says.

“Basically, whatever you see on the cover of a fashion magazine, you’ll see it in your home three or four years later—the fabrics, prints, designs, colors,” he says. “Typically, more fashion-forward colors end up in accents or easy elements to replace, such as
upholsteries and paint.”

While Oriental rugs would seem to have run their course, Wright says people are more emboldened to match design schemes these days. That ostentatious Oriental number might still work when contrasted with a woven, contemporary rug in an adjacent room.

“They bounce and play off each other,” Wright says. “Some of the wonderful, classic furniture looks beautiful on Oriental rugs.”

For this La Jolla ranch remodel, interior designer Robert Wright used a variety of hard surfaces, employing concrete for the fireplace and granite and composite material on counters. The rooms are interconnected and open. (Courtesy Bast/Wright Interiors)

Less is more, again
Though San Diegans aren’t ready to jump on Japan’s capsule hotel trend (in which people rent coffin-sized, stackable lodging for the night), they’re definitely downsizing, preferring aesthetics over cavernous square footage, Wright says.

“People want to live smaller and better,” he says. “Proportionally, contemporary interiors are working better, because these homes are smaller and contemporary furnishings tend to be lighter in scale. They’re open and more airy. They’re not big and heavy and cumbersome, so they fit better in these smaller, clean-line, contemporary spaces.”

Chic and sustainable
As the demand for organic and eco-conscious building materials increases, the supply and variety of fabrics, cabinetry and countertops made from these materials have increased and become more tasteful. There’s no excuse not to build or design green, Wright says.

“I think, within the next 10 years, it’s going to be expected and just woven into every one of our design solutions.”
bastwright.com

Design trends for 2011
Pantone color: honeysuckle (last year’s color, turquoise)
Other trending colors: Muted hues and neutrals such as white, chocolate browns and icy grays; bright reds, sapphire blues, fuchsia purples
Vintage: Reused and restored furniture
Ruralist/eco-chic: Cabinets, countertops and fabrics made from recycled, organic or sustainable materials Indoor-outdoor blending: Bringing elements of the outside indoors, and vice versa; use of rattan deep chairs, bamboo coffee tables and large plants indoors
Scandinavian chill: Minimalism is still going strong with white furniture, romantic lines and white walls; colorful acc essories are used as accents
Belgian: Gray-washed, distressed oak tables and linen-upholstered sofas