Miss Alice Designs

This beautiful open kitchen/dining space in Danville is almost complete and looking great so far! I love the black hood and the contrast it creates against the white cabinets. Finishing touches include details from crown molding, to trim, remaining appliances and cabinet hardware, counter stools, Roman shades, etc... Can’t wait to share before and after photos!

Dropped by to see my client who needed design help refreshing her apartment downstairs. Her beautiful outdoor space has evolved nicely over the years. I remember helping her with the design - when it was just grass and a few trees! My client recently started growing her own fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, and squash - which I hope to do as well one day in my own backyard. I love anything natural and organic!

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day! Here's to all the mother's who give so much of their love, time, energy, and resources so their loved ones can be the best they can be. Photo: Freepik/Starline

Onsite to view work in progress and discuss kitchen hardware placement, backsplash layout, sink light placement, and more. There’s a thousand little details that require decisions, and that can drive homeowners crazy. That’s why people hire a designer (like myself) to help guide them through the entire renovation process, which helps calm them down and take the pressure off!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Photo: Freepik

The countertops are installed in this open kitchen/dining area in Danville. The lights over the island and dining area is beautiful. It turned out better than expected. Everything is progressing nicely so far!

Wishing everyone a Happy and Safe Halloween! Keep smiling!

Thowback to a previous entire home renovation project. Here’s a Before & After of the Kitchen, Guest Bathroom, and Master Bathroom. This Sunset Home built in 1949 was never remodeled since the homeowner has lived in the house. It desperately needed a huge makeover and the owner wanted to design her home to not only reflect her style, but also for aging in place. Working with Q-Architecture (US, HK), the walls enclosing the kitchen were taken down to create an open space plan... and a 25' beam was installed to support the roof with additional posts anchored to the garage floor to support the upper floor. A skylight was added to bring in additional natural light into the kitchen. The Master Bathroom layout was reconfigured and a curbless shower installed to assist the homeowner for aging in place. The Guest Bathroom shower was enlarged for more comfort and relaxation. The result is an open, simple, clean, and contemporary design that reflected the client's personality and style perfectly!

This is one of my favorite bathrooms designed by DeForest Architects and Robin Chell Interior Design. I love the simplicity and clean lines as well as the balance of color tones, textures, and contrast between light and dark wood. I especially love that the shower opens into the outdoor garden area! The white oak vanity is custom with a clear tempered shower glass panel anchored to the wall and floor. The translucent panel to the left is anchored to the tiled wall and ceiling.... It’s a beautiful, relaxing bathroom that is well thought out and well designed in my opinion. Photo by: Ben Benschneider

Art is so fascinating. Behind every piece of artwork is an expression and a story that is completely up to each individual to interpret. Art is uniquely personal to each human being. What does art mean to you? To me, taking a blank canvas (or a blank and existing interior space) and transforming it into a work of art is so satisfying and rewarding. I truly enjoy it especially after all the hard work, effort, and energy that goes into creating a masterpiece. Do you have art that you created, unique pieces collected from your travels, or because you just simply appreciate art? If you do and aren’t sure how to display the art you have in your home or office, not to worry. There is an "art" to exhibiting art in your space. Check out Do’s and Don’ts below for displaying artwork that transforms it from uninteresting to inspiring.

Monday Motivation! I came across this quote and wanted to share it. There's nothing more rewarding and satisfying in my opinion than self-awareness. From this awareness, comes self-realization - going on a journey and falling in love with the process of becoming the very best version of yourself. There's nothing that feels more "free" than breaking cycles of generational patterns and habits that no longer serve you so you can realize your true potential and step into your h...ighest and best self. Happy Monday everyone!

What a rewarding day! I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco at their Geneva Village site in Daly City today. Located on the site of a former fire house, Habitat for Humanity is currently constructing six single family 3-story affordable townhomes for low-income households. I helped nail in exterior wall sheathing, Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and Gypsum and also glued small cut pieces of OSB together (which is called webbing from what I was told), that ...help strengthen the structural integrity of the floor joists. The 3rd story has not been framed out yet but construction is coming along nicely so far. It was my second time helping with a construction project at Habitat. The first one was 3 years ago when Habitat completed Habitat Terrace - 28 townhomes varying from 2-3 bedrooms on Capitol Avenue in San Francisco. I volunteered at the Habitat Terrace site once a week for about a year and I learned so much during my time onsite. I have to say, it was one of the most rewarding moments in my life to not only give back to the community, but learn hands-on skills as well as collaboration and team-work skills I would never have learned in a class or working for someone else. I've met some amazing people and I'm really proud of myself. If you are interested in learning how homes are constructed and learning other skills such as team-building/communication skills, volunteering for Habitat is a great way to do so!

6 traditional Dining chairs with new foam reupholstered in a brocade patterned fabric are done!

Here's a Before & After of a small 10' x 12' Kitchen in Mission Dolores that had an original timeline of 2 months for completion pre-COVID, but ended up finishing in 11 months from manufacturing delays due to COVID. It's finally done and it looks great! The small kitchen goes through a major transformation, turning the space from plain and uninviting to warm and cozy. The end result is a kitchen that looks brighter, larger, inviting, and warmer than before. My clients are bu...sy professionals working in high-tech with 2 small children. They wanted to transform their kitchen so it felt like home to them and they knew exactly what they wanted - an all white kitchen. Yes, even with 2 small children, my clients were very clear they wanted an all white kitchen which is what they got! To see additional photos, click on the link below. https://www.missalicedesigns.com//mission-dolores-renovati Photos by Tim D Coy Photography

This small 10' x 12' Kitchen in Mission Dolores goes through a major transformation that turned the kitchen from plain and uninviting to warm and cozy. My clients are busy professionals working in high-tech with 2 small children. They wanted to transform their kitchen so it felt like home to them and they knew exactly what they wanted - an all white kitchen. Yes, even with 2 small children, my clients were very clear they wanted an all white kitchen which is what they got! Th...e design process started with my clients sharing images of kitchens that resonated with them through Houzz and Pinterest. From there, a few different kitchen layouts were presented to them. After the best layout was selected and approved by my clients, a design concept was formulated. An all white kitchen can feel cold and uninviting, so to create a warm and cozy space, walnut and brass was incorporated through floating shelves, furniture, cabinet hardware, lighting, and plumbing fixtures. Also, what is unique about this particular kitchen design is that my clients didn't want an island or a peninsula with seating (which is very popular in kitchens right now). They wanted a table in the center of the kitchen for better traffic flow and for their family to easily gather together and converse with one another in a more intimate setting. Dining chairs upholstered in a navy solid fabric add a splash of color to the all white kitchen. The end result is a kitchen that looks brighter, larger, inviting, and warmer than before. Throughout the whole project, I guided the client through the entire design process from drawings to design conception, research and selection of materials, project management, and final completion. Design Tip: A round table helps to create a sense of intimacy and it's ideal for families with young children because there are no sharp edges compared to a rectangular table. A round table also provides a better use of space in a smaller area and allows more room for people to navigate around the seats. Photos by Tim D Coy Photography

What a beautiful day in the city for a hike with amazing views of the Golden Gate bridge!

Dropped by the start of a small-scale kitchen renovation for a rental home in Pac Heights to meet with the electrician, owner, and handyman. The owners wanted to update the kitchen and a few other spaces for maximum rent. The layout was reconfigured with the stove and dishwasher in new locations for a better work triangle and improved traffic flow. The owners wanted the wood cabinets painted white, countertops will be updated to quartz with subway tiles for the backsplash and black cabinet hardware. All the appliances will be updated to stainless steel. The floors will be replaced with engineered wood, GFCI outlets incorporated, and a nice contemporary chandelier added.

Today, I’m sewing welting (or also called piping) in black leather and cotton/nylon blend. After sewing welting, the piping is attached to a dining seat with a 2 band. This pattern is a brocade pattern for 6 traditional dining chairs! It’s the little details of craftsmanship that gives a specialty item depth, authenticity, and originality - especially in a culture where it’s become all about faster and cheaper, rather than the value of craftsmanship and bespoke artistry.

The plumbing fixtures are in! The traditional shower and tub control trims look great in this Master Bathroom renovation! Last piece is the wall mounted sink!

Video of the work in progress of a traditional Master Bathroom remodel with a modern twist in Haight Ashbury. It’s coming along nicely so far. The electrical is done and plumbing is the last piece. We are waiting to install bathroom fixtures and it should be finished next week. Looking forward to taking posting before and after photos once everything is completed!