Michael Merrill Design Studio

A Luxe Pair of Bathrooms. San Francisco, California We were asked to create a very elegant master bathroom in this period 70's residence. We left many of the adjacent elements and finishes in place but created an entirely new aesthetic in the bathroom and dressing area. Four wing walls of low-iron glass are used in conjunction with the dramatic rear wall of Italian marble, beautifully book matched. Floors are 30 X 30 porcelain tiles. The pair of medicine cabinets left up to r...evel ample storage within the deep cabinets. Walnut cabinetry is custom designed by our studio. The skylight features a completely concealed shade which blocks out the sunlight completely, for those weekend days when you might want to sleep in late. A more modest bathroom on the first level serves the guest bedroom and dinner guests. Photos John Sutton Photography

Over the next few weeks, we plan to share inspirational images that we've collected over the years of beautiful details throughout the home. This has been a challenging time for us all. Like many of you, we find ourselves working from home, concerned for our health care professionals and community, missing the outdoors, the museums and close contacts with our friends, clients, vendors and reps. [ 49 more words ] http://michaelmerrilldesign.blog//at-home-inspiration-fir/

We're proud to share this project which was recently published in Rethinking The Future. You can read the article here:

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. Happy Tuesday folks! much love to you all!

With over 200 parade contingents and exhibitors, and more than twenty community-run stages and venues, the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade is the largest gathering of the LGBT community and allies in the nation. Celebrations begin on Saturday in Civic Center Plaza. The Parade, which takes place the Sunday morning of the event, kicks off from Beale Street along Market and ends at Market and 8th St. in the heart of downtown San Francisco. What are your plans for pride week ?

How can a few thoughtful design changes transform your most intimate space and give it a spa-like ambiance? This rich walnut floating vanity that we designed for a client's bathroom re-design project in the Castro district is handsome and classy. When creating this custom vanity the key was restraint. Restraint in design, restraint in the material palette and streamlining the hardware. Design tip: A floating vanity gives the illusion of more space (especially in a tight bat...hroom) as it provides unbroken floor space throughout. Happy Monday folks!

As we celebrate the coming of the New Year, we have much to be grateful for: our friends, our family, our colleagues, and most certainly our clients. This year we were privileged to work on a wide variety of projects as diverse a year as ever in the 44-year span of my career. From a small pied-a-terre apartment in Pacific Heights where we were given a completely clean slate to start afresh, to a 1970’s style bachelor pad in the Castro, to a historic 1890’s home in Larkspu...r, to a mid-century renovation in Los Gatos, we have had quite a year. December brought an old client returning for a new project in the Upper West Side of Manhattan - a place that is so exciting to work in. We have included a few images to illustrate the wide variety of our work this year. Thanks to one and all. Michael Merrill Founder & Creative Director

As this year draws to a close, we'd like to take a moment to thank our very special clients, friends, colleagues and vendors who have made this such a meaningful year. We sincerely wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Photo Paul Dyer

We have had the pleasure of working with a delightful client over a period of years, mixing her heritage collection of family pieces with modern lighting and textiles. Some notable additions into this historic Larkspur residence are the hand-blown Alison Berger lighting fixtures, the multicolor-striped Missoni rug and the meticulously restored and reframed artwork, with considerable attention given to placement and lighting.

Over the years we’ve had the opportunity of helping many clients choose an exterior color scheme. As we’ve refined our approach, we’ve tallied a list of key considerations: -Identify which part of the house is most often used. For example, if the house has a small frontage, and most of the residents’ time is spent out back, then this area should carry more weight. [ 132 more words ] http://michaelmerrilldesign.blog//selecting-exterior-hous/

We’ve recently completed a pair of bathrooms in San Francisco. One of the main ideas of the Master Bathroom was to create an open-plan feel with its adjacent bedroom and closet. Our design proposal called for two immensely tall (low-iron) glass wall partitions to flank the bathroom entry’s wing walls. The challenge of executing this vision was that the bathroom was located on the mezzanine, accessible only by a circular staircase (with a low ceiling return). [ 35 more words ] http://michaelmerrilldesign.blog/2018/06/25/safety-first/

Mid-century Modern Reimagined. Los Gatos, CA. Our instructions from the client were to "create a fiercely modern, all-white kitchen, but with humanity." Working within a ten by fifteen foot space that was originally dark, cramped and inefficient, we created a new kitchen which is bright, open, and highly efficient for cooking. While no walls were moved, the openings to adjacent spaces were relocated and resized, further expanding the appearance of the space. The result is a ...kitchen which looks and feels dramatically larger than it really is. Photos Photos By Michael Hospelt

Galleria Design Studio. San Francisco, CA. For the last twenty years we have occupied four spaces, including Jackson Square, the Design District, Showplace Design Center and now the Galleria Design Center. With each move we have been able to adapt and refine our original idea a serene achromatic space with elegant detailing and finishes, built around white and aluminum Knoll furnishings. Along the way we have made minor adjustments to the furnishings, incorporated numerous ...custom elements, and we have increased the size of our art collection. Our newest offices are completely redesigned from the previous tenant. We have rearranged the windows and doors and created a large open studio space, which borrows daylight from our across-the-hall neighbors. We now enjoy the luxury of a large reception room, a separated design studio and a semi-private office with adjoining conference/workroom for the principal. One of our favorite new pieces is a lighted mobile pendant by noted New York artist David Weeks. Photos 2017 Michael Hospelt