With the passing of Labor Day, COUPAR wants to celebrate the building trades. The architect and designer get the glory for a project, while the builder and subcontractors execute their vision.

The hand of man joined with nature becomes the essence of creativity. I. M. Pei

Against the Parisian sky, the modernist Louvre Pyramid contrasts with the palace's French Renaissance architecture—the Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei designed the structure composed of glass segments and metal poles in 1983. Ieoh Ming Pei (1917-2019) was born in Canton (now Guangzhou), China, into a wealthy family from the scholar-gentry class.

Spring is upon us, and as Earth Day approaches, we draw inspiration from built spaces that integrate the native surroundings. Preserving and enhancing California’s natural beauty is a strong value for many Bay Area-based design firms. With the dire issue of climate change, it’s essential to use more sustainable practices and knowledge about the environment when constructing the built world.

The biennial Julia Morgan Awards announced the 2024 winners, and both Tucker & Marks and Skurman Architects won for the French neoclassical Pacific Heights estate they restored and reimagined.

If the holidays take you to New York City, see the exhibit A Dark, A Light, A Bright: The Designs of Dorothy Liebes at Cooper Hewitt. Considered "The Mother of Modern Weaving," Liebes (1897-1972) was born in Santa Rosa, California. After taking courses in teaching and art from State Teachers College in San Jose and the University of California, Berkeley, she studied weaving at Hull House in Chicago.

The magician Alexander claimed to be The Man Who Knows, but we wonder if his crystal ball could predict design trends for 2024. COUPAR sought expert advice for divination. We asked the "Dean of West Coast Design," Gary Hutton, master decorative artist Willem Racké and esteemed architect Jonathan Feldman.

The 44th San Francisco Decorator Showcase opens to the public on April 29th. While Sea Cliff is the address for this Spanish Revival estate, Pacific Heights was home to the first Showcase.

Pantone has announced its color of the year for 2023: Viva Magenta. This vibrant, bold hue possesses an undeniably strong energy.

René Gregorius and Stephanie Pineo, aficionados of early antique furnishings, craftsmanship, and design, opened their Los Angeles business Gregorius/Pineo in 1984 at the back of a North La Cienega Blvd storefront. They later moved to an elegant  showroom at 651-653 North La Cienega Blvd. Interior Design Hall of Fame honoree Melvin Dwork told Architectural Digest almost ten years later, "Gregorius/Pineo is one of the best places out there."

Pantone has announced its color of the year for 2022: Very Peri. This bold, whimsical hue represents the hopefulness we're all beginning to embrace. As we slowly emerge from extended periods of lockdowns, we lean on colors that add a playful, lightheartedness to our days.

As we enter 2022, we anticipate what this year’s changes will bring. Like fashion, the interior design industry is malleable as it reflects clients’ desires and lifestyles.

Feldman Architecture's iconic homes etch California's dramatic landscape like exquisite haiku poems. In time for the holidays, the San Francisco-based studio releases its book Immersed - The California Houses of Feldman Architecture.

As we approach the end of 2021, we begin to anticipate the upcoming mood for interiors. With color being one of the integral foundations of design, Benjamin Moore releases its annual Color Trends Palette, including a featured color. This October, the paint company deems October Mist as the color for 2022.

When Shears & Window recently consolidated their second-floor SFDC furnishings showroom with their fourth-floor textiles department, owner and CEO Greg McIntyre discovered a treasure trove of historic photos. The time capsule dated back to 1976 when Jack Shears and Adam Window opened the pioneering multi-line showroom.

For the 2021 San Francisco Decorator Showcase, New Perspectives design team Eva Muller Bradley and Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein of studioHEIMAT presented Shoshin – A Beginner's Mind.

American fashion designer Bill Blass said, "Red is the ultimate cure for sadness." The hue is the perfect antidote to our COVID fatigue and as a celebratory color for Valentine's Day. For interiors, red is a bold choice.

When Paige Rense posed for her Kodak moment in 1976, the Architectural Digest editor-in-chief had won the Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year. Sadly the Queen of Hearths, as the newspaper dubbed her, passed away on January 1st, 2021, at her home in West Palm Beach.

COUPAR gazed into our crystal ball to forecast what will be the trends for interior design in 2021. With the pandemic still raging outside, the home reigns supreme.

Interior designer, educator, author, and gentleman, John Wheatman, passed away at 94 on September 26. Living on the ground floor of 2500 Steiner Street, the elegant Art Deco tower soaring over Pacific Heights, Wheatman created edited interiors, restrained yet poetic.

New York, full-service design firm, Halden Interiors is attracting well-deserved attention from all corners of the design industry. Founded and led by talented principal designer, Kesha Franklin, Halden is transforming a wide array of commercial and residential spaces on both coasts.