The Style Watch

Julie Carlson, 47, founder and editor of the new design blog Remodelista, has a great eye for urbane design (we especially liked her March 17 post on what she calls “the perfect domicile”: a charming London townhouse with cushy George Sherlock sofas, a modernist kitchen and, of course, creative clutter). This has not, according to the Mill Valley resident, gone unnoticed by major architects and design publications. “We have lots of subscribers from prominent residential architecture firms, and in a recent issue of Elle Decor, Remodelista was described as ‘a sophisticated gateway to high-end and hard-to-find items.’” Here, Carlson, who happens to also be a frequent contributor to our sister publication California Home + Design, lists for us the qualifications of a Remodelista extraordinaire. 

The Résumé

“A frugal Remodelista knows to patronize local artisan sales: the overstock-tile room at Sausalito’s Heath Ceramics and Berkeley-based Modern Economy’s fabulous sales on indie home design products at Fort Mason.”

“A forward-thinking Remodelista knows to sit out trends like antler chandeliers and focus on enduring classics. An Eames chair will never go out of style.”

A socially responsible Remodelista knows to visit the Summer House in Mill Valley [21 Throckmorton Ave., 415-383-6695] for Iman Deco’s inexpensive and extremely stylish outdoor seating, which is handmade by artisans in the African nation of Togo.”

“A self-assured Remodelista knows that bigger is not always better. She prefers to live in a small space that’s thoughtfully designed, rather than a cavernous house with too many rooms and mediocre fixtures and fittings.”