Established 2008

Bookshelf Wealth … what does it mean to you?

For a few months now, social media has been all about a craze called “Bookshelf Wealth.” The definition on Instagram is,  “A term that refers to the perceived wealth or status symbol of having a large collection of books in one’s home.” 

There are people showing all sorts of collection in bookshelves, books and otherwise, conversations about cultivating a display of education and status versus just enjoying the things you love on display, and hundreds and hundreds of posts that offer guidance on how to style the perfect shelves.

A textural treat for the senses with Silestone

No detail was overlooked by Wendy Glaister of Wendy Glaister Interiors once she was trusted to remodel this stunning home in Ripon, CA. Wendy and her team were inspired to create a design that provided a high contemporary look while still creating a warm and welcoming environment complemented with quality materials.

To achieve this cozy yet refined aesthetic, they used earthen materials such as concrete light fixtures, tadelakt fireplace wall finishes, cabinet wood laminate, and linen finishes. Additionally, Wendy specified Silestone in two colors: Kensho and Stellar Snow. Wendy has worked with Silestone many times in the past and continues to specify it for its beauty, 25-year transferable warranty, and quality – all elements she holds in high regard when selecting materials for her clients.

The kitchen was completely transformed, going from a small and cramped space with an inefficient layout to an open and functional space that is bathed in light. Wendy’s remodel of the layout included relocating the water heater which helped straighten the walls and allowed for a 6-meters wood grain laminate island with a flush inset workstation sink with 1.3 meters of space around it.

Two large fixed windows were added which meet the countertop for stunning views of the garden and let in natural light. There is also a new space for the stovetop and wok cooking, baking center, and added storage for their collection of appliances and cookware.

Silestone Kensho grounded the gray color of the tile backsplash while Stellar Snow brought the green in the backsplash forward. They were in perfect harmony with the custom laminated cabinets and metal shelving, providing a textural treat for the senses.

Flooring Liquidators Makes a Dream Come True

When I returned to school to earn my degree in interior design, I made a very sweet friend, Ana Sandoval. I was at least 20 years older than most people in my class, and Ana went out of her way to be kind to me and help me with tech things I didn’t completely grasp.

After we graduated, we lost touch, as many friends do. But two years later, I heard that she and her mother had been in a terrible car accident…struck by a repeat offender drunk driver. Her mother was killed and Ana was paralyzed from the chest down. I heard that Ana was going to come back to the area for a visit to see family and friends (she had moved to the LA area for treatment and for care). I arranged for several of our classmates to get together over lunch to visit with Ana and hopefully give her some encouragement.

The lunch was such a treat for us all and we vowed to stay in better touch. Several months later, Ana reached out to me and asked for my help. She said that the California Victims Compensation Fund would help her with the cost of renovating her home so that she could move back and live a more independent life. She’d had trouble navigating the bureaucracy and thought I might be able to help.

I agreed and set about making a plan. We drew up scale plans for a complete master suite and kitchen renovation to allow Ana to live and work independently in her home. We submitted bids and specifications to the state and were told that the budget set aside for Ana would not even cover the cost of the Master Suite renovation. The agency proposed Laurel Mississippi level funding for a California makeover. We were discouraged but not dissuaded.

I approached my good friend, Amelia Wallace, my flooring advisor at House of Carpets, owned by Flooring Liquidators, for help. She brought the project to Steve Kellogg, owner of Flooring Liquidators, and he committed materials to the cause.

We went several rounds with CVCF to clarify Ana’s injuries and special design considerations necessary to meet her particular needs. At one point her case was accidentally closed and we had to petition the agency to re-open it. We walked 3 separate contractors through the space and only one of them, Dean Adkins of Adkins Construction, agreed to commit. With Dean spearheading the team, Joe Smith, from API Architects in Modesto, agreed to do our drawings for permits to proceed…free of charge. The City of Ceres gave us the green light and the project was a go.

Many of our local partners helped us with the cost, allowing us to purchase at or just above cost to conserve the budget. In addition to Flooring Liquidators generous gift of the flooring, vanity countertop, shower surround and shower floor, we had assistance from Abe’s Discount Plumbing, Phillips Lighting and Home, Pursley’s Window Coverings and The Neat Freak, Co. Shelby Cornett of the Neat Freak Co. even raised money on a social media campaign to fund Ana’s custom closet solution from the Container Store and Shelby and her staff donated their time to move Ana into her new beautiful space.

It took seven years from the moment I agreed to take on the project to it’s completion. Round after round of plans, budgeting, injury clarification and justification for specialty design features, changes in caseworkers, state surveys of the site for code references and standards made it feel as though we may never be successful, but Ana’s patient spirit and the generosity of so many of our project partners made the project a beautiful success. Now Ana is back home, enjoying the independence of a master suite designed especially for her, able to see her friends and family and get the support of so many who love her in person.

Thank you, Flooring Liquidators, for your incredible support. You have changed my friend’s life forever and I am so grateful. And to all of those who came alongside to help….thank you for never giving up on the dream of a safe, secure space for Ana to enjoy every day.

34th Annual Arts Awards Finalists

DALLAS—Dallas Market Center and ART have announced the finalists for the 34th ARTS Awards.

A committee of industry experts evaluated hundreds of submitted nominations to determine the list of finalists. The announced finalists will submit materials for judging in the fall, and award recipients will be announced at a gala event in Dallas on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. Special category awards including Academy of Achievement and the HEARTS Award will be announced at a later date.

What’s New, What’s Now for fall 2023 interior design trends.

Hello friends! I’m just back from Las Vegas Market and wanted to share three very strong trends emerging in interior design. I hope that they’re a fun jumping off point for you as you consider furnishing your homes for the holidays. Remember, if you are thinking about new furniture for any areas of your home for the holidays, your orders need to be placed by the end of September for a chance at delivery before Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Trend One:

Pedestals. Yes, you read that right. Pedestals. Used to spiff up a corner or an entry near a staircase, or the end of a hallway, pedestals are popping up everywhere. At this vendor from Market, they chose to use onyx and to light them from within using LED lighting. If you’re not wild for a fiddle leaf fig tree in corners to take up visual space, this is an excellent option.

Trend Two:

Quiet Warm Neutrals. Forever and ever it seems, gray was the number one neutral being used in upholstery, window coverings and area rugs. But gray can read cold, if the undertone is blue. Research shows that warmer colors and colors with a green undertone are more likely to create a sense of calm and wellbeing. Enter in: Quiet Warm Neutrals. Demonstrated to excellent effect in the Hooker Furniture showroom and the Norwalk Furniture showroom, you can see the presence of taupes, beiges and black as a grounding contrast.

Trend Three:

Large Scale Floral Influence. Biophilic design is more and more the “thing” in home decor and lighting and furniture showrooms really embraced the nod to nature at  this market. The flower coffee table from Hooker Furniture, statement making light fixtures from Hudson Valley, and floral prints on upholstered furniture at Norwalk all allude to this emerging trend.

As you plan to deck your halls, I hope you’ll consider taking advantage of one or more of these treat-to-the-eye trends. Just a few little touches will instantly elevate your space with a contemporary feeling that brings warmth and drama to rooms where they are applied.

Considering an interior design competition? Wendy Glaister reveals her secrets

Wendy Glaister has been designing luxury residences throughout California for 17 years. Her work has won many awards, most recently from California’s Best of 209 competition (a Gold for Interior Design 2023 and Silver for Kitchen/Bath Remodeling 2023), as well as from ASID California/Central Nevada (ANDYZ Awards for 2023 Best Individual Residential Space Over 3,000 sq. ft. and 2023 Best Showroom Design). Here she talks with us about her design competition strategy.

When did you win your first design award?

My first ASID award was in 2020 for Luxury Residential Bath for a really special home addition we did for the sweetest clients ever…who are sweet potato and almond farmers. The bathroom design was super glamorous and it was such a treat to be given this award.

My first ASID award was in 2020 for Luxury Residential Bath for a really special home addition we did for the sweetest clients ever…who are sweet potato and almond farmers. The bathroom design was super glamorous and it was such a treat to be given this award.

Kitchen design and decor

Golden State of Mind

A Designer creates the perfect haven for a growing family on the go. 
— By Chelsie Butler

When a busy California couple needed a major update to their residence, they hired designer Wendy Glaister Interiors, after they saw her work on Houzz. The clients are busy physicians who work long hours and were expecting their first child. They wanted to make this forever home truley theirs aesthetically, spacially, energetically and functionally. 

"The house is in Ripon, Calif., which is an idyllic location, and although it had the guts of a great family home, it needed a lot of work. We pretty much took it down to the studs, and there was not one surface that wasn't touched. With their inspiration photos, I was able to clearly understand their aesthetic."

Kitchen design and decor

Last Look – RN Retreat

Wendy Glaister is the founder of Wendy Glaister Interiors, based in Modesto, CA. “We come alongside you, offering the organization, expertise, technical knowledge and designer’s aesthetic that will make pulling your project together fun, not frustrating,” she says of her business’s focus.

We coined this project “RN Retreat.” The remodel was designed in August 2020 in the midst of Covid. The client, an ICU charge nurse at a local hospital, wanted a serene place to be with her husband and a timeless design that was visually calming — an escape after a hectic day.

Las Vegas Design Center, ASID Announces 9th Annual ANDYZ Winners

ANDYZ Award winners for 2023.

Las Vegas Design Center (LVDC) and the California Central/Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) today announced 15 winners of the 9th Annual ANDYZ Awards. All 2023 finalists were recognized, and winners were announced at an in-person awards ceremony at Las Vegas Market, which runs through Thursday, August 3, at World Market Center Las Vegas.

“Las Vegas Design Center is proud to partner with ASID to honor the incredible talent and creativity of the interior design community – from California and Nevada to Florida and Ontario,” said Cain Brodie, LVDC general manager. “The outstanding work of the 15 winners of this year’s ANDYZ Awards is an inspiration for the entire design trade.”