Inspiration on 4th Street

Whenever we need a shot of inspiration, we head over to Berkeley's 4th Street. We can count on these favorite home decor, crafting and fashion shops to always be merchandised with imagination and style.

Our first stop is often The Gardener, an emporium of exquisite handmade furniture, one-of-a-kind finds from all over the world, beautiful ceramics and jewelry (and, of course, plants). On our most recent visit we saw this wild wire-and-plant wall sculpture:

And we also admired this collection of ceramic bells hanging from rope over a long dining room table:

Leave it to The Gardener to create beautiful displays from humble pieces such as wire and rope!

Another must-see on 4th Street is Anthropologie. As we've talked about here before, we are always blown away by their store displays. Check out this great use of old cans:

Anthropologie is a feast for the eyes and the imagination (not to mention that they have the best clothes and incredible home decor!).

Some of our other favorites on 4th Street are:

Design Within Reach
Convert (the best sneaker selection for women, men and kids!)
CB2 (one of our most-shopped stores!)
Castle in the Air (a magical place full of paper, trimming, and inspiration)
Paper Source

The list could go on and on . . . 4th Street is a must-visit for anyone in the Bay Area who loves good design. Grab a coffee from Peet's and start window-shopping! (And try to make a day of it so you can treat yourself to lunch at Tacubaya!)

Using What You Have (and Love)

Nothing makes your space more personal than showcasing the things you love. Artfully arranged collections of items you already own can make a big impact. For example, we recently styled a client's mantle to spotlight his fabulous collection of bells:

And in this shot from Elle Decoration, various wood and rustic objects are grouped together to form a sculpture-like display:

photography by Debi Treloar

You can also group your treasures by color, as this shot from Apartment Therapy shows:

There are no hard and fast rules for building your displays, but one helpful tip: don't try to cram every single item in a collection onto your ledge, mantle or wall. Select just enough items to be balanced within the room, and then rotate in other items every month or so to keep your collection fresh.

The next time you feel an urge to change up your space, don't buy something new; instead, take a new look at what you already have. Challenge yourself to put together a display that shows your guests who you are and where you have been.