I need to plan a fall getaway!  San Francisco is calling my name.  I have lots of friends up north and a cousin too.  I definitely have the bay area on my mind these days!  San Francisco has a wonderful array of short term rental homes perfect for a vacation or longer stay! San Francisco has been on my mind lately and I’ve been spending some time looking into rentals. I discovered during my research that San Francisco is trying to shut down the number of rental properties like this so there are much fewer listings than in previous years. But not to worry! I found a handful of great spaces at various price points. Let’s check these homes out!

Tiny apartments are such a fun topic. As someone who lives in LA, I love having a spacious home and many rooms to decorate. It just feels like a complete space that represents me. Lately, I’ve been browsing some of my favorite interior websites and seeing a lot of small apartment design. It’s incredible how much you can fit in 500 sq feet or less.

If I had to describe my style, it’s a mix of traditional and modern, so I love a rustic modern home. This home from Kate Marker Interiors is the perfect combination of bright and neutral. Tall ceilings and larger than life chandeliers define this rustic home.

From the exteriors to the foyer, the continued color scheme throughout sets the tone for this beautiful house tour.

Take a look below!

Who says small spaces can’t do great things? This small apartment from Martin Brudnizki Design Studio proves big things can come from a well thought-out space.

Martin Brudnizki carefully designed this eclectic space, where almost every surface is covered with framed art including the kitchen cabinets. Such a cool use of a small space and making walls tell a story. Notice all the unique and perfectly blended artwork throughout the space working with and enhancing the open layout.

Okay I’m going to be honest here, I’ve seen J.Lo at work parties. I admired her outfits on screen, and truth be told I have always secretly been curious about her home design style. Whether or not it lived up to the hype of the superstar…I found this article describing her NYC Penthouse. I have to say, I was surprised at how much I liked it. Bright white, high ceilings, modern clean lines, and the perfect ‘cozy’ factor. I think all it’s missing is a COCOCOZY throw blanket and the house would be complete.

I need to brag about my dear friend Linda Grasso for a second.

Linda is the editor of Los Angeles magazine Ventura Blvd and the host of the SheSez with Linda Grasso podcast. She is a veteran journalist who interviews fascinating women about their bold, innovative, and sometimes badass moves. She and her husband Charlie recently remodeled the kitchen in their fantastic Encino home. They’ve lived in the house for years and have raised their sons there.

A little background, Linda and I go way back. We both worked at E! Entertainment Television, where we became friends after working on a project together. She has since been a fabulous confidant and consistent sounding board over the years! You may remember when she interviewed me on her podcast — which you can catch up on by clicking here.

Anyway, I went over to Linda’s house right before the remodel to have lunch with her and to brainstorm with her about fixtures, counters, the works. I loved her old kitchen… it had a Tuscan or French country feel to it. Linda and Charlie were ready for a change, though. This whole project started as an interior paint refresh, but it turned into a whole new kitchen. Like me, she is an avid cook and entertainer — so I understand her desire to create an inviting place that she’s proud of.

As far as exterior color goes, the house in this first picture is my inspiration for the color scheme on the exterior of the  COCOCOZY Design House! The inspiration house was designed by my COCOCOZY Design House partner, amazing real estate developer, Steve Jones of BetterShelter

I am in the process of picking all the exterior colors for the renovation of the stunning 1860-square-foot Spanish style home built in 1930 in the heart of View Park, LA. I have never had to make so many decisions in such a short amount of time other than right now. We started actual construction the first ever COCOCOZY Design House in the middle of April — and since then, I have been running around like crazy!!! Arghhhhh.

One of the decisions that was easiest for me was picking Benjamin Moore as the exclusive paint partner for the project. The Benjamin Moore team was nice enough to give me all of the paint for both interior and exterior of the home. I felt honored that this brand was open to the idea of working with me and my team on this inaugural COCOCOZY Design House.

Taking a quick break from the COCOCOZY Design House craziness for a Laurel Canyon home tour!

I lived just east of Laurel Canyon for such a long time, so this one hits home for me. I love the rustic nature of living in the hills above Los Angeles. One of my favorite things is finding a really refined spaced in the midst of the windy roads. This grand 1925 Mediterranean-style mansion belonging to interior designer Brigette Romanek and her husband Mark is quite fantastic. It is a 2800-square-metre untraditional family home (previously owned by legendary music producer Rick Rubin) that has true California refinement and obvious musical history.  

Let’s take a peek (below)!