Sonoma’s Christine Curry: Life on the color wheel

The gray and white color scheme that has filled design magazines and been ubiquitous in new homes and renovations for ages is finally starting to fade. 'We are going back to richer tones and woods,' Sonoma interior designer Christine Curry said, adding: 'But white will always be classic.'

Curry, along with her husband Jon Curry, a general contractor who owns Landers Curry, has been designing homes in Sonoma for 18 years. Specializing in new construction and major renovations, she is usually involved helping owners make lasting decisions – choosing flooring, plumbing fixtures, tile, cabinet finishes and furniture. But she also shares ideas on how to freshen a home with budget constraints in mind.

January, when people are inside more, noticing all that needs to done around the house, is when resolutions to refresh interiors are rampant. Curry, who is usually redesigning at least eight and as many as 14 homes around the Valley at any given time, realizes not everyone can afford professional design services.

And she knows that most people want a comfortable home where they don't have to fuss or worry that their design choices can be easily ruined. 'People are always telling me, 'We have kids and dogs and we entertain a lot and we want our home to be liveable.''

What's her favorite tip? Dimmers. 'Always, always, always, put dimmers on your lights. They completely change a room, making it look elegant.' Lighting is so important, and she says it should be layered with multiple types of lighting in every room – recessed, lamps and fixtures like pendants and sconces. And she said no matter what your budget, never forget the power of candlelight. (Curry is a big fan of crystal chandeliers, and has one hanging in her design studio.)

Her next tip? 'Edit, edit, edit,' she said, explaining you often can make your home look newly vibrant just by taking things out and not necessarily getting anything new. 'Clear the clutter. Put collections in groups,' she said, 'and group them in odd numbers,' with three to five things joined together being optimal. 'If you have a clock collection make a statement by putting them all on one shelf, not all over everywhere.'

Paint, of course, is the obvious change-all. But does anyone remember stripping wallpaper and swearing it would never enter their home again? Gone from the scene for more than two decades, wallpaper is in again. 'Wallpaper is big right now and it is not a super expensive thing to do.'

She also advises new cushions, pillows, throws and accessories as ways to give a room a new look, and that changing cabinet hardware is a good way to update a kitchen.

Curry's studio is housed in an iconic stone building on East Spain Street just off the Plaza. She said people often photograph it and some even ask to come in. She painted the entire space, including the floor, white. Tucked in one corner is an elegant tray filled with fine spirits, which she said is another design trend. 'We are swinging back to retro-beautiful, including gorgeous cocktails and having the bottles, the prettier the better, exposed.'

She said flooring makes a huge impact and that classic wood or stone are superior choices. Many of her clients love the earthiness and sustainability of reclaimed wood. Rugs are important, too, to soften and warm, but she is definitely not a fan of carpet. 'Carpet is only OK in bedrooms.'

The Currys have bought, renovated and lived in four homes in Sonoma, and are currently building a new one that they will be moving into soon. 'We love doing it,' she said, and says they think they will make two more moves before they build their forever home here. Their daughter, Emma, recently graduated from college in San Diego and is staying there for now with long-term plans to return. 'She realizes this is a wonderful place to live and she wants to come back when she's ready and make this her home.'

Curry is a Houston native, first coming to Silicon Valley 30 years ago where she had a career in commercial design, often working on high-tech office buildings. Her husband has roots in the Valley, and she remembers from the first time he brought her here she knew this is where she wanted to spend their life together.

'The preservation of this town is very important to us and it is very reflective in everything we do. We want to keep the charm, that's what we believe in.'

Curry once owned the gift shop Etre and Etre Beauty on the Plaza and is still passionate about retail. She is planning to open pop-up sales of home décor in her studio starting in the spring.

'It's their personal vision of how they want to live,' she said, explaining that she helps clients choose things that work and tell their story. 'I interpret what my clients want and guide them, explaining why to do one thing over another.'

And here's her easiest tip to make a home welcoming and new – flowers.

Even if you cut greenery from the backyard it adds a natural touch. 'Flowers are the most wonderful thing you can do to make a home feel beautiful.'