The Difference Between Expensive and Elevated
Why the most refined homes depend on proportion, restraint, materiality, and a clear point of view.
From the Atelier
On proportion, patina, and the experience of home. Notes from a California interior design studio shaping thoughtful, enduring spaces. Written by Esther Lundstrom, founder of Lundstrom Interiors. Published twice monthly.
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Why Expensive Rooms Don’t Always Feel High-End
A room can be filled with beautiful things and still not feel elevated.
Why I Always Design the Ceiling First
The most overlooked surface in your home is the one doing the most work.
On Patina, Light, and Age: Why I Design With Materials That Get Better Over Time
The way time reveals itself through surface, shadow, and the rooms we return to.
Indoor-Outdoor Living: Lessons from the California Hills
One of the reasons people move to the California hills is the promise of living outside as much as inside.
Why Certain Rooms Feel Timeless
Every few years there's a new "timeless" trend. First it was all gray. Then white oak. Then boucle. Now it's color drenching and medieval-inspired interiors.
Design Decisions That Change the Feeling of a Home
The difference between a home that feels resolved and one that does not is rarely what you see first. It is what you register.
Why Certain Rooms Feel Timeless
On proportion, material, and the quiet discipline of restraint
Why Hiring an Interior Designer Isn't Just About Picking Furniture
Your taste is the starting point. My job is to take it somewhere you couldn't have gone alone.