Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
There's something to be said if your voice is heard almost three decades after your passing—which is exactly the case for Michael Taylor, one of SF's most iconic interior designers. He's "credited with creating the California Look" that seamlessly blends sophistication with an organic, effortless feel, according to the Chronicle. And his interior design successors have far from forgotten his tips and tricks.
Designer Grant K. Gibson remembers learning how to mix the luxe with the everyday finds, he tells SFGate:
What I learned from Taylor was not to be afraid of mixing high and low. He had Cost Plus, I have Target! I have been using Target shades since my first San Francisco Decorator Showcase space 10 years ago. I was a little bit nervous about that, as the Showcase is thought of as very high-end design. But I like the way that bamboo and natural-fiber window treatments add texture and diffuse the light very nicely, and the look is tailored and handsome. I don't think you would guess that these shades cost $40, especially since they are in the same room as antiques collected during trips to Paris.
He goes on to divulge a couple more design lesson learned from Taylor while designers Matthew MacCaul Turner and Kriste Michelini also add a handful to the pot. Read all the tips here—especially to learn Taylor's "simple philosophy" that can be applied to nearly all interiors.
· The Taylor inspiration still infuses design [SFGate]
· Jessie Black's Simple-Chic Home Shop and Atelier Is Now Open [Racked SF]
· Gawk at This Year's Stunning Designer Show House [Racked SF]