2025 SF Decorator Showcase: 6 High‑Impact, Hand‑Feel Design Ideas You Can Bring Home
- Nina Yasavul
- May 30
- 5 min read
Pearl‑grey fog wrapped Pacific Heights in silver gauze, carrying the clean scent of salt air and the faint clang of a cable car bell—picture‑perfect for a sunrise Reel.
Big takeaway: great design lives in the story it tells. Yet the real electricity flickered behind velvet ropes at 2935 Pacific Avenue—a Georgian shell reimagined by 19 Bay‑Area design studios. This wasn’t just a style pageant; it was a masterclass in story‑driven living—rooms that made guests linger and materials that felt instantly timeless. Here’s what you can infuse into your own home right now.
Pressed for time? Skip ahead to 6 Showcase Ideas or Book your complimentary 20‑minute discovery calland let’s tailor these insights to your home.
Narrative Rooms Create Lasting Memories
Forget trend‑led décor; narrative rooms endure. The most reposted space—Geoffrey De Sousa’s blush‑and‑malachite salon—anchored its palette with a vintage Sir Isaac Julien film still. Guests quoted its story at valet—and every social post about it captured imaginations far beyond Pacific Heights. One of my own clients messaged me that evening, saying the salon reminded her of her grandmother’s rose‑scented drawing room—proof that a well‑told story travels straight to the heart.
Try this at home: Before buying a single piece, write a three‑line story of what you want the room to feel like. Pin it to your mood board so every choice serves the narrative.
Narrative Rooms, layers and radcical layerings from 2025 SF Decorative Showcase.
Layers That Move the Eye
Spaces that layered textures—think plaster murals next to velvet fringe, the satisfying rasp of lime‑wash meeting velvet pile—felt dynamic from every angle, even without fancy editing.
• Plaster + brass (matte meets gleam)
• Bouclé + lacquer (soft pile against high shine)
• Linen + patinated metal (earthy cool to the touch)
Try this at home: Mix at least two tactile finishes (e.g., lime‑wash + polished metal) to create movement even when the room is still.
Radical Pairings Make a Room Unforgettable
Honed limestone floors beneath chrome pendants; 19th‑c samurai screens flirting with AI murals. The risk paid off: every visitor paused, touched, and asked questions.
On Instagram, these bold juxtapositions clocked a 42 % higher save rate than neutral rooms—data that turns daring design into measurable buzz.
Try this at home: Dare to combine opposites—rustic stone with polished chrome, or antique textiles with digital art—then balance the rest of the palette to let that duo shine.
Narrative Rooms, layers and radcical layerings from 2025 SF Decorative Showcase.
From Velvet Ropes to Your Rooms
Below: six quick moves to translate showcase grandeur. A quick exhale, a flick of imagination—and the grandeur of Pacific Heights can ripple straight into your everyday spaces.
Here’s how:
6 Showcase Ideas you can try at home.
6 Showcase Ideas You Can Try at Home
Showcase Idea | Why It Works | How to Adapt at Home |
Paint‑on Plaster Murals | Creates tactile art, vanquishes glare. | Invite a local decorative artist to craft a bespoke plaster mural; watch the walls gain quiet depth as each layer cures. Try: Portola Paints Lime Wash Starter Kit for sample tones. |
Half‑Moon Islands | Creates a welcoming gathering zone that’s gentle on knees and perfect for family flow. | Trace a gentle half‑moon on graph paper, then lay cardboard cut‑outs on your floor to feel the flow before you build. Try: Use the free printable Half‑Circle Template from InchCalculator.com |
Parametric Furniture | Acts as functional art and an instant focal point. | Invest in one sculptural statement piece—think a curvy console or faceted coffee table—to anchor the room and spark conversation. Find: B Zippy & Co. Faceted Collection via https://thefutureperfect.com/designer/b-zippy (inquire for console) |
Hand‑Painted Millwork | A small detail that delivers outsized luxury. | Invite a decorative painter to rim your door frames with a slim contrast stripe—an instant jewel box effect for minimal spend. Try: Order individual Farrow & Ball Colour Testers (100 ml) from their official site |
Mismatched Doorways | Creates architectural intrigue and invites a moment of pause. | When planning a renovation, transform one doorway into an arch or soft ellipse—greeting everyone with an instant sense of grace and arrival. Consider: Ready‑to‑install MDF arch kits from Archways & Ceilings. |
Ceiling‑Fixture Echo | Draws the eye upward and instantly makes the room feel loftier. | Repeat a motif from your rug onto the ceiling medallion or pendant—guiding the gaze upward and gifting the room instant height and drama. Try:Kyle Bunting custom rug samples & patterned ceiling medallions from Architectural Depot. |
Room‑by‑Room Highlights:
SF Decorator Showcase 2025 Design Ideas -
Pieces We Can’t Stop Thinking About
Perfection, distilled.
Lighting
Kelly Hohla Interiors – “Marine Layers” Family Room: Blackman Cruz sconces casting amber pools at dusk.
Navarra Design – Modern Library: Ceiling‑fixture echo drama—Fromental wallpaper overhead mirrors a custom hair‑on‑hide rug below.
L+P Interiors – Kids Bedroom: A ceramic lamp by Daniel Shapiro punctuates the romantic bird wallpaper.
Share your favorite lighting upgrades using #ShowcaseSconces and tag @ninadesigncompany to be featured.
Surfaces & Textiles
Willem Racké – Pantry Nook: Venetian‑plaster mural brushed in watery sages and clays—art that hugs the architecture.
Kelly Hohla – “Marine Layers” Family Room: Dining chairs by Rosemary Hallgarten in nubbly bouclé; sofa cloaked in Fog & Furry’s tactile wool‑blend.
Lauren Berry Interior Design – Primary Bathroom: Patinated wood walls meet vanilla onyx vanities and a bronze‑topaz soaking tub; marble doorway frames the scene.
Strata Landscape – Roof Terrace: Felix Muhrhofer terrazzo coffee tables catching the sky; Sandra Jordan alpaca cushions invite lingering.
Our favourite surfaces and textiles from 2025 SF Showcase rooms.
Seating & Sculptural Furniture
John Lyle – Modern Salon: Brushed‑brass sculptural chairs upholstered in eclectic Holland & Sherry fabric; door frames hand‑painted by Eva‑Lena Rehnmark.
Navarra Design – Modern Library: Dining chairs dressed in joyful Pierre Frey textile.
Ansley Majit – Teen Suite: Custom embroidered pendant echoes ceiling mural; glossy artistic tiles line the bath.
JKA Design – Rooftop Lounge: The textures of Sandra Jordan alpaca fabric covered sofa and Designers Guild fabric at the window seat, funky lounge chairs of Sean woolsey Studio, Blue Green Works Palm Floor Lamp from Future Perfect, and the glass brick island bar of Jhon K Anderson.
Sabah Manor – Atelier of Dreams: John Pomp lounge chair and J. Liston bird sculpture amid Caroline Lizarraga’s mural and rope installation.
Katherine Webster – Garden Terrace: Barthalome ceramic stools planted with living succulents.
Katie Monkhouse – Garden Apartment Kitchen: Half‑moon island, cleverly cloaked hood, and Dedar‑upholstered sofa that softens every hard edge.
Geoffrey De Sousa – Theatrical Living Room: Artisan‑made furniture bridging modern restraint and traditional romance.
Our favourite surfaces and textiles from 2025 SF Showcase rooms.
Design That Gives Back
Since 1977 the Showcase has raised $19 M for UHS scholarships—proof that design’s narrative deepens when beauty funds brighter futures. They are still keeping the same mission this year too with SF Decorator Showcase 2025 design ideas. You can reach out to more information from Architectural Digest's article about the Showcase.
Thought starter: Consider sourcing at least one element from a maker with a give‑back mission—your home gains depth, and your purchase has purpose. *What story of generosity might your walls one day tell?
Partnering with a local charity can also secure press beyond design circles—philanthropy draws eyes (and hearts) well outside the interiors world.*
Our favourite surfaces and textiles from 2025 SF Showcase rooms.
If your walls are whispering for attention…
invite a Complimentary 20‑Minute Design Discovery Call
Send me a quick DM with the word “SHOWCASE” on Instagram @ninadesigncompany, or simply pick a time in the calendar link below.
Receive a personalised Loom walk‑through of your space—style opportunities, material suggestions, and a next‑step game plan.
Receive a curated materials palette within 48 hours—swatches, finishes, and suggested pairings tailored to your project.
Walk away with a three‑step roadmap to bring Showcase‑level sophistication into your everyday living.
With velvet‑rope warmth and ideas you can live in,
Nina Yasavul
Principal Designer & Founder,
Nina Design Co.
Bay Area interior designer crafting narrative‑rich, timeless homes