78 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM custom commitment melindamandell.com {home & design} ing the atmosphere vibrant and the seating comfortable for the clients’ book club guests. In a recent project, Melinda’s team revitalized every surface of an even earlier Tudor-Storybook hybrid, including electrical and plumbing. They opened up the main floor for modern living and added another bathroom, before optimizing unused space upstairs, significantly increasing the livable area within the existing footprint. What’s more, Melinda fashioned the bathrooms and kitchen from scratch while safeguarding the home’s character, preparing this beautiful centenarian home for its next hundred years. Looking ahead, Melinda describes her perfect future project. “I really am looking for clients excited about the creativity I’m going to bring to the table and open to the beauty of the creative process unfolding, their eyes open to new ideas.” earth, and procures nontoxic linen for headboards. For one project, she commissioned a custom-made spalted maple headboard. Another win-win for clients and the planet: Melinda selects Californiamade furniture, delivered blanket-wrapped, and American-made light fixtures packaged in brown paper, instead of imported lights packed in singleuse Styrofoam. Thanks to her highly skilled local artisan partners, “We can easily tweak their existing designs to meet our vision, or create something from scratch to meet client needs,” Melinda says. Whether homeowners want all-new custom pieces or a blend of new and vintage, Melinda’s artistry colors the entire project. The Palo Alto owners of a 1920s Tudor Revival home preserved their stunning wood floors and installed period dining room doors, including original hardware. Meanwhile, Melinda updated every space with new furnishings and fixtures, keepPHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF BESS FRIDAY
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