Hello. My name is Jim Rascoe, and I am one of the owners of Ireko, an interior design firm and retail furniture and home decor store here in Sonoma County, California.
After more than 25 years of interior design work throughout the county and the country, many of you suggested that writing this blog might be a great way to share some of the design projects Ireko has created and the techniques I’ve used in this ever-changing, and illusive world of interior design. So, I’ve decided to give it a try. I’d like this blog to encompass a series of topics, thoughts, and comments about questions my clients most frequently ask me. Let me know your thoughts!
Posted Under: Inspiration, Interior Design, Space Planning
Ireko is honored to have been chosen by several homeowners in Sonoma County to lead the design of their rebuilt homes, which were destroyed by the recent wildfires. One specific project in the Santa Rosa area, is a partnership between Ireko designers Jim and Michael and the architects at Harkey Construction. The team seeks to…
Posted Under: Accessories, Inspiration, Interior Design
With the shift to working from home, little touches around the house take on a greater significance. While most of us did not enjoy the commute to work, it was a chance to see the change of seasons, experience some new colors and get out of the house a little each day. The change of…
Posted Under: Furniture, Inspiration, Interior Design, Space Planning, Upholstery
Insights from an Interior Designer Sectional sofas have enjoyed a long period of popularity as an interior design element. Their popularity spiked when chain furniture stores began foisting the concept on customers as a quick fix. The piece does provide an easy, and often least expensive, solution to a seating problem – put one in…
Posted Under: Accessories, Inspiration, Interior Design
Consider the scale of each accessory When it comes to decorating with accessories, the single most important thing to consider is the use of scale; meaning making strong statements with fewer items. In other words, in one’s grandparents house accessories meant a lot of little things that made collections. In today’s home accessory world, the…
Posted Under: Accessories, Inspiration, Outdoor Design
One of the big perks of living in Northern California is the ability to enjoy the outdoors during the spring, summer and fall seasons—whether it’s exploring all the area has to offer or from the comfort and convenience of your own yard. But just because the temperatures drop and winter weather creeps into the forecast…
Posted Under: Inspiration, Outdoor Design, Space Planning
Stylish and comfortable outdoor living spaces offer the perfect place to relax and entertain all year. At Ireko, we approach exterior design projects from the perspective of creating the equivalent of an interior living space or floor plan in an outdoor setting. This entails creating one or more distinct sitting areas within a larger space….
Posted Under: Inspiration, Interior Design, Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important components of an interior design. It enhances the feel of a room and highlights important architectural details, artwork and focal points. Lighting also functions as art, defining the style of a room. A perfectly lit room blends a mixture of overhead lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. Good…
Posted Under: Furniture, Interior Design, Upholstery
At Ireko, we pride ourselves on the fact that we present to our interior design clients and the retail public, the best of all options in both design and affordability. We are proud to promote the use of high quality furniture and upholstery manufactured by American companies right here in California. We’d like to share…
Posted Under: Inspiration, Interior Design, Space Planning
At this time of the year, our clients’ thoughts turn to renovations and improvements to their vacation homes. Here at Ireko, we are thrilled to be working on a home in Kenwood with a design savvy couple based in Southern California. Though the design project is still underway, we wanted to share our progress. This…
Posted Under: Furniture, Inspiration, Interior Design
The owners of Ireko, Jim and Michael, pride themselves on helping repeat customers who decide to renovate their existing homes or start anew. Their latest project has them working with a previous client who, along with her partner, is a lifelong collector of art and antiques. The setting is an idyllic twenty-four acre property above…
