What were your early design influences and how did you decide to become a designer?

I grew up in the Bay Area.  My parents were immigrants–my Dad was from Holland and my mom from Scotland and our home was a combination of Danish Modern and Mid-Century Modern. Because they were immigrants they really emphasized pursuing studies that would lead to employment so I studied math and went into business.

However, I was always drawn to design, partly because I was dyslexic and so resorted to creative visual pursuits like painting and drawing. I’d always taken drafting and art classes on the side, which came in handy when I bought my first condo and began to decorate it.  That process taught me a lot of things including how to put together permit proposals and I eventually went on to become a certified kitchen & bath designer.

And now you’ve designed a line of carpets for California Carpet—how did that come about?

They approached me.  I’d been doing custom carpets for clients for years. Like most designers you find that what you want often doesn’t exist.

What were the inspirations for these designs?

Each carpet has a connection to something I’ve seen in my travels or developed through working with my clients but they’re all named for areas in San Francisco that inspire me. The Mission‘s star and cross pattern came about after I’d spent time in Europe and North Africa.

The Hayes also has a strong African influence and a very ethnic feel.

I always loved playing with an Etch-a-Sketch as a kid and I still gravitate towards repeated patterns and shapes.  You can see that in the diamond pattern in The Market.

The Marina goes in the other direction.  It’s highly unpredictable and unrestricted pattern is reminiscent of a paint splatter.  I designed it for a creative teen girl’s room in a recent San Francisco showcase house.

What makes this collection unique?

The rugs are very good quality and all customizable–you can have them made in any color combination and size.  They’re also affordable.  An 8 x 10 runs $3,000, which is in that sweet spot between inexpensive and expensive.

What would you pair them with?

Solid furnishings and layered accents mostly but you could easily add a geometric, floral or stripe.  Because the patterns are bolder it’s easier to layer bolder patterns.

Where do you go for design inspiration here in the Bay Area?

I’m a visual learner so I love to explore small boutique shops in the city or antique shops in the Wine Country.  I also frequent flea markets as well as art and museum exhibits.

What times and places are calling to you now?

Right now I’m very interested in Deco so I’m looking for those details wherever I can find them. I’m hoping to go to Spain this summer but I’d also like to make my way to Russia and Eastern Europe—places I’ve never been before.

How do you relax and revive?

I reboot physically by dancing, playing tennis and kickboxing.  That said, I really love being in a calm, quiet environment and my favorite thing to do is sit on the sofa with my teenage boys and cuddle.  I know that won’t be the case for long so I’m making the most of it now!

“With Twitter and other tech innovators nearby, they wanted something that would attract the younger crowd that’s rejuvenating this area of San Francisco,” says Dittmar.

Dittmar started with a lively Jonathan Adler print as the backdrop for the whole design. Then he designed a custom headboard to accommodate the queen set mattress from McRoskey’s Classic line and created a seating area featuring 1950s Knoll chairs upholstered in a Trina Turk floral print and a 1970s Lucite ottoman topped with a shaggy Mongolian lambskin cushion. A large-scale painting of a stylized pillow by contemporary realist Jay Mercado hangs nearby.

The headboard, chairs, draperies and bedspread use to-the-trade fabrics from Kravet but many of the other items in the room are available from retailers.  For example the striped carpet is from Flor and the chairs and ottoman are from Stuff, a local antique collective.  Dittmar repurposed a lambskin pillow from West Elm for the ottoman cover and found the embroidered Trina Turk bed pillow at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

“I like a mix of high and low elements—it’s a good look for any room,” says Dittmar.

Dittmar recognizes that these colors might be a little intense—“unless you live in Palm Springs”—but says that no matter what colors or furniture you use in a bedroom, the overall goal should be to make the space comfortable.  “Whether it’s bold or quiet, it should be a place you want to cocoon.” Here are some other bedroom design tips from Dittmar.

The money’s in the mattress (not under it):  A well-constructed mattress – whether on a box spring or a platform – and the appropriate sleep pillows provide the best foundation for good sleep.   The “top of bed” should be as luxurious as you can make it with high-thread count sheets and pillowcases and finishing touches like a coverlet and bed skirt.

Go ahead, drape the walls:  Curtains behind the bed – whether or not there is a window – give the illusion of height to a room and add a sumptuous textural layer to the space.   No need to hang art or a mirror over the bed, which is a no-no on shaky ground, as we have in California.  (Although your cat, if you have one, may find the “curtain wall” irresistible for climbing.)

Cozy to the touch:  Fabrics like linen, wool, cotton sateen, silk, nubby bouclé and textural matelassé’s as well as faux – whether fur, leather or animal hides – for curtains, upholstery and bedding help create a cocoon, while a rug, carpet or even carpet tiles provide a sturdy yet soft feel underfoot.

Hue are you:  Color can convey your personality, creating a familiar and relaxing environment. An all-white or monochromatic environment appeals to the quiet types, while a bold and bright color palette suits someone with high energy.

One night stand: You don’t always need a pair, and modern options can be both sculptural and functional, instead of bulky. Instead, pair a nightstand on one side of the bed with a light fixture on the other. Alternately, create a cozy seating area near the bed – a private place to escape from the main parts of the house, particularly those with open-layout plans. Or for smaller rooms, use a desk, which can do double duty as nightstand and workstation.

Art as a sleep aid: Paintings with either sleep-suggestive or sleep-literal themes–such as a pillow painting–can help relax the body and mind.

Images by David Duncan Livingston