California Is Our Italy

Styling Rustic Spaces with Epicurean Heart

At West Coast Curio Design, we’ve always believed that the most compelling spaces aren’t staged—they're felt. They speak with layers, textures, and memory. And more often than not, they borrow from landscapes we carry in our hearts. For many of us, two places in particular live there: California and Italy.

Kindred Terrain: It’s no accident that so many Californians romanticize Italy. The resemblance goes beyond moodboards and wine preferences. These two places share a topography—coastal ridgelines, sun-drenched valleys, olive groves, citrus trees, and vineyard-covered hills. They share a temperament too: passionate, artful, regionally diverse, and a little wild in the best way.

Wherever you stand—in a Sonoma tasting room, on a hillside in Tuscany, or in your own kitchen in Santa Maria—you’re never far from that feeling. The one where time slows down and you remember that beauty isn’t something you buy. It’s something you live with. It's this mood that inspires our Coastal Vineyard collection.

A Curated Vignette: In one of our recent scenes, we styled a rustic moment around that idea—a California kitchen dreaming in Italian.

Anchoring it all is a watercolor landscape. At first glance, it could be Umbria or Napa. That painterly softness sets the tone: romantic, earthy, and expansive. It draws the eye in like a window. Curating a corner can begin with a favorite art piece. Pulling color and inspiration from the art that called to you is a compliment to the piece itself.

Around it, a story unfolds:

• A hammered metal charger plate, rich with patina and Old World charm.

• A soft, hand-carved wooden vase that could have come from a Central Coast roadside artist or a small Umbrian village.

• A seafoam ceramic colander—pierced, worn, and wonderfully wabi-sabi.

• Woven napkins in copper rings, layered and luxe without trying too hard.

• And a perfect pop of color: ceramic lemons, plucked straight from a daydream.

  
  

Epicurean Styling, California-Style: This is the heart of West Coast epicurean design. It’s about creating moments that feel generous, not precious. Unfussy, yet intentional. Think vintage baskets, imperfect clay vessels, big wood bowls, hand-painted ceramics, linens with history, and materials that invite you to touch and use them.

We style like chefs build a menu: with regionality, seasonality, contrast, and a bit of flair. Our ingredients just happen to be vintage ceramics, rustic copper, textured glass, and objects that feel like they belonged to someone—because they did.

The Romance of Everyday Living: This isn’t just a styling trick. It’s a philosophy. When you lean into this way of curating, your home becomes a living expression of travel, memory, and joy. You don’t need a passport or a villa—just a good eye, a love of stories, and a desire to live beautifully.

Italy and California may be worlds apart, but in our homes, they come together seamlessly. Because at their core, both places understand something essential:

Life is meant to be layered. Styled. Shared. And always, always savored.

Want more inspiration? Follow us @westcoastcuriodesign for more rustic styling, vintage curation tips, and stories behind the objects we love.