RUE DAILY: A Napa-Inspired Poolside Cabana for parties

by Kat McEachern

When we hear about two interior designers collaborating on a project, we typically think of a massive-scale project like a boutique hotel or some not-to-be-named celebrity’s home. Not so for this project, a sunny poolside cabana in Walnut Creek, California. Former colleagues and friends, Heather Lund of Heather Lund Interior Design and Ania Omski-Talwar of Ania Omski-Talwar Interior Design, teamed up to transform this small space into a majority entertaining spot.

Room of the Day: Quick Turnaround for a Studio Apartment

by Annie Thornton

Designer Ania Omski-Talwar had four days to decorate and help her daughter, Mika Talwar, move into her first studio apartment. Omski-Talwar bought and assembled furniture, and painted every wall, in the under-200-square-foot space in Chicago, much of the time without electricity. She wanted to treat her daughter to something nicer than the typical college apartment. “She’s always been fiercely independent and never asked for much. It was a pleasure to do this for her,” Omski-Talwar says.

KITCHEN MAKEOVERS: Zinc Range Hood and a Limestone Fireplace Create a Timeless Look

by Jess McBride

After more than 17 years living in her Walnut Creek, California, home, designer Ania Omski-Talwar says the original kitchen was in need of a loving makeover. Though the project had various challenges, the toughest part of the kitchen renovation was replacing the flooring. There was an odd change of levels between the hallway and the original kitchen, and when the engineered hardwood was ripped out, she found out why: The thick subfloor was covered with 12-by-12-inch cork tiles that had been glued down tight. They splintered and yielded in tiny chips and took the contractor “forever” to fully demolish it.