We lived in a small home in San Francisco just minutes from Candlestick Park. By the time I was 6 months old we moved to Marin County and into the sweetest little mid-century marvel. Complete with Nursery Rhymn murals painted on each of the walls in our little girl rooms, built in plant atrium and landscape windows that looked out at beautiful Mt. Tamalpias.

My father worked as an electrician, refrigeration and engineer specialist while my mommy, who starred in many of her Galileo High School plays, was a devoted and loving mommy. Always with the hi-fi going playing Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra records with the faint smell of some awesome sugo and pasta bubbling in the background.

My sister Doreen, four years older than I, was always there lurking around every corner to pounce. I grew up with a strong sense of the value of “things.” My father and mother knew quality and kept all the home furnishings in great condition. I think I feel in love with interiors when I was a little girl and mother would have me polishing the Danish Modern furniture in our house. I loved doing it. What a feeling of satisfaction to watch that teak shine! A kind of mid-century modern meditation.

I had a tendency to rearrange my room nearly everyday. Always something different which drove my dad nuts. He liked order and from him I learned to like it too. I just wanted my own kind of order.

My friend Shelly and I would have lemonade sales in the summer in front of our house in Marin County and with that money I would head to all the garage sales within a 3 block radius and buy up all the cool old stuff. I did not care what it was so long as it had that old antique vintage look, I loved it.

To my dismay I went through a period in the 70s where I ended up selling all that stuff at our own garage sales. What hurt dad the most was when I let my comic book collection go. Ouch. I could probably retire on what those would fetch now. Oh well.

I became obsessed with all things mid-century in my early 20s and thus began the collecting. I have in my personal collection some real gems. Prototypes of Eames, McCobb, Heath... you name it I have it.

I love color and also creative writing and have written many short stories. In the fall of 2007 I met my future husband Jerry Stuart at my sister's wedding. he was officiating the wedding and we fell madly in love. He is the love of my life. He is an amazing Fine Art painter and an all around wonderful man. I was reading some of my short stories to him and we both realized that nearly all the stories are about fine art painters or collectors...hmmm... how did I know and yet not know? Life is unusual.

I decided in the year 2006 after working long hours as a buyer for the McCloud River Mercantile in California that it was time to launch my own store.  Thus Renovaré was born.

Renovaré means to renew, restore and revive in Latin. How perfect a name is that. My sweet husband gave me the name after I went all bent on a “Let’s Learn Latin” kick. We were talking one night and he said, "hey, let's call the store Renovaré." He's cute and smart too.

I am also a trained Technical Librarian which in a nut shell means I know the Dewey pretty darn well and did a lot of cataloging of books and periodicals. Seven years of my life were spent working at the Belvedere Tiburon Public Library. What a great job and amazing intelligent women to be around. That training further increased my ability to work linear while thinking abstract. To me that is the key to business success and perhaps success in life in general.

We will add to this tale as life progresses. We are so excited to get to know all of our new customers and your families. We are here to serve you.