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Articles by Lotus Abrams
New SPACES: The Latest in Design in Restaurants, Wineries and More
From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations are not to be missed. Hauser & Wirth gallery interior, Photo by Glen Cheriton A century-old post office building in downtown Palo Alto has a new identity: It’s been reimagined as the sixth outpost of Hauser & Wirth gallery, founded in Zurich in 1992.
A House for Two: A Belvedere Home Reimagined for a New Chapter
Downsizing doesn’t have to mean downgrading. When a couple of longtime Belvedere residents decided to move from their 5,000-square-foot residence into a 1,700-square-foot down the hill, originally purchased as a rental, they enlisted mother-daughter team EJ Interior Design to help them transform it into a cozy retreat for the next chapter of their lives. What their new home lacks in size is made up for in luxurious intimacy.
A House for Two: A Belvedere Home Reimagined for a New Chapter
Downsizing doesn’t have to mean downgrading. When a couple of longtime Belvedere residents decided to move from their 5,000-square-foot residence into a 1,700-square-foot down the hill, originally purchased as a rental, they enlisted mother-daughter team EJ Interior Design to help them transform it into a cozy retreat for the next chapter of their lives. What their new home lacks in size is made up for in luxurious intimacy.
Lake Life: A Year-Round Cabana for Entertaining in Lake Tahoe
No matter the season, Lake Tahoe beckons visitors with stunning alpine scenery and a near-endless array of outdoor activities, from hiking, biking and skiing to boating and swimming. Eager to enjoy the lake year-round at their second home, a couple with grown children envisioned adding an entertaining cabana to the property. The challenge was finding a place to build it. This low-profile structure is designed to blend into the landscape.
Sonoma Escape: A Modern Farmhouse Retreat in Wine Country
Over the years, longtime San Francisco residents Aunkur and Tina have visited wine country many times, but one trip to Sonoma changed everything, ultimately inspiring them to build a retreat of their own. “During the summer of 2017, we decided to rent a farmhouse in Sonoma for the month of July,” Aunkur recalls.
Sonoma Escape: A Modern Farmhouse Retreat in Wine Country
Over the years, longtime San Francisco residents Aunkur and Tina have visited wine country many times, but one trip to Sonoma changed everything, ultimately inspiring them to build a retreat of their own. “During the summer of 2017, we decided to rent a farmhouse in Sonoma for the month of July,” Aunkur recalls.
Marin Gets its Very Own Design Week: A Q&A With Cofounder Dawn Zidonis
Dawn Zidonis — the cofounder and CEO of Design Bay Area and World Design Weeks — has spent over two decades championing the Bay Area as a global center for design and innovation. San Francisco Design Week (SFDW), which launched in 2006, is one of her early successes. Originally conceived as small local gathering for design professionals, the event is now an internationally recognized platform exploring the intersection of design, technology, innovation and sustainability.
Lasting Legacy: Napa Childhood Home Transformed into a Modern Family Retreat
How do you reimagine a childhood home as a weekend retreat for the next generation to build memories together? That was the challenge facing Rebecca Ivans Amato, owner and principal architect at Emeryville-based Amato Architecture, when a couple with grown children and grandchildren told her they were ready to renovate the husband’s childhood home in Napa.
Lasting Legacy: Napa Childhood Home Transformed into a Modern Family Retreat
How do you reimagine a childhood home as a weekend retreat for the next generation to build memories together? That was the challenge facing Rebecca Ivans Amato, owner and principal architect at Emeryville-based Amato Architecture, when a couple with grown children and grandchildren told her they were ready to renovate the husband’s childhood home in Napa.
Designing for Purpose: Lily Kanter Reimagines Her Historic Mill Valley Home for a New Chapter
Sitting in the expansive new sunroom of entrepreneur and philanthropist Lily Kanter’s historic hillside home in Mill Valley, among the treetops with light streaming through the windows, it’s not hard to imagine the space filled with guests. Open to a newly created great room, it’s an ideal space for entertaining a crowd.
New Horizons: A Sausalito Remodel Opens a Once-Cramped Layout and Maximizes Panoramic Bay Views
With views of the bay stretching all the way to San Francisco, a Mediterranean-style home in Sausalito captivated a couple from Southern California — despite a host of existing problems. After years of deferred maintenance, the 2,100-square-foot, three-story home’s framing and foundation were failing, and the layout of the lackluster interior was choppy and cramped. Still, the couple took the leap, envisioning the potential.
New SPACES: Design-Forward Restaurants and Destinations to Visit in the Bay Area
From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations are not to be missed. Photo by Kristen Loken Named for the trade winds that brought the flavors of Mexico across oceans, around the world and back home, modern Mexican restaurant Alisios is the newest dining addition to Menlo Park’s Springline development.
Where Art Meets Innovation: A Q&A With NODE founder Becky Kleiner
Art, technology, education and community converge at NODE, a new digital art exhibition space in Palo Alto. Since launching in January, NODE (and the nonprofit foundation of the same name) has hosted more than 70,000 visitors, including more than 45,000 for Beeple: / Infinite Loop, a mid-career survey of the work of Mike Winkelmann, known globally as Beeple.
Ready for a New Chapter: In Fairfax, a Home is Renovated for Empty Nesting and Family Visits
An empty nest prompted a couple in Mill Valley to search for a home to spend the next stage of their lives in — a place to both relax together and entertain friends and family. A 1920s-era, 2,700-square-foot home in Fairfax on an acre property overlooking the Mt. Tamalpais watershed was in need of a renovation, but they could see the potential. A new 400-square-foot ADU serves as a pool house and guest suite.
Ready for a New Chapter: In Fairfax, a Home Is Renovated for Empty Nesting and Family Visits
An empty nest prompted a couple in Mill Valley to search for a home to spend the next stage of their lives in — a place to both relax together and entertain friends and family. A 1920s-era, 2,700-square-foot home in Fairfax on an acre property overlooking the Mt. Tamalpais watershed was in need of a renovation, but they could see the potential. A new 400-square-foot ADU serves as a pool house and guest suite.
New SPACES This Summer: Restaurants, Spas and Wineries That Embody Good Design
From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations are not to be missed. BOA Napa Exterior, Courtesy of BOA Steakhouse With six locations already in popular destinations like West Hollywood and Las Vegas, BOA Steakhouse has opened at Casa Mani Resort in Napa Valley, featuring luxe interiors designed by Backen & Backen.
Where Family Comes First: A 1960s-era Waterfront Home in Belvedere Is Renovated to Make Memories Original
The grandchildren changed everything for a retired Atherton couple with a second home and grown children in Marin. As the family started to expand, the homeowners decided it was time to update their 1960s-era weekend home on the Belvedere Lagoon to serve as a gathering place for making new memories together, from baby showers to birthday parties.
Fabric and Flora: Tessa McMillan Shares the Inspiration Behind the Launch of Presidio Prints
Living in the Presidio of San Francisco for more than two decades has given Presidio Prints founder and designer Tessa McMillan a rich landscape to draw on for her collection of nature-inspired Belgian linen prints, released earlier this year. Here, she shares what motivated her to launch the colorful collection, how she develops new prints and how she gives back to environmental causes. How long have you lived in the Presidio?
Thinking in Three Dimensions: Petaluma Artist-Activist Marco Cochrane Sculpts With Purpose on a Monumental Scale
Artist-activist Marco Cochrane’s steel-and-mesh larger-than-life nude sculptures of women first stopped festival-goers in their tracks when they debuted at Burning Man over 10 years ago.
San Francisco Home
A century-old Pacific Heights townhouse gets a modern makeover — transforming it into a functional, light-filled space for a growing family.
Fresh Start: Santa Rosa Family Rebuilds a Resilient Dream Home
Born from loss, Shane Keck and Jamie Keck-Crozat’s new “forever home,” perched high in the hills of Santa Rosa, serves as a symbol of hope and resilience for the family. Within a span of three years from 2017 to 2020, Jamie and Shane, as well as Jamie’s mother and Jamie’s brothers all tragically lost their homes in the Northern California wildfires.
Kentfield Home Renovation Adds Space, Style and Mt. Tam Views
Though it wasn’t much to look at originally, a small, dated single-story home in Kentfield built in 1954 caught the attention of a couple seeking to move from Sonoma to Marin. The location was walkable to the nearby school, which was ideal for their young family, and it had a level front and backyard. Perhaps best of all, it was beautifully sited with views of Mt. Tam, so they decided to purchase the property.
Santa Rosa
After losing their home to wildfire, a family rebuilds in Santa Rosa — embracing resilience and a life spent outdoors.
Fresh Start: Santa Rosa Family Rebuilds a Resilient Dream Home
Born from loss, Shane Keck and Jamie Keck-Crozat’s new “forever home,” perched high in the hills of Santa Rosa, serves as a symbol of hope and resilience for the family. Within a span of three years from 2017 to 2020, Jamie and Shane, as well as Jamie’s mother and Jamie’s brothers all tragically lost their homes in the Northern California wildfires.
Must-See Design at the 2026 San Francisco Decorator Showcase
The event design-lovers and industry pros look forward to every year is here: The 2026 San Francisco Decorator Showcase, now in its 47th annual season, has unveiled this year’s transformed residence in Pacific Heights, a Queen Anne-style Victorian located at 2315 Broadway.
Kent Woodlands 1930s Home Renovation Transformed for Modern Family Living
A Kent Woodlands family of five’s renovation experience is a tale that will sound familiar to many homeowners: What started out as a small-scale remodeling project ultimately encompassed the whole house. When the homeowners decided to remodel the kitchen in their late 1930s-era, 4,100-square-foot house, they reached out to Ansley Majit, founding principal at Sausalito-based L+P Interiors, who had helped them remodel their mudroom and powder room a few years earlier.
Kent Woodlands
The home gets a fun, functional and sophisticated upgrade for a family of five.
A Kent Woodlands 1930s Home Is Transformed for Modern Family Living
A Kent Woodlands family of five’s renovation experience is a tale that will sound familiar to many homeowners: What started out as a small-scale remodeling project ultimately encompassed the whole house. When the homeowners decided to remodel the kitchen in their late 1930s-era, 4,100-square-foot house, they reached out to Ansley Majit, founding principal at Sausalito-based L+P Interiors, who had helped them remodel their mudroom and powder room a few years earlier.
New SPACES April 2026: Design-Forward Restaurants, Bars & Boutique Hotels to Visit
From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations are not to be missed. Photo by Kristen Loken Newly opened in Palo Alto, Bar Underdog was founded by Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly and chef Anthony Secviar, who met at The French Laundry and later opened the Michelin-starred Protégé across the street.
Garden of Plenty: An Ornamental Oasis in San Rafael
A verdant outdoor oasis in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael, Boris and Sydney Chen’s garden is lushly planted with more than 500 edible and ornamental plants and fruit trees. Boris, a hobbyist woodworker who works in the professional services industry, and Sydney, an ICU nurse and former professional horticulturist, undertook much of the property’s transformation themselves after moving to San Rafael from San Francisco a few years ago.
Garden of Plenty: An Ornamental Oasis in San Rafael
A verdant outdoor oasis in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael, Boris and Sydney Chen’s garden is lushly planted with more than 500 edible and ornamental plants and fruit trees. Boris, a hobbyist woodworker who works in the professional services industry, and Sydney, an ICU nurse and former professional horticulturist, undertook much of the property’s transformation themselves after moving to San Rafael from San Francisco a few years ago.
Ken Fulk Channels Laurel Canyon and Film Noir in His Bay Area Hotel Designs
Subtlety isn’t something renowned San Francisco-based interior designer and author Ken Fulk is known for. On the contrary, Fulk’s maximalist aesthetic — think lush colors, layered textures and patterns, and vintage furnishings — lends a decidedly luxurious, cinematic air to every project he touches, from homes to hotels.
Reviving a Mid-Century Treehouse in Kentfield Original
After falling for a rambling mid-century home in Kentfield, a family of four living in Greenbrae decided to make the move. There was plenty to love about the house, built in 1950: Surrounded by mature oaks affording plenty of privacy, the L-shaped residence framed a large courtyard and a pool. With a floorplan encompassing over 3,000 square feet over two floors, five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, there was room for the family to spread out, too.
A 1970s Stinson Beach Home Transformed Into a Modern Coastal Vacation Retreat Original
A 1974-era coastal contemporary home in Stinson Beach held undeniable allure for a couple with three teenage girls looking for a vacation property near their primary San Francisco residence. Among its assets, it offered a prime beachfront location, soaring ceilings in the main living area and plenty of space at close to 3,300 square feet. The house also had its drawbacks, however.
Trees, Technology and Togetherness: Mill Valley Artists Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg
Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg are not only partners in life; they’re also frequent collaborators in art. Shlain, an artist, filmmaker and writer, and Goldberg, a fellow artist and a professor of robotics at UC Berkeley, have joined forces to create the exhibit Ancient Wisdom for a Future Ecology: Trees, Time & Technology at di Rosa SF in San Francisco. The exhibition was launched in January 22 during San Francisco Art Week and will run until April 11.
New SPACES February 2026: Humanscale San Francisco, The Cottages at Little Saint Healdsburg and More
From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations are not to be missed. Photo Courtesy of Humanscale Known for designing and manufacturing ergonomic furniture intended to improve both well-being and performance on the job and at home, Humanscale has opened a new showroom in San Francisco’s Jackson Square.
A Cottage in the Woods: A Mill Valley Home Gets a Renovation for Modern Living
Tucked into a forested lot in Mill Valley, a pre-1900s-era cottage held immediate appeal for a family of four moving to Marin from San Francisco. The 2,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home had plenty of charm, including authentic original details like Douglas fir wall and ceiling paneling and a plated glass and wood front door. The interior, however, was dark and dated, and an unfinished utility space took up valuable real estate behind the kitchen and living room.
A Cottage in the Woods: A Mill Valley Home Gets a Renovation for Modern Living
Tucked into a forested lot in Mill Valley, a pre-1900s-era cottage held immediate appeal for a family of four moving to Marin from San Francisco. The 2,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home had plenty of charm, including authentic original details like Douglas fir wall and ceiling paneling and a plated glass and wood front door. The interior, however, was dark and dated, and an unfinished utility space took up valuable real estate behind the kitchen and living room.
A Record Number of Attendees Turned Out to Support SFMOMA at This Year’s FOG Design+Art Preview Gala
Mayor Daniel Lurie, Diana Nelson and Chris Bedford attend SFMoMA’s 2026 FOG Preview Gala. Photo by Drew Altizer.
A Record Number of Attendees Turned Out to Support SFMOMA at This Year’s FOG Design+Art Preview Gala
Mayor Daniel Lurie, Diana Nelson and Chris Bedford attend SFMoMA’s 2026 FOG Preview Gala. Photo by Drew Altizer The gala brought together collectors, curators, artists, designers and leaders across the art, design, business and technology sectors. As they perused the installations from more than 60 international galleries, Preview Gala guests sampled wines from the Donum Estate, along with signature cocktails and mocktails, and nibbled on sushi, dim sum and bao buns from McCalls Catering & Events.
A 1970s Ski House at Sugar Bowl is Re-envisioned for Modern Family Living Original
Nestled at the base of Mount Disney in the Sugar Bowl resort, a 1970s ski house seemed like an ideal base camp for a pair of art collectors and skiers from San Francisco and their two kids — except that it hadn’t been updated in decades. Besides the dated linoleum floors and shag carpeting, the lower floor of the three-story, 3,400-square-foot house had been separated to serve as a rental.
Four Weddings That Let Their Outdoor Settings Shine
Four local couples say I do their way by embracing a natural setting, from a backyard celebration to a wedding in nestled in the woods, to a dreamy Colorado mountain setting to tying the knot aboard a luxury yacht.
Trees, Technology and Togetherness: Mill Valley Artists Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg on Their SF Art Week Show
Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg are not only partners in life; they’re also frequent collaborators in art. Shlain, an artist, filmmaker and writer, and Goldberg, a fellow artist and a professor of robotics at UC Berkeley, have joined forces to create an exhibit launching at di Rosa SF in San Francisco on January 22 during San Francisco Art Week: Ancient Wisdom for a Future Ecology: Trees, Time & Technology.
FOG Design+Art is Almost Here! Here’s What to Expect
Contemporary art fans rejoice: FOG Design+Art is almost here, back for a 12th season with an exciting lineup of installations and programming across Piers 2 and 3 at Fort Mason Center for the Arts and Culture in San Francisco.
New SPACES January 2026: Emily Joubert’s Larkspur shop, Berkeley’s Bar Panisse and Equal Parts
From shops and showrooms that spark creative inspiration to product drops, dining hotspots and luxe lodgings, these new design-forward destinations and resources are not to be missed. Judy Sieber founded venerable home and garden shop Emily Joubert, named for her grandmother, in Woodside in 2004. Since then, she’s expanded to San Francisco, Montecito and Larkspur — her newest location that opened this fall at Marin Country Mart.
FOG Design+Art is Almost Here! Here’s What to Expect
Contemporary art fans rejoice: FOG Design+Art is almost here, back for a 12th season with an exciting lineup of installations and programming across Piers 2 and 3 at Fort Mason Center for the Arts and Culture in San Francisco.
Sip in Style: Top Design-Forward Tasting Rooms in Sonoma and Napa
Stunning architecture and interiors provide an alluring backdrop for fine wine at these design-forward tasting rooms. Auteur Russian River Launch, Photo by Emma Kruch, Emma K Creative Up a winding driveway through rows of grapevines, Auteur Russian River is perched atop a wooded hillside overlooking a sweeping expanse of vineyards on the outskirts of Healdsburg.
Editor's Letter: Welcome Home SPACES Magazine
After I moved back home to the Peninsula in 2014 following more than a decade in New York, husband and kids in tow, I have to admit that I found house-hunting in suburbia to be a little uninspiring. Most of the houses that were in our budget were characterless, poorly designed and lacked the indoor-outdoor connection I longed for after years of condo living in Brooklyn.
Bay Area Architects Contribute to the Case Study 2.0 Program, Helping LA Homeowners Rebuild After the Fires
It’s been a year since the Palisades and Eaton fires consumed over 37,000 acres in the Los Angeles area, tragically claiming more than two dozen lives and destroying about 16,000 structures — many of them homes. To help homeowners rebuild, Los Angeles-based Crest Real Estate launched the Case Study 2.0 program featuring a catalog of 50 single-family model homes that can be built quickly and economically.
Making an Entrance: A Sleek New Deck and Lighted Stairway Revives a San Anselmo Home
Ten years after Building Lab renovated the interior of a San Anselmo home, the family invited the Oakland-based firm back to tackle the property’s awkward exterior entryway. “Our clients had always disliked the approach to the house because the front entry was tucked unceremoniously under a deck,” says Building Lab principal Stephen Shoup. Among the issues, the deck’s bulky posts obstructed the flow to the front door, requiring visitors to walk up the sloping driveway to reach the entrance.
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