SPACES Magazine

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. Despite their prestigious reputations, however, Kelly and Secviar intended Bar Underdog to be the kind of convivial neighborhood spot where locals feel comfortable dropping in anytime for a craft cocktail like the No. 34, made with gin, lacto-fermented strawberry, genmaicha and yuzu, and a modestly priced bar snack, like the Korean corn-cheese puffs with smoked mozzarella and pickled jalapeño or the tuna tartare with plum miso, avocado and sweet onion “chips.” The inviting space was designed by Studio KDA featuring a material palette that merges Japanese influence and Bay Area warmth, framed portraits of iconic pop-culture “underdogs,” and a hand-painted entry mural. Fitting the casual vibe, there are no reservations taken, and a late-night “moonlight menu” is designed to welcome the area’s hospitality workers. 📍299 California Ave, # 110, Palo Alto ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @kristenloken #spacesmagazine #newspaces #paloalto

The team behind Lazy Bear recently opened French restaurant JouJou — a glamorous addition to San Francisco’s Design District dining scene. Guests at the new hotspot, designed by Jon de la Cruz of DLC-ID and Liebes Architects, can dine on decadent seafood towers and brasserie classics like escargot toast and petrale sole meunière in elegant environs that channel the French Riviera in the 1970s.  The upstairs dining room is embellished with a burgundy-veined marble oyster counter, Art Nouveau-inspired palm-frond wallpaper, vintage green dining chairs and tufted banquettes, while the lower dining room and wine cellar feature intimate booth seating surrounding a private dining room wrapped in green cheetah wallcovering. The glass-enclosed bar, meanwhile, evokes a verdant greenhouse, decked out in shades of green and accented with lush foliage. 📍65 Division Street, San Francisco ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @douglasfriedman #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #newspaces #sanfranciscorestaurant

Here’s a sneak peek of the 2026 SF Decorator showcase! This year’s showcase is held at a historic Queen Anne-style Victorian (the first Victorian in SF Showcase history), built in 1897 and designed by architect Moses J. Lyon. The house was originally built for the Anspacher family and was historically preserved for over six decades by architect Herbert P. McLaughlin. We love it all, but these were are favorite parts: 🫙 The jaw dropping art deco style kitchen, pantry and sitting room by our very own advisory board member Tineke Triggs 💡 The cool blue entry room by Kendall Wilkinson Design (they even designed the light fixtures!) 🛋️ The reversible bench and hand crafted table by Sindhu Peruri 🥃 The in-bedroom bar by Castellanos Interiors 👖 The Levi’s collab! The first ever fashion brand collab with the SF Decorator Showcase 🍾 The third floor living room with, of course, a wet bar Tickets available now! Open from April 25 through May 25. Tag someone you want to bring below! #spacesmagazine #sfdecoratorshowcase #interiordesign

A tale as old as time: What started as a small-scale remodeling project ultimately encompassed the whole house. It all began when designer Ansley Majit, founding principal at L+P Interiors, and the clients decided that the layout would work much better if the location of the kitchen, which had windows to the back and doors to the front, was swapped with the neighboring family room — a dark, ill-proportioned space.  Learn how the renovation went in our bio 🔗 ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @rbradleyphoto 📐 Architecture: @richardsonpribussarchitects 🛋️ Interior design: @larkandpalm 🧰 Construction: @millennialdevelopmentinc 🌳 Landscape design: @green17design #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #interiordesign #homerenovation #kentwoodlands #hometransformation #homeremodel #homereno

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. But like many older properties, the home had lost its way over the years after undergoing a series of haphazard remodels and additions. Learn how the home renovation went in our bio 🔗 ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @adamrousephoto 🧰 Builder: @buildinglab 📐 Architect: Jackie Detamore 🌳 Landscape Architect: @erinwernerdesign #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #kentfield #homeremodel #landscapedesign #midcenturydesign #midcenturyhome

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. It had been remodeled several times over the years, resulting in haphazard additions — not to mention that the fixtures and finishes had become dated. Looking to transform the property into an entertaining-ready coastal retreat, the family hired a team that included Eichler Davies Architecture, Redmond Aldrich Design, Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture and Mat Pel Builders. Read the full story in our bio 🔗 ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @marionbrenner and @matthewmillmanphoto 📐 Architecture: Eichler Davies Architecture 🛋️ Interior design: @redmondaldrichdesign 🌳 Landscape architecture: @scottlewis.la 🧰 General contractor: @matpelbuilders #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #stinsonbeach #homeremodel #costalhome #costaldesign #interiordesign #landscapedesign

We’re coming to the cottage 🏡 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. Seeking to update the home for modern living while retaining its character, the family brought in San Francisco-based Craig O’Connell Architecture to execute a thoughtful renovation.  Learn how the home was transformed in our bio 🔗 ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @rbradleyphoto 📐 Architecture: @craigoconnellarchitecture 🧰 Construction: Buck O’Neill Builders 🛋️ Styling: Madeline Shields #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #cottage #millvalley #homereno #homerenovation #marinhomes

Offering an escape to the Amalfi Coast, Bella is a new all-day dining and cocktail destination in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood from the team behind @audiosf and @bergeracsf : Jeff Davis, Bruce McDonald and David Brinkley. The space, formerly occupied by Bergerac, underwent a complete transformation before officially opening a few weeks ago. Designed by Sean Corino Design and built out by Fuad Dayyeh and the @iydevelopment team, Bella channels mid-century Italian summer getaways and vintage listening lounges with velvet couches, rattan chairs, wood paneling and sun-soaked imagery. By day, Bella is a relaxed aperitivo bar, where guests can unwind while listening to a soundtrack of coastal jazz, Italian lounge and 1960s soul; at night, it transforms into a music-driven cocktail club with rotating DJs curated by Peter Dukakis of @alldayallnightevents alongside Bella’s Maj Skouti. From brunch and happy hour to a late night out, guests can sample spritzes and Mediterranean-inspired cocktails created by Antonio Ricardez (formerly of Bergerac) as well as Italian-inspired bites from chef Jake Lucas (Palm House Hospitality, Off the Grid at Google) — all priced accessibly. Menu highlights include the Amalfi Spritzer (limoncello, St. Germain and prosecco); the Paloma Italian (reposado, Campari, grapefruit, lemon and agave); cacio e pepe risotto arancini; and shrimp with citrus, fennel, mint and parsley. 📍 316 11 St, San Francisco ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @joegretophoto #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #newspaces #sanfrancisco #newrestaurant #cocktailbar

The team behind plant-based Healdsburg restaurant, coffee lounge, and wine and cocktail bar Little Saint has just extended their feel-good, community-minded ethos to welcome overnight guests with the launch of the Cottages at Little Saint. Nestled among lushly landscaped walking paths only a few steps behind the restaurant, the Cottages at Little Saint are a feast for the eyes — the vision of renowned San Francisco designer Ken Fulk. Originally built in the 1980s, the four cottages — Gimme Shelter, Court, Spark and Déjà Vu — channel the spirit of iconic late-1960s and ’70s Laurel Canyon musicians like Joni Michell; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and the Rolling Stones. Bespoke details include beamed ceilings, vintage-inspired wallpaper, vibrant tile and cozy fireplaces, blending whimsy and nostalgia with modern creative flair. Two of the rooms can even adjoin through a hand-painted “secret” armoire doorway by painter Rafael Arana. Each cottage boasts a customized selection of products, such as teas from Land + Local and handmade bath products from Herb Nerd, and a record player and curated vinyl collection to match the vibe. Helping guests relax and unwind even more, a heated pool is on-premise. 📍 425 Foss St, Healdsburg ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @brendanmainini #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #newspaces #healdsburg #cottage

Your dream kitchen, materialized Bold yet balanced, this project by Bellissimo Decor pairs modern lines with warm materials and rich texture. The kitchen steals the show, where polished Bianco Superiore quartzite from @allnaturalstone flows seamlessly from range hood to backsplash to island. Looking for tile and stone for your next project? All Natural Stone has Northern California’s largest selection of stone and tile. Visit one of their convenient locations in Berkeley, Burlingame, San Jose, or Dublin and see for yourself. 📷 @daviddlivingston 📐 Architecture: Even Zeff Architects 🧰 Construction: D.K. Construction #SPACESMagazine #DesignerSpotlight #BellissimoDecor #AllNaturalStone #kitchenInspo

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. The dark, disjointed stairway concealed behind a massive stone fireplace and chopped-up rooms made for awkward navigation, and access to the deck outside was limited to a small door. Still, the family could envision the possibilities.  A year after the family purchased the home, the renovation got underway, guided by San Francisco-based Obata Noblin Office (ONO), founded by architects Tyler Noblin and Max Obata. “The biggest move we made was to rework the stairway,” Noblin says. “It became a central unifying element across the house.” Besides making it easier to travel between floors, the stairway is also now flooded with natural light from new windows. “With this new connection to the outdoors, it’s become a space not only to move through, but one that is also enjoyable to linger in,” he adds. Read the full home reno story in our bio 🔗 ✍️ @lotusabrams_writes 📷 @brucedamonte 🏠 Architecture & interiors: @obatanoblinoffice 🧰 Construction: @mtlincolnconstruction #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #skihouse #homereno #interiordesign

Take us to Fiji ✈️ A growing number of travelers are looking for destinations based on high-design homes — properties where architecture, interiors and service come together in curated harmony.  Enter The Reef House. Located on Vomo Island, the five-suite residence features expansive retractable glass walls, soaking tubs and rain showers in every bath, and a 25-meter infinity pool that anchors the home to the landscape. Need we say more? Full details in bio 🔗 #spacesmagazine #spacesmag #architecture #interiordesign