Fabulous San Francisco

Coffee and San Francisco!

Lara grew up in Haute Savoie in the shadow of Mt. Blanc, before relocating to Paris for school. Born and raised in Berkeley, Ethan is a fifth-generation Californian who's spent time on both coasts.

Designed by jones | haydu, Coffee Bar's sleek and contemporary second location is built to stand out amongst sprawling high rises. The bold and expansive metal and glass exterior provides an alluring peek into the action inside. Limited by the relatively small space (it is under 500 square feet), Coffee Bar keeps things simple with backlit maple plywood panels and brushed concrete floors. Indoor seating was deliberately excluded from the small space to meet the pace of the bustling demographic; the outdoor teak seating is by Selamat Designs and complements the warm wood interior. 101 Montgomery Street

San Francisco International, interior

Though some might have seen the gritty and desolate Mission block that houses Stable Cafe as an obstacle, Malcolm Davis embraced the transitional backdrop when imagining not only a cafe, but an incubator for local businesses that aims to foster a sense of community. The cafe was once an 1800s carriage house, and was severely neglected over the years before the extensive restoration and revitalization effort by Davis. The light-filled interior boasts soaring ceilings and exposed beams, along with a modern custom steel staircase which leads to the lofted seating area. A spacious communal courtyard provides an urban oasis and gathering area for Stable Collective entrepreneurs and neighborhood patrons alike, while Malcolm Davis Architecture holds its offices in the old hayloft above the cafe. 2128 Folsom Street

At night, opening the entire top floor is a breeze. Russell-Clarke and Moolsintong are even planning of rigging some kind of sail over the back patio for shade. The hot tub is by Roberts Hot Tubs.

Once the site of an 1859 coal, feed, and carriage barn, Piccino now makes its home in the vibrant and developing Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco. Behind the unassuming Victorian façade, affectionately known in the neighborhood as the Yellow Building, Sagan Piechota Architecture has created a warm and elegant interior that is decidedly modern. The rustic space features soaring ceilings and exposed rafters, reclaimed oak floors, and sleek communal tables flanked by Eames shell chairs. Sightglass coffee can be enjoyed from the airy main dining room, or the adjacent coffee bar, both contemporary counterparts to the historic 19th-century shell. 1001 Minnesota Street

The once-sloping space now has climbing vines, a slatted fence, and foxtail agaves.

Despite their dark color palette, black and white kitchens can still feel bright. This tiny kitchen perfects the art of chiaroscuro with white shiplapped walls, custom-built open shelves and dark concrete floors. The owners selected sleek faucet fixtures by Santec and a sink by Blanco to complement the white laminate countertops. The stainless steel appliances include a Bertazzoni oven, Fisher & Payel refrigerator, and Thermador dishwasher.

In the bathroom, a teak live-edge countertop and custom yellow cabinet support a double wash basin by Duravit. A mirror from Restoration Hardware hangs below custom lights, designed by the homeowner for a steampunk look.

Aidlin Darling designed this undulating canopy to hang on the ceiling at Wexler's, a restaurant in San Francisco's Financial District. Darling says it "evokes a sensual and emotive connection" to its setting. Photo courtesy of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.

This Wild Idea's Theron Humphrey and Maddie, the much-loved coonhound star of Maddie on Things, keeps a steady composure in foggy San Francisco. Photo by: Michael ONeal Via MPD. (Pin)

The beautiful Golden Gate Bridge.

Fabricated by Stocklin Iron Works and designed by Nebolon, the orange staircase features steel railings and treads made from IKEA wood butcher blocks. “We designed the open staircase to make the trip to the second floor fun,” the architect says.

Curtiss describes the floor plan as “super efficient but with gracious moments.” Instead of maximizing room size, she ensured that shared spaces were adequately sized. In the upstairs hallway, that means two or three people can pass each other with relative ease.

The kitchen is marked by its Wolf gas range, white Carrara marble countertop bar, and Cobb Rise & Fall pendants by Original BTC. The architect designed a custom wine glass holder, which hangs nearby.

King installed dimmable fluorescent strips by Bartco in the alcoves above the cabinets for ambient lighting.

At its waterfront location along San Francisco's Embarcadero, The Plant is a comfortable coffee shop by day and a sleek restaurant/lounge by night. The cafe preserved the 18-foot exposed timber ceilings and 16-foot casement windows typical of the historic 1900s warehouse. Conceived and executed by CCS Architecture, The Plant prides itself on being one of the greenest cafes in San Francisco. Solar panels on the roof power the kitchen and cafe, while a water Electrolyzer converts tap water into acidic and alkaline cleaning fluid for the cafe's surfaces. Other standout green materials include reclaimed wood, recycled tiles, and energy efficient lighting, all complemented by the living wall art of Flora Grubb. Pier 3, The Embarcadero #108

Russell-Clarke tends a small garden.