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.
That all changed when my husband and I happened upon an enclave of Eichlers in the Highlands neighborhood of San Mateo and decided to make an offer on a small model in “original condition” — a project to be sure, but one we were excited to tackle. Despite their modest size, these midcentury-built homes had something many others we toured did not: an innately appealing aesthetic, layouts designed for real life (except the bathrooms!), and a seamless connection to the outdoors with walls of glass windows and large sliding glass doors. It was then that I came to truly appreciate just how much good design can impact our everyday lives.
Today, I’m proud to join SPACES publisher and cofounder Nikki N. Wood and the team at 270 Media to usher in a new era of SPACES magazine in print, a venerated brand that has celebrated these same principles since its inception in 2016. This issue — our first dedicated SPACES print publication in six years — champions exceptional Bay Area architecture and design that’s as functional as it is beautiful and values what’s outside as much as what’s inside. On the following pages, you’ll find features on gorgeous homes in Marin County, Sonoma, San Francisco and the Los Altos Hills; products, resources and expert tips to embellish your own abode; stylish design destinations; makers, architects and industry pros who help bring incredible visions to life; and much more.
As for my own home, it’s still a work in progress — a reminder that good design takes time, patience and plenty of imagination. I hope this issue inspires you to embrace the process and find fresh ideas for the spaces you call home.
Lotus Abrams, Editor in Chief
