Fleur*t Shop on San Francisco's Clement Street

Because I can’t get enough of Clement Street in San Francisco, I stumbled upon Fleur*t.  One of my all time favorite urban flowershops,where “French country meets London industrial”.   The owner has a great eye and assembles an eclectic mix of sophisticated new and found pieces that will make your home or office pop.  Whether you pick up a NEST candle, hand painted tiles or a small watercolor, you are sure to find something that you couldn’t pick up at Pottery Barn.

One could easily spend 30 minutes just looking around at the treasures big and small, and I did on a recent

trip before I got around to buying a birthday bouquet for a friend.  Did I mention you can also buy flowers?  Sure you could get roses here, but why would you when she can put together something amazing with flowers as unique as the gal you are giving them to.   You can pick up gorgeous hostess gifts, a succulent arrangement for your dinner party table and some thing lil’ for yourself!

Fleur*t

15 Clement Street

San Francisco, CA 94118

(415) 751-2747

A few finds in the Clement Street shop

Chock full of surprises

After grabbing lunch with friend in San Francisco’s Clement Street neighborhood, we stumbled across Urban Color.  I love neighborhood shops that require you to look around and spend time to find the treasures it holds. This neighborhood gem, not only holds interesting ceramics, painting and gifts, but hosts art classes and camps.

I had the opportunity to meet Kendra Lock, shop owner.   From her perch on the second floor landing, she shared info about the classes she offered and was a wealth of knowledge about many of her store’s one of a kind works of art and trinkets.  For example, she spoke a length about the delicate beautiful blue Spanish ceramic I fell in love.   The ceramics were beautiful to look at and were sure to improve the look of simple crudites!

Gorgeous Lady Portraits

I was enamored by these portraits and at only $15.00 each what a deal!   Perfect to add a pop of color and interesting detail for a small space.  She also carried a line of vintage postcards, pillows and soaps ready to be packaged up as hostess gifts.  Check out this bright spot bustling with activity and unique finds.

Urban Color

12 Clement Street (between Arguello Blvd and 2nd Street)

San Franciso, CA 94118

You can find these gems at the following shops:

Emily Joubert Home & Garden
3036 Woodside Road, Woodside, CA
Ph: 650.851.3520

Bunches
14 1/2 Santa Cruz Ave. Los gatos, CA 95030
Ph: 408.395.5451

The Playful Garden
1001 Caymus Street Napa, 94559 CA
Ph: 707-258-8880

The Gardener
1836 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA
516 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, CA
One Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
Ph: 510 548 4545

She was born in 1970 with a name that means “earth” in Czech on a commune in Palo Alto called “The Land.”
Zem Joaquin was a dark-haired pixie with patchwork pants who played with chickens, danced in the central longhouse and sang with Joan Baez in the squatters camp off Page Mill Road.
The darling of the draft resisters back then, she became the subject of their illustrated fairy tale about  “Zem, the little queen” who unites a strife-torn world. Even Baez, who founded the commune and lived there for a time, included “Zem Zem” in her 1975 song, “Children and All That Jazz.”
Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that she was destined to make a name for herself in the environmental movement. Unlike her parents’ generation that reveled in the counterculture fringe, though, she is helping create a modern movement in the mainstream.
And she’s doing so with her own sense of rebellion: She’s making green glamorous.
Founder of Ecofabulous, she created a Web site that gives readers eco-friendly lifestyle options, from modular furniture made from recycled paper to chic throws made of hemp and flax. Going green needs to be less about sacrifice, she realized, and more about motivation. (The site’s motto: “sexy.sustainable.style.”) After all, she muses, “People weren’t too interested when organic cotton looked like oatmeal and felt like a burlap sack.”
Step inside the 1960s-era home in Marin County that she remodeled for her family and you’ll see what she means.
At 39 years old and just 5 feet tall, she opens the front door with bare feet and a big smile. Behind her, vintage black-and-white curtains she found at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire frame a pair of chairs she recovered in remnant lime green silk. Sleek kitchen counters are made from newspaper wood pulp and fly ash. Her vintage Laszlo dining room chairs are refilled with natural rubber.
“Being fabulous is feeling like you’re getting what you really want,” she says. “At the same time, you’re not taking more than you need and you’re giving back.”
So how did this commune kid become such a design diva?
She may have been raised on granola, but she came of age living in London for two-and-a-half years in her early 20s with her godmother – a stylish critic for the Evening Standard who took her to theaters, boutiques and Paris for weekends and “taught me everything I know about design.” Joaquin (then Spire, her maiden name) finished her degree in organizational communications at Pepperdine, where she started a recycling program. And after a stint managing male models in Italy (she followed a boyfriend there), she returned to San Francisco in the late 1990s to help her best friend, Gina Pell, start Pell’s fledgling fashion and beauty Web site, Splendora.
“She was my VP of business development because she’s so good with people. She has a way of developing and nurturing connections,” Pell says. “I always told her that if she was a superhero, that would be her superpower – the ultimate connector.”
It was Pell, though, who connected Zem with her husband, tech entrepreneur James Joaquin.
They met at a cocktail party in 1999 in San Francisco, married and had two children. She was volunteering for homeless causes and political campaigns when her children were diagnosed with severe asthma. The family was living in an old Craftsman in San Francisco at the time, spending many a night in the emergency room when she decided she had to “save my children and create a healthy home.”
The Marin County house, tucked among blackberry bushes and towering trees, became her eco-incubator. Old painted beams were stripped with beeswax, wall-to-wall carpeting was replaced with recycled wine-cork flooring and solar panels were added to the roof.
But finding sustainable products, and stylish ones at that, wasn’t easy. “I realized there was this enormous gap,” she says. “There were no resources for eco-design and people interested in design.”
It was her husband who handed her a copy of “Cradle to Cradle,” the environmental manifesto of architect William McDonough, whom James Joaquin had heard speak at the 2004 TED conference for technology, entertainment and design in Monterey.
“This is what you’ve been talking about,” he said at the time to his wife, “what you’ve been spiraling in towards.”
She was so enthralled by the book, which professes ecologically intelligent design, that she invited McDonough to lunch with “some of my friends that I think can change the world.”
The guest list included her husband’s good friend, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar; Segway inventor Dean Kamen, whom she had met at a dinner party; and inventor, entrepreneur and Disney “imagineer” Danny Hillis.
This time, it was McDonough’s turn to be impressed. He invited her to attend his annual eco-summit in Iceland the following year with some 20 “thought leaders” and activists.
Unlike some in the environmental movement who preach doom and gloom, he says, Joaquin takes a positive approach.
“It’s a big dark world out there, and we need brightness,” he says in a phone interview from Abu Dhabi where he was talking to real estate developers about green design. “Zem is a sparkle.”
And she knows how to throw a party. Over the past several years, she has raised nearly $1 million dollars for Global Green, an L.A.-based nonprofit that activates its Hollywood base to bring attention to green issues, including the sustainable rebuilding of New Orleans and Haiti. At her first party she threw at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco several years ago, Leonardo DiCaprio showed up. Salma Hayek and Orlando Bloom came to the second.
“She actually seduces people into doing the right thing,” Ariana Huffington of the Huffington Post said when she presented Joaquin with Global Green’s Founder’s Award last year. “She always makes people feel that the right thing is the fun thing.”
Plus, she added, “she’s adorable.”
While Joaquin founded Ecofabulous in 2006 to chronicle her environmentally friendly remodeling resources, she has since expanded it to include organic beauty, fashion and lifestyle choices. She consults with such companies as eBay and Safeway and has been a frequent “green” guest on radio and TV shows. She raises chickens in her side yard, grows tomatoes and herbs, and even has her 6-year-old daughter weighing in with her opinion about kids’ green products. And over the past few years, she’s convinced every one of her closest friends to drive a hybrid.
So what’s next?
“I never thought in a million years I would want to have a commune,” she says.
But lately, she’s thinking about it, maybe bringing her closest friends together, living sustainably off the grid. She doesn’t have the details worked out yet, but one thing is certain: Unlike the A-frames and outhouses she grew up with, she says, “this commune would be stylized.”

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Love the Fabric

Recently, I stumbled across a shop in San Francisco.  Past Perfect–the name alone draws you in and inspires aimless wandering.  I have to say I was inspired and boy did I wander.  The shop consists mainly of mid-century classics  to funky modern.  The prices range from reasonable to slightly sinful.

Eero Saarinen Style Bar Stools $650

Pair of Modern Dutch Light Fixtures $175

Now,  I hardly walk out of one of these places without a little bag in my hand and I’m happy to report I had a bag.

My Mad Men Style Low Ball Glasses

It  was filled with 8 modern low ball glasses.  These glasses remind me of one of my guilty pleasures–no, not vodka gimlets–but Mad Men that wonderful AMC series.  If you haven’t seen it yet, you should definitely check it out.  The style and panache displayed on that show is absolutely fab.  These glasses make me so happy, I decided to host a Mad Men cocktail party. So, I will definitely make another stop in at Past Perfect to perfect my 60′s decor.

Past Perfect

2224 Union St.

San Francisco, CA 94123

or

2246 Lombard St.

San Francisco, CA 94123

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Maybe it’s because Bennett Hall grew up in a mid-century Eichler tract home. Or maybe it’s because his wife, Helen, immediately felt the feng shui of the house. Or maybe it was the view.

But within five minutes of setting eyes on this 1960 modern house perched on an Oakland hillside with a wall of windows overlooking the San Francisco Bay, the couple knew they had to have it.

Cantilevered from the hillside on steel beams and concrete pillars, the house reminded Bennett of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water house that is perched over a waterfall. The Oakland hills house also had the feeling of floating in air (and also had its own waterfall). The Halls called it “Sky House,” and began a faithful restoration.

The house had been owned by the same family since it was built. They heard from neighbors it had been quite a party house, with music and laughter coming from the expansive deck. (Bennett found a full, unopened bottle of Crystal buried in the yard while relandscaping. One can only imagine how it got there. It will remain a mystery since the label rubbed off, leaving no proof of a date.)

One of the first projects for the Halls was restoring the huge waterfall next to the entrance. It had deteriorated into little more than a mud puddle against the house. Not only did it create a grand entrance from the outside, but it remained a focal point once inside the living room. With the waterfall to the left, the living room fireplace in the middle and the expansive deck to the right, the feng shui principle of water, fire and air lay before them in all its glory.

The original owners seemed to understand this ethos and carried the Asian influence throughout the house. Shoji screens pull out from within the walls to separate the dining room from the kitchen. The Halls leave the screens open most of the time so they can see from the kitchen sink over the dining room table and out to the expansive view.

And what a view it is: on even a hazy day they can see the Golden Gate and the high rises of downtown San Francisco. They overlook Oakland and Berkeley below and off to San Mateo to the south and Mount Tamalpais to the north.

The couple has spent the last two years reworking the landscape. They repoured the concrete switchback ramp leading from the street to the front door, decorating it with interesting textures and lines, as well as pieces of “found art”.

Bennett considers Sky House a piece of art in itself. They still have projects left to do and “we’d like to share the property as a way to preserve it.” The couple rents Sky House for special occasions and executive retreats.

You might also enjoy these stories:

Rose Garden Mid-Century Modern
Mid-Century Modern from California Ranch: A Town and Country Life
Los Altos Contemporary
Modern Cocktail Lounge Party

(Photos by Desiree Northend)

Here’s the complete slideshow:

One of my favorite furniture shops is Quatrine in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley.  Lookiloos has written about them before.  Since 1989, Gina Quatrine and her team have become the gold standard on custom slip covered furniture.  I seriously love their plush chairs, vast collection of high end fabrics and luxurious home accents.

With a house full of kids, I never had the nerve to buy a “good couch” because I thought my kids would ruin it in mere moments of arriving at my home.  So for years my hand-me down sofa was simply covered in a slip cover that didn’t really fit and looked frumpy.

Recently I had the chance to ask San Francisco store manager, Cara Samski, about the basics in picking the perfect piece of furniture that can stand the test of time (and children and pets) and look stylish.

Choosing a new sofa can be overwhelming, what are some things to keep in mind when choosing a style?
The first priority is comfort.  For that, you must actually sit in the piece and see how it feels.  Decide if it fits your body.  Do your feet touch the ground?  Does your arm rest?  Do you sink into a soft pillow, or do you sit atop a firm cushion?  Even with 50 styles to choose from, once you sit in the pieces, you’ll know what you like right away.

What are the benefits of purchasing a slip covered couch or chair?
Washability.  All of the sudden the idea of a huge, elegant stark white linen sofa for your 3 dogs to lounge on isn’t so crazy anymore.  Also, it is more economical to purchase new slipcovers when you re-decorate or move throughout the years than to purchase new furniture.  Many of our customers enjoy owning 2 or 3 slipcovers for their favorite piece to change looks whenever the mood strikes.

Are there any new trends in slip covered furniture?
Often when people think about slipcovers, they think “loose fitting, droopy dragging things”.  Many people these days are looking for more tailored and modern styles, but assume that is not possible with something slip covered.  In a shop like Quatrine, you could bring a photo of your favorite ultra modern new style, and not only will we make it, we will make it washable!  There are no zippers, buttons or ties.

Favorite fabric?
Velvet!  Everything is better in velvet.  And velvet you can throw in your washing machine?!  Nothing is better than that!

Quatrine Furniture
355 Hayes St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415.345.8590
Fax: 415.318.8649
www.quatrine.com

Photos courtesy of Quatrine.

Related stories:
Quatrine in Hayes Valley – San Francisco
Zonal Home Interiors – Hayes Valley American Country Style Furnishings
A Grand Plantation – San Francisco
My Fabric Obsession – From Marimekko to Vintage Fabrics
Emily Joubert – An Autumn Find

I almost hate to say it. But I'm one of those girls who while walking along the beach would rather look at beachfront houses than the ocean view. And after spending a girls day in San Francisco last weekend with my mom, my sister and our daughters, I realized something else: while everyone else is looking at clothes and Christmas ornaments, I'm excusing myself to the home decor departments. Zebra skin ottoman anyone? 

Neiman Marcus and Gump's are fantasy central for many of the things I wish I had in my home. A Lucite chair and modern lamp at Gumps. Even the display tables at Neiman Marcus — limestone tops framed in stainless steel. I loved the dress forms all around the store, each covered in a different fabric, from sequence to satin. I kept thinking of Lookiloos friend Tim Ballengee, the former visual director of the Palo Alto store who transformed his bungalow into white cocktail lounge for a party we wrote about. And I couldn't help but wonder what happens to all that display furniture. Is there some warehouse sale where they get rid of it? Wouldn't that be a devine find? (I'll ask Tim his secrets.)

Gump's San Francisco
135 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

On a recent “field trip” to San Francisco, I stumbled upon a fantastic home accessory store–Plantation.  What I noticed first was the eclectic mix of the vignettes. A traditional wing chair covered in a vibrant red leather with the cowhide covered ottoman.

The marble lamps are sleek in design and it’s the perfect juxtaposition with the skull and cross bone martini set.  Just in time for Halloween. When you stop in, be sure to check out all the frames. They are filled with some famous celebrities–just as if it were Uncle Bob or Cousin Jennifer. I definitely did a double take!  You can find Plantation Home Accessories at 336 Hayes Street in San Francisco.

Hayes Valley, a neighborhood in San Francisco, is about a half-mile off 101 and just east of Golden Gate Park. In the center of this bohemian style district you’ll find an irresistible shop — Quatrine.  Founded in 1989, Quatrine has quickly become the finest in slip-covered furniture.  The slipcovers are completely washable yet, amazingly still hold their shape. These are not the slipcovers from your mother’s era. They are sleek, stylish and elegant. Yes, elegant. The fabric choices run deep, from classic to funky.  A big comfy chair might set you back about $3000, depending on fabric and design. Each component comes with an option to be crafted as an upholstered piece.  All of the furniture is custom made in Rancho Dominguez California.

Quatrine offers more than slip-covered furniture though. Do you need a little sparkle to dress up your abode? You can find wonderful lamps and accessories as well. From a modern map pendant to chic Chinese Lantern, spreading the light is easy to do. And the sheets of mother of pearl tile will shimmer perfectly in your new light. A sheet is $110 with a minimum purchase of twenty sheets.

Quatrine Custom Furniture is located at 355 Hayes Street in San Francisco.

Here’s the complete slideshow: