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House Tour: Mason and Serena's Sunset Beach Bungalow
San Francisco

serenamason1-jpg.jpgName: Mason St. Peter and Serena Mitnik-Miller
Location: Outer Sunset, San Francisco, CA
Size: 400 sq. ft.
Years lived in: Mason: Since July 2007, Serena: Since July 2008
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2-23-housetourlogo.jpgSan Francisco's Outer Sunset, the part that tickles the toes of Ocean Beach, is unlike any other area in the city. True, it's often colder and foggier in these parts, but there's a laid back beach town feel, a sense of community, and a growing art and cultural scene that reminds me of a place like Santa Cruz. It's not surprising then, that this is where architect Mason St. Peter and artist Serena Mitnik-Miller have made their home.

 
 

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Mason and Serena, business partners of Two Birds Fly, a green company that curates the art and design of surfboards, had to find creative ways to make more living space when Serena moved in this past July. Nestled in back of the main house inhabited by their landlords, their bungalow is of modest size. But with innovative solutions like a lofted bedroom in a tiny crawl space that can only be accessed via ladder, a built-in long table running along the kitchen wall, a tool shed made from wood pallets, and so many shelves throughout the house, the house doesn't feel cramped or overpacked with furniture. We like their mix of worn wood pieces, color arranged items, found objects, amazing artwork, and beautiful furniture. But we mostly appreciate that their main interests -- an active lifestyle (surfing, skating, biking, gardening), art, and their love for each other -- are so obvious in their decor.

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AT Survey:

My/Our Style: Surf-shack modular built-in.

Inspiration: A desire to create a comfortable and uncramped home within a small amount of space.

Favorite Element: The studio.

Biggest Challenge: Limited amount of space.

What Friends Say: Wow!

Biggest Embarrassment: Lack of space.

Proudest DIY: Ladder leading up to lofted bedroom, kitchen shelves, bathtub installation, other shelves.

Biggest Indulgence:Our art collection and our surfboards.

Best Advice: It's only money.

Dream Source: An unlimited online resource for any and all amazing building materials and furniture.

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Resources:

Appliances: builders resource, Craigslist

Hardware: The street, builders resource, hardware store

Furniture: Craigslist, Valencia street shops, DIY projects

Accessories: garage sales, the street, Craigslist

Lighting: re-use from other's projects

Flooring: builders resource

Artwork: Works by Geoff McFetridge, Thomas Campbell, Nat Russell, Amy Jo Diaz, Dave Muller, Johanna St. Clair, Hillary Pecis, Robin Bright and Serena Mitnik-Miller.

Window Treatments: Ross

Rug/Carpet: Someday, we hope to get our dream rug.

Paint: re-use from other's projects

Bed: Craigslist

Other: everywhere, always looking

(Thanks, Mason and Serena!)

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Photos by Phillip Maisel

Tags

House Tours, Serena Mitnik-Miller, Mason St. Peter, Two Birds Fly

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Comments (46)

Wow. What a great sense of personal style. Thanks, AT.

posted by Lisa (Montreal) on October 14th 2008 at 9:50am
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I'm impressed that two people can comfortably live in such a small space (and with a full sized dog!). It looks lovely and like it evolved organically as a home should. I especially like the artwork, which I am assuming is Serena's?

posted by cmu on October 14th 2008 at 9:52am
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I love the way they made this place their own. The garden is great. And that is the most unpretentious Eames chair I've ever seen.

posted by sagekitten85 on October 14th 2008 at 10:11am
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Love the laid back feel of this place. Really liked all the artwork and I'm totally jealous of your lovely garden. Very nice!

posted by suzy8track on October 14th 2008 at 10:19am
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so nice. i want to spend a sunny afternoon there - painting, reading, sipping sweet tea...

posted by HeatherAB on October 14th 2008 at 10:38am
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Cmu, the artwork featured in photos 20, 21 & 27 is Serena's work.

posted by philm on October 14th 2008 at 10:54am
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cute couple, cute place, cute , cute , cute
and I just have to ask..
are those glass water bongs as garden art?
sorry!

posted by Stephvixen on October 14th 2008 at 11:46am
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from my understanding, those glass pieces in the garden used to be part of a sewage treatment facility. they're clear so the sewage could be visually monitored. charming, eh?

posted by philm on October 14th 2008 at 11:52am
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Greatly impressed that two people and a large sized dog can all fit into such a small space and still love one another. With that said, I feel a little short of breath just looking at the photos. I think this little space could be made exceptional with a MAJOR decluttering session. It seems incredibly overstuffed IMHO. But I'm very thankful, as always, to have the opportunity to see inside someone's home!

posted by RedEngine88 on October 14th 2008 at 11:57am
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What a nice couple and cute place- thank you for sharing...

posted by hollandstudio on October 14th 2008 at 12:23pm
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Great looking couple in a fun fun fun house. Reminds me of the wonderful house we visited in Stinson Beach last summer. Loved CA!

posted by Kate (NC) on October 14th 2008 at 12:30pm
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Very cute! Unfortunately, having lived two blocks from Ocean Beach, I know there aren't many sunny days to be had out there. The cold is numbing all year long, save two or three days.

posted by sissy on October 14th 2008 at 12:48pm
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thank you, how fun and adorable!

posted by hanako66 on October 14th 2008 at 12:49pm
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They are of course adorable and the place is cute, I guess, but I hyperventilate a little looking at those pictures. (I'm not even kidding.) Clutter is just not a design aesthetic that works for me. At all.

posted by elvedon on October 14th 2008 at 12:59pm
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thank you for sharing this place with us; it's packed with individuality and style. places like this are a lot more impressive and meaningful than the homes that look like a cookie-cutter magazine cover.
fabulous place!!!

posted by formosagirl on October 14th 2008 at 2:04pm
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This is wonderful!! It's such a reflection of personal style, and done so well! It's like nothing I've ever seen before! I love it! =)

posted by amelie de lune on October 14th 2008 at 3:35pm
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I love this place! oh how i want to live in a tiny house by the ocean one day... I love all the plants, I want plants in my bathroom too (if only it had a window...) And Serena, your art is beautiful and I love your mexican tunic!

posted by annab on October 14th 2008 at 4:46pm
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Clutter smlutter! I love it. Clutter happens when you're living life!

Also, I love the Mark Gonzalez board (yellow face)!

posted by Jon_B on October 14th 2008 at 5:10pm
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I love it so much! One of the best homes I've ever seen on AT.

posted by nausved on October 14th 2008 at 5:14pm
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love

posted by Julianna on October 14th 2008 at 5:29pm
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Ditto. One of the best home tours on AT.

They seem so happy.

posted by racheloncegentry on October 14th 2008 at 5:47pm
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I grinned with every click. Fun---I felt like I was back on what used to be the southeast coast of Texas collecting driftwood and other treasures.

posted by scootergirl on October 14th 2008 at 5:47pm
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Their place is amazing. this is probably my favorite house tour ever.

posted by trygve on October 14th 2008 at 6:10pm
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Growing up in Santa Barbara surfing, skateboarding and riding bikes it is often hard to find a place to keep all the toys. you have put together a nice home and have not let all of these things consume your space but be a part. I live near by and love the earthly soulfulness.. the avenues can be souless. you guys are too cute.

posted by LoriSF on October 14th 2008 at 7:20pm
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Sorry a little too cute for me.

posted by AlexPDL on October 14th 2008 at 8:28pm
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Would you consider adopting a 24yo? I don't eat much and I spend most of the day sitting on the floor reading/translating, I won't take up more than a cushion in a corner, I promise.

I WANT TO LIIIVEEEE THEEEEREEE!

End of the coffee attack of 10.00AM. Back to work.

posted by xieta on October 14th 2008 at 11:03pm
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that is a wonderful home, thank you for giving us a tour. i must agree - one of the best houses ever.


(where is it "too cute"?? there is nothing cute about it.)

posted by maike on October 15th 2008 at 12:25am
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What a happy home, where the surf boards and skate boards that bring you joy blend with such natural ease in your home decor.

Also agree that the multi-color Eames chairs (is one of them homemade copy?) and the lounger are displayed in the most unpretentious way ever. Not sitting stiffly in a living room as a show piece, but totally a part of your artistic and comfy home.

posted by gekko on October 15th 2008 at 1:43am
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love it...but how long does it take to water those flowers?! and what is the one hanging in the shower seemingly without a pot...?

I like that they've kept the main living area uncluttered (by comparison) to the kitchen and studio. and, i think work spaces, esp if you're an artist, are going to be cluttered.

posted by Enamorada on October 15th 2008 at 2:51am
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What a happy place! The photos brilliantly capture the vibe of this love shack. And I don't see clutter at all, I see carefully chosen items that each have a home and a personality. Very well done.

posted by j-girl on October 15th 2008 at 4:33am
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I have to agree with others, this is one of the best houses on we have seen on AT.

posted by lntyrrell on October 15th 2008 at 4:57am
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Dusting must be a full time job.

posted by Daily Nuance on October 15th 2008 at 5:28am
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What a great house tour....I love the photos, esp the ones with the couple in them! That's what's missing in most house tours...personality.

Makes me want a surf shack myself...I can smell the ocean air now....

posted by LaurieLu on October 15th 2008 at 5:29am
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Ton of fun. I want all of your bazillion plants. and I, too, want a window in my bathroom so I can grow vandas.

posted by whytephoenix on October 15th 2008 at 5:49am
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Have to agree that this is one of the top 5 AT homes of all time (and it's not even an apartment). "clutter" is crap that gets in the way - these objects look like well-integrated parts of these people's (gorgeous) life. As a former surfer, I'm impressed by the hanging wetsuits and ordered boards - it's the least messy surf shack I've ever seen!

I love the ladder, the loft, the coherence - Eames and weathered wood - I guess this is the pinnacle of bobo, meant in the kindest way.

posted by Easyenough on October 15th 2008 at 6:06am
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Even though it isn't my style, I like clean lines, clean surfaces, etc....This is a very cute and well-designed home! And it is just so homey, and the designer furniture is like someone said, arranged unpretentiously.

BTW you have the same DWR couch as I do, so maybe we have the same tastes after all?

I cant wait to submit my studio!

posted by msjessiemeghan on October 17th 2008 at 5:55am
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Blogger: Please put a 'back to original post' link with the slideshow, will ya? Cheers.

posted by gryt on October 19th 2008 at 1:42pm
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gryt: thanks for the suggestion! done.

posted by sarahh on October 21st 2008 at 6:55am
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can anyone please tell me what the orange-ish plant in photo number 10 is? i'd like to have some of those.

really cool. sums up life near the ocean.

posted by geoffm on October 21st 2008 at 6:39pm
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geoffm: i believe it is a type of succulent called aeonium arboreum

posted by sarahh on October 28th 2008 at 8:20pm
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nice, real, lived in...i appreciate seeing people in their homes...

posted by chromaspace on December 31st 2008 at 6:56pm
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You can almost, hear and smell the ocean. Nice feel, I agree with a previous comment a tad cluttered but really, when you are loving life, who cares.

posted by click212 on December 31st 2008 at 10:37pm
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LOVE that big brown triangle!

posted by sunan on January 9th 2009 at 11:47pm
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i love the studio too!

http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/

posted by Cristin at Simplified Bee on June 18th 2009 at 9:49am
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Inspiring and amazing. Love your use of color and plants and imagination!

posted by mirandabee on August 10th 2009 at 7:12am
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Hello! Is your mom Linda? She married Glenn Raymond of Washington years ago? I am Kristals' best friend who went to Orange County when we were kids and visited you guys. Wondered what ever happened to your mom, she was so great to us girls and I'd love to get back in touch with her. Fastnetti@hotmail.com I have a Facebook and Myspace as well. Hope you and yours are well! Get back to me when you get a chance!

posted by Jeannette76 on August 15th 2009 at 4:12pm
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