A Pinterest Producer and Her 45 Plants Share a San Fran Apartment

Name: Jess
Location: Duboce — San Francisco, California

I moved into this one bedroom almost four years ago and shared it with my best friend. It’s only 500 square feet, so by the time that I took over the space fully, I was ready to make it my own.

My style is very bright, bohemian and eclectic. I’m a story producer at Pinterest so I love having things around me that tie back to stories, like a place or trip. I travel a lot so many of my favorite pieces are brought back from afar. For example, the last time I went to Argentina I brought back a leather butterfly chair and two rugs… it was an adventure to get them home on the airplane! Some things, like my Moroccan pillows, came from Zanzibar and Paris, while others are more domestic, like my favorite hat and candleholder from Austin. The Vogue mirror was thrifted in a San Diego surplus store, and was brought back to San Francisco in the back of an Airstream.

The mix of my travel finds with some modern furniture and a ton of plants makes the flat feel cozy while brimming with personality. Art on the walls helps, too. I’ve become a fan of collecting affordable pieces, to which Etsy has been a huge help, and have several pieces from Britt Bass, a painter in Atlanta.

I guess I should mention the plants: I lost count after 45. My parents are terrific gardeners and, after keeping a handful alive for one year, I gave myself permission to get a lot more. My friends joke about me living in a jungle, but I think it makes my space feel so alive and inspired. My favorite plants are always big, leafy palms or greens and I’ve found that Pothos plants are the easiest to maintain—plus they grow and trail and look beautiful.

I’m always hosting friends for dinner or wine nights. Having your own space is the perfect excuse to host. I got really into cooking last year, and would often invite friends over spontaneously for a bite. A lot of my friends in the city are from the south (I’m from Georgia) and I think it’s a cultural thing to have people over for food or drink. We’ve spent many nights in this living room telling stories or listening to records (or both!).

The apartment building was built in 1924 and sits in Duboce Triangle, my favorite part of the city. I love being close to parks, public transit and having the best Vietnamese restaurant a block away. Having been here for four years, I’ve also gotten to know my mail woman, the trash guy, and all the corner store owners by name. We greet each other by name at this point, so that’s fun.

Thanks, Jess!

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