This urban apartment in San Francisco, California’s Mission District was very dark and cluttered before Aidlin Darling Design remodeled it into a warm, cleanly-detailed space for urban living. The charming small apartment of 1,530 square feet was turned into a well-organized, sunlight-filled home with wonderful details.

This urban apartment was stripped down to its bones and rendered as a neutral white box, into which five key, cost-effective architectonic elements were inserted. The “Cradle,” a Douglas fir entry feature that holds home office space, bookshelves, and storage, is interwoven with the “Zipper,” a steel-and-wood stair and railing piece.

The plate-steel “Hearth” anchors the living room, while the “Stage” is a bi-level, sit down kitchen counter that lets guests witness the client’s formidable culinary skills. And the “Scrim,” a wall of translucent sliding panels made from fabric stretched and stapled onto wood frames, supplies privacy and solar shading. Each component responds directly to performance and program criteria, animating the interior in an efficient and meaningful way.

Photos:  Matthew Millman Photography