Setting Sail: Susan Hoff's Live/Work Space in San Francisco - Remodelista
Susan Hoff’s live/work space occupies two small rooms (a total of 502 square feet) in a nondescript two-story building that she shares with three other artists and a dance studio. Photography by Dalilah Arja for Remodelista. Susan spent her childhood horseback riding on her grandparents’ farm in Illinois. An uncommon occurrence in today’s impacted rental market, Susan signed the lease on her first day in the city. Down the hall from her workspace, and directly across from the dance studio, Susan’s 238-square-foot bedroom is a calm respite in the middle of a communal building. A 10-foot-wide area next to Susan’s bed serves as the living room. Susan used boat rope to secure an old sail as the curtain in her bedroom which creates a soft, diffused light. Seashells and surfboard wax sit neatly on an antique credenza. Another sail cushion made by Susan tops a midcentury teak recliner. Next to the sofa, a surfboard and tote bags made by Susan are stored on a wall. A bundle of dried seaweed hangs from a simple sconce. An architect who had previously occupied the bedroom built a corner nook to separate the bed from the living area. Books and souvenirs from Susan’s travels are perched on a shelf in the nook. In the 264-square-foot studio a few steps from her bedroom, Susan is a one-woman band: She executes everything from drafting and cutting patterns to sewing each bag in this space. When Susan first moved in five years ago, she only rented the studio space, so she built a tiny loft where she slept. Susan’s bags and layers of horse tack that will eventually become tote handles hang along a gray wall. Opposite the gray wall, sewing patterns and extra materials are stored in a cube shelf that doubles as a divider separating Susan’s space from the artist’s studio next door. Seeking more rental inspiration?