With a view of all of San Francisco and its bay in the distance, this bedroom in Sean Leffers’s own hilltop house doesn’t need much more to shine. But the designer wouldn’t miss an opportunity to spotlight handcraft, a passion of his that sparkles all the more brightly against some clean contemporary architecture. Under a cedarwood ceiling that extends out over a deck, the quilted textile on the bed signals care, skill and creativity — qualities that are underfoot as well, in a vintage Turkmen rug. Leffers emphasizes the materiality of handwork through juxtaposition — namely, a pair of vintage Memphis chairs. On the adjacent table: pottery from China’s Warring States Period, “around two thousand years old,” Leffers says proudly.
“I love the large embroidered figure of a mermaid. It is by Haitian artist Lhérisson Dubréus. He uses found objects from the beach and the forest as well as fabric and embellishments from his sister’s dress shop. I admire an artist’s creative process that is infused with resourcefulness.”
Design philosophy?
“Making your home can be a profoundly powerful act of self-love. I like to make spaces that nurture us physically, emotionally and intellectually as well as grow our capacity to be in contribution. Bring things into your life that fill your heart with joy, infuse it with meaning and help you make sense of the world.”
