Portrait of Home : Lower Haight

Jason’s designer’s eye is evident in every detail of his home. As an interior designer, his space is carefully curated and is very authentic to his true self. I photographed Jason’s apartment at three different light levels, daylight, dusk, and nighttime. With south-facing windows, Jason’s apartment gets soaked in beautiful light. He was the first person to ask if I can take photos at night, to capture his artificial light. Upon entering his space for the first time, I understood the request right away. His vintage lamps are beautiful. The light bulbs are all controlled by his phone, so that they all give off the same warm glow.

Jason is originally from Chico, California, having moved to San Francisco after graduating. He moved around the city a bit but had the goal of living on his own to learn more about himself. He has been in his studio apartment for a couple of years now. Over the years, he has collected beautiful vintage furniture, light fixtures, art, books and objects, each with a story.

Apartmento magazines, local artist zines, a coffee table book on the history of soccer (his favorite sport) and a book on artist Agnes Martin stood out to me. Martin’s use of color and simple geometric forms calm Jason and inspired the artwork above his couch, which he painted himself! The photos of Jason’s friends and family sprinkled around his home is a reflection of Jason’s warmth and the love and generosity he gives to those around him. A photo of his mom and dad from when they were in their 20s sits on top of his bookshelf. A photo booth strip of his grandma when she was also in her 20s is framed on his side table. A similar photo booth strip is on his refrigerator of himself, a nice parallel. He also loves making and sending cards to his friends and family. He took out his stamps, tape, and card collection from his storage cabinet to show me. He had his sewing machine out on the table when I came over the last time. His next project is to learn how to sew pillows, with vintage fabric and rope trim.

Spending time with Jason in his home was always the highlight of my day. His home, with the warm lighting, comfortable seating and candles burning, was an incredibly safe space to open up and reflect and feel inspired. I am incredibly grateful that Jason invited me into his space to document and capture his beautifully curated home.