The importance of light and treading lightly

San Francisco based Axton and Emma describe their well-balanced life and home

Perched on the top floor of a two-storey condo in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighbourhood, Emma and Axton have carved out a life that embodies the essence of San Francisco living. Built in the 1920s, their home has windows on all four sides – guaranteeing them plenty of natural light. Known for its stroller-heavy streets, family-friendly atmosphere and weekend farmer’s market, Noe Valley is located in one of the quieter parts of the city. “There has yet to be another place that balances the excitement of a city with the peace of nature so well.” explains Axton, as it provides the perfect backdrop for the couple’s approach to slow living.

For Emma, San Francisco is suburbia without the commute. As a lifelong resident, she reflects, “While I haven't lived in any other major cities, even this one can start to feel a bit cramped sometimes. So the ability to pop out to the ocean or head out for a hike is really important. Knowing we have the flexibility to move around without having to travel far has been the key to our living here for so long. We have everything we need on our doorstep – incredible food and drinks, music, outdoor spaces and beaches, art and museums, and (for the most part) great weather. The only thing we don’t have is our own backyard.”

Growing up in San Diego, Axton’s childhood was spent skateboarding or surfing. These days, he spends a large chunk of his time on two wheels, riding through the Redwood-lined roads of Mount Tamalpais or navigating coastline tracks. What started as an easy way to commute soon became a serious passion and his love for cycling quickly evolved into a career. Smiling, he says, “Working for an international brand like Pas Normal Studios has taken me around the world, enabling me to see amazing places and meet amazing people. It means that cycling is intertwined with the everyday and I spend an average of 13 hours a week on the bike. Most mornings start with an early ride with friends and end with a quick coffee catch-up. I’ve always felt that cycling is a great equalizer among friends. The people I ride with all work in different fields and hail from different backgrounds, but when we ride together none of that matters because we’re all just trying to get up the same mountain – one maybe a little faster than the other.”

With a busy full-time role in the fashion industry, Emma finds escapism in her love of reading and also discloses, “When my hours are done I’ll often pick up my knitting to unwind. It’s a great way for me to unplug from everything, slow down and work with my hands and end up with a finished product at the end. With Axton out riding such a lot, it provides the ideal opportunity to make the most of the solo time with my solo hobbies – knitting, baking and seeing friends. It works really well for us”. Together for seven years and married for three, the couple moved in together a few months after they started dating. Axton laughs and says, “Sometimes you’ve got to dive in at the deep end.”

Their home is defined by a few essential elements, with the pair agreeing that its windows are probably the most important. Emma continues, “I’ve lived places before with very little sunlight and it really messed with me, so having as much as possible is crucial for my well being. We’re so lucky to live in a place that brings in light from all directions.” Axton adds, “Light can change a space more than any other component. Having windows on all sides means that as well as living in a bright, light-filled condo, during the summer it can be 98 degrees at night – and that’s when our trusty tool, the humble wine-cork comes into full operation. We use them to prop open our 100-year old single glazed window panes on the hotter days and then our two cats get to play with them when the temperature slides back down. We’ve found nothing that does the job better, and in one sense they’re also a sign of a good time spent with friends and family. A good way to reuse and recycle.”

A moderate, purposeful pace is also reflected in their choice of furniture. Emma’s first interaction with Vitsœ was a 621 Table. Together they then bought a small 606 Universal Shelving System, and like most things in their home it has adapted over time – moving and expanding with them. Axton explains, “For us the initial dive into Vitsœ was a solution to a problem. Emma is an avid reader and most small San Francisco apartments don't lend themselves to much extra storage. Of course, I had always admired Dieter Rams and Vitsœ and aspired to have a system one day but it had always landed a bit more on the want than need side of the scale. Once we got our first system, it became infinitely easier to justify its expansion. Now, I can't imagine our home without it. It's a statement piece and unobtrusive all at the same time.”

A side effect, of increasing their system slowly, has meant they’ve developed a budding friendship with their local Vitsœ planner, Antoine. He explains how Emma and Axton,“Really do appreciate the non-disposable nature of Vitsœ and understand the long-term investment 606 represents. Which, in an era of online-purchase next-day deliveries, says a lot, especially here in America, where most consumers are accustomed to those. Treading lightly is not so typical for customers from their generation, which immediately set them apart in my eyes. Explaining the story of Vitsœ takes time, and can have new customers do a full 180. In this case, the connection I’ve built with Emma and Axton as their system has grown has meant we’ve created an organic relationship that goes beyond brand and consumer.”

Pointing towards the 606 shelving in their living room, Axton says, “That individual bay of shelves has taken on many forms and configurations over three homes and always finds its way into the perfect spot. It’s grown and grown to what it is today. It’s like a plant (that's getting out of control!) but I love it the same way I did in the beginning. It’s become a functional part of our everyday life. I’ve encouraged my mom, a few close friends, my in-laws, friends of my in-laws and others to start the way we did with our 606”. In a world of transient trends and super-fast consumption, their approach to mindful living defies convention. By spreading the word slowly through their own community they’ve proved that, perhaps, good design is contagious.

Image credits
Ulysses Ortega
Third image: Landon Scott