With equal dedication to the craft of building and the art of designing, and decades of experience with both, RareField Design/Build offers an unrivaled authenticity of process and product. From commercial spaces and residential interiors to gardens of all shapes and sizes, RareField produces handcrafted, modern spaces connecting indoor with outdoor, public spaces with personal memories, and the dreams of our clients and collaborators with the everyday experience of living within them.
Earning California Home & Design’s highest honor for the year, Rarefield’s award-winning restaurant design created a savvy locavore, Wine Country destination out of an old Foster’s Freeze, and a stunning setting to enjoy the full experience of this California-focused eatery.
Imported French balusters, vintage Bundt and bread pans, custom woodwork in richly oiled cedar and redwood, and natural stone tile with ammonites, were all a part of Rarefield’s design-and-build treatment for this organic Marina District bakery.
Rarefield designed and curated every piece of decor for this extremely popular Mission restaurant, from the timber beams and upcycled stained glass to the light fixtures and works by local artists. As Michael Bauer of the SF Chronicle put it, “The interior, like the food, appears simple, but it’s filled with thoughtful details that escape casual observation yet still lend warmth.”
One of Vogue Magazines “Top Five destinations for dining outdoors in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles,” Central Kitchen and it’s sister business, Salumeria, have become sought-after (and now Michelin recommended) Mission District establishments. Rarefield’s design touches included reclaimed gymnasium flooring and repurposed light fixtures in Salumeria, and a retractable roof, fountain and interior vine-scape for Central Kitchen.
An challenging hillside exposure was transformed into a private hide-away for this Rarefield client. The naturally patina’d fire pit is enveloped with warm wood and a garden of mostly California native plants beyond.
At just 220 sqft, creating an outdoor room that made the most of every inch was a natural imperative for our clients, a hip family with two young boys living in San Francisco’s Mission District. Including a sand box (under a trap door in the deck), multiple vertical gardens, a water feature, a locally produced, heated Galanter & Jones bench, repurposed terra cotta roof tiles, and existing palms, Rarefield created a new centerpiece for this urban home.
Extending an additional 100 sqft of level living space off the back of this San Francisco home required engineering an 8 ft concrete retaining wall to hold back the hill behind the house. Rarefield put that additional surface area to work by incorporating and illuminating a water feature into the wall, providing a centerpiece for the garden along with ambiance inside and outside the home.
Extending the living and play space for this young family in Noe Valley, Rarefield reclaimed the entirety of this hillside property, as well as a great view from the top, with decking and several levels of retaining walls including built-ins and locally appropriate plant species that provide privacy as well as seasonal interest.
Rarefield was employed in multiple garden spaces by independent owners to transform these side-by-side Russian Hill spaces into inviting extensions of each home. The additions included herb gardens, outdoor kitchens, fire tables, and multiple vertical plantings as well as a colorful take on traditional planting design.
With one of several forts Rarefield has had the pleasure of designing and building, this garden had to meet the specifications of a stylish mom, two active young boys, and their friends.
Designed and built especially for the backyard wedding of these Mission District lovebirds and Rarefield clients, this garden project took on extra meaning for everyone involved. The couple was directly inspired by our garden adjoining the plant shop at Paxton Gate, and knew the Rarefield touch was exactly what they needed to complete their perfect Mission wedding venue, including this custom, planted, finished ipe backdrop for all their photos.
