My Houzz: A Couple’s Live-Work Home Suits Them to a T
Letterpress entrepreneurs integrate an art-meets-tech business into life in their San Francisco apartment
The self-professed “mail nerds” — in Prieto’s words, “pen, stamp and print freaks” — had been renting in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood when they bought their apartment via auction in the city’s trendy South Beach area. “There were 70 people in here that morning. It was exciting but crazy,” Monson says.
She and Prieto are pictured here with Ziggy, their high-energy Shetland sheepdog. Ziggy visits a farm in the nearby coastal city of Pacifica every day with a dog walker who has cared for him since he was a puppy. There, he gets to run and roam around.
She and Prieto are pictured here with Ziggy, their high-energy Shetland sheepdog. Ziggy visits a farm in the nearby coastal city of Pacifica every day with a dog walker who has cared for him since he was a puppy. There, he gets to run and roam around.
The kitchen island serves as the couple’s primary workspace. “I love the open kitchen, and everyone drinks their wine and chats. I like that it’s communal,” Monson says. She is seen here working in the background at the dining table. “We congregate around the kitchen island for meals and meetings.”
Several times a week, scriptists, who specialize in hand-lettering, and designers stop by. “Someone comes by to pack boxes for deliveries, and then some days we devote to printing cards,” Prieto says.
“We used to cook a lot, but since we have a lot of paper and use our island countertop, it’s easier to cook outside,” Monson says. They use a small grill on their balcony to cook outdoors.
Tolix Marais bar stools: Design Within Reach
Several times a week, scriptists, who specialize in hand-lettering, and designers stop by. “Someone comes by to pack boxes for deliveries, and then some days we devote to printing cards,” Prieto says.
“We used to cook a lot, but since we have a lot of paper and use our island countertop, it’s easier to cook outside,” Monson says. They use a small grill on their balcony to cook outdoors.
Tolix Marais bar stools: Design Within Reach
The dining table serves as another work area some of the time. “We don’t have to commute. Everything’s here, and you don’t have to run into an office, which is very convenient and practical,” Monson says. Working from home is convenient but also has its trade-offs.
“Sometimes being able to separate myself from home is impossible. It was harder in the beginning to give up our dining table. Now I’m just used to it, so it’s much easier,” she says.
“In the morning, Alexis might be working at the table, I’ll be in the bedroom, then later in the day, we transition to the couch and have the TV on in the background,” Prieto says. “We call it ‘work-life integration,’ rather than ‘work-life balance.’”
The previous owners had painted this accent wall behind the dining table a bright orange. Prieto and Monson covered it with wallpaper a few years ago.
Metropolis wallpaper by Catherine Martin: James Dunlop Textiles; Sill picture ledges and Aria table: Room & Board; Eames molded-plastic, wire-base side chairs: Design Within Reach; pendant light: Artemide
“Sometimes being able to separate myself from home is impossible. It was harder in the beginning to give up our dining table. Now I’m just used to it, so it’s much easier,” she says.
“In the morning, Alexis might be working at the table, I’ll be in the bedroom, then later in the day, we transition to the couch and have the TV on in the background,” Prieto says. “We call it ‘work-life integration,’ rather than ‘work-life balance.’”
The previous owners had painted this accent wall behind the dining table a bright orange. Prieto and Monson covered it with wallpaper a few years ago.
Metropolis wallpaper by Catherine Martin: James Dunlop Textiles; Sill picture ledges and Aria table: Room & Board; Eames molded-plastic, wire-base side chairs: Design Within Reach; pendant light: Artemide
The couple’s decorating philosophy is to invest in special pieces that are multifunctional. In the living room, the sofa converts into a twin-size bed for guests. “We like clean lines and would sum up our style as being simple,” Monson says. “For us, when we buy furniture, we want to buy something classic and we want to keep it forever. I can switch out a blanket or pillow, and when choosing how to furnish, we wanted to buy fewer but meaningful things.” The handcrafted throw pillows were a gift from Prieto’s mother in Mexico.
Displayed above the sofa is a framed portrait taken by the couple’s friend Sara Davis, head photographer at online shopping service Stitch Fix. The model is biting one of the first card designs from Punkpost.
Draped on top of a folding chair from the Alameda Point Antiques Faire is a hand-quilted blanket from Prieto’s mom. She made Prieto and his brother each a quilt when they were young.
5th Avenue Glacier Park throw: Pendleton; sofa: Design Within Reach; coffee table: Ikea; floor lamp: Crate & Barrel
Displayed above the sofa is a framed portrait taken by the couple’s friend Sara Davis, head photographer at online shopping service Stitch Fix. The model is biting one of the first card designs from Punkpost.
Draped on top of a folding chair from the Alameda Point Antiques Faire is a hand-quilted blanket from Prieto’s mom. She made Prieto and his brother each a quilt when they were young.
5th Avenue Glacier Park throw: Pendleton; sofa: Design Within Reach; coffee table: Ikea; floor lamp: Crate & Barrel
A small balcony makes a nice spot for eating breakfast, and they sometimes enjoy watching movies out here on a laptop as well. “We enjoy the peaceful view of the bay and seeing the cargo ships go by throughout the day,” Monson says. The potted tabletop succulents are from Flora Grubb nursery.
In the corner is an Australian Cobb grill that the couple enjoy using to make pizzas on the balcony.
Montego round table: Room & Board; Oh Chairs by Karim Rashid in white: Umbra
In the corner is an Australian Cobb grill that the couple enjoy using to make pizzas on the balcony.
Montego round table: Room & Board; Oh Chairs by Karim Rashid in white: Umbra
Monson and Prieto got married in Mendocino, California, in 2012. Prieto’s brother is a photographer, and he made them an album with images they keep displayed on their coffee table. The wood coasters are from a friend’s wedding. A cheeky white fist mug holds a small collection of pens. Next to it are a bottle of ink and a box of ink cartridges. Pens are found throughout the apartment.
Hand mug: Amazon
Hand mug: Amazon
The busy season for Prieto and Monson typically runs from Halloween through Father’s Day; they will receive upward of 500 card requests a day through the Punkpost mobile app. Throughout the year, people request thank-you and birthday cards as well.
Punkpost offers a collection of card designs the couple print on the letterpress machine in their apartment. They distribute the cards to scriptists, or hand-lettering artists, who fulfill their card orders. Customers who want to send a personalized card open the app and choose a card from the Punkpost collection. Scriptists get the order and write the customer’s message in the chosen card and mail it off.
“We want to help people connect with their mom or nieces and nephews and bring back the magic of receiving a handwritten greeting card in the mail,” says Prieto, pictured here printing a letterpress card.
Punkpost offers a collection of card designs the couple print on the letterpress machine in their apartment. They distribute the cards to scriptists, or hand-lettering artists, who fulfill their card orders. Customers who want to send a personalized card open the app and choose a card from the Punkpost collection. Scriptists get the order and write the customer’s message in the chosen card and mail it off.
“We want to help people connect with their mom or nieces and nephews and bring back the magic of receiving a handwritten greeting card in the mail,” says Prieto, pictured here printing a letterpress card.
The couple found their letterpress machine in a barn in Ohio, got it fixed in South Carolina and then shipped it to their apartment in San Francisco.
“We got a lot of support and help from the online letterpress printing community called Briar Press. They helped us get the machine running,” Prieto says.
Neon sign: Echo Neon Studio
“We got a lot of support and help from the online letterpress printing community called Briar Press. They helped us get the machine running,” Prieto says.
Neon sign: Echo Neon Studio
Prieto is seen here printing a thank-you card design with yellow ink.
Before starting Punkpost, Prieto, a native of Mexico, worked at Ideo, a design company. On a business trip to Boston, Monson had sent him a good-luck card at his hotel. Prieto wanted to return the thoughtful gesture but found his good intentions had limitations.
The couple decided that they had to do something to make it easier for people to send handwritten cards. “We were obsessed with the idea and tested something at Brit+Co’s annual festival, Re:Make,” Prieto says. Once their app was up and running in summer 2015, they had to decide whether to continue working from home or rent an office; they chose to make their apartment a multipurpose space.
Before starting Punkpost, Prieto, a native of Mexico, worked at Ideo, a design company. On a business trip to Boston, Monson had sent him a good-luck card at his hotel. Prieto wanted to return the thoughtful gesture but found his good intentions had limitations.
The couple decided that they had to do something to make it easier for people to send handwritten cards. “We were obsessed with the idea and tested something at Brit+Co’s annual festival, Re:Make,” Prieto says. Once their app was up and running in summer 2015, they had to decide whether to continue working from home or rent an office; they chose to make their apartment a multipurpose space.
The couple share certain rituals that help them start and end their workday. Their morning ritual includes a breakfast of oatmeal bought in bulk amounts that they store in their upper cabinets. They also grind their own coffee beans, and their favorite local coffee is from Sightglass. “We put a tiny piece of Dandelion chocolate in our oatmeal as a treat,” Prieto says.
The kitchen was in good shape when the couple bought the apartment.
Creamer: Heath Ceramics
The kitchen was in good shape when the couple bought the apartment.
Creamer: Heath Ceramics
This corner near the dining table and kitchen is where Prieto and Monson keep their main supplies organized on a simple Ikea table. Their letterpress cards are organized by artist and consist of original designs from artists around the world. They include a fashion designer in Russia, a handbag designer and Risa Culbertson of Papa Llama. A glass jar contains shimmery purple confetti, which can be requested with a card order.
The red poster on the left is by Lil Tuffy and the poster on the right is by Aaron Allen and was bought at a record store.
The red poster on the left is by Lil Tuffy and the poster on the right is by Aaron Allen and was bought at a record store.
“We dream of owning an old mail truck, and we bought this toy one as a ‘starter truck,’” Monson says. “We take photos of this USPS postal truck wherever we go. We’ve taken it to Venice Beach, Palm Springs, Portland, New York — we take it as our little traveling tradition.”
“When we started this whole thing, we were obsessed with mail and how it’s changed even though we’re more connected than ever now,” Prieto says. “Our scriptists go to the post office every day, and now we have become friends with our mail people and those who work at the post office, as we’re always looking for the newest stamps.”
The framed silk-screen print is by Oakland artist Lil Tuffy, who specializes in modern pop poster art.
“When we started this whole thing, we were obsessed with mail and how it’s changed even though we’re more connected than ever now,” Prieto says. “Our scriptists go to the post office every day, and now we have become friends with our mail people and those who work at the post office, as we’re always looking for the newest stamps.”
The framed silk-screen print is by Oakland artist Lil Tuffy, who specializes in modern pop poster art.
The couple call this their Project Trapper-Keeper. They use the one long white wall in their living space to plan for the year and to brainstorm.
The couple’s bedroom stays sunny throughout the day and has a view of the bay. White walls and bedding create a peaceful place to unwind at the end of the day.
The nightstand features a cherished card.
On the opposite wall, a low storage console stores more letterpress cards and other pens and supplies.
The couple found this Hans Wegner Easy chair during a floor-sample sale. Prieto loves sitting in this spot to read and relax with a cup of coffee.
The bathtub is one of Monson’s favorite spots in the apartment to relax and unwind.
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See more photos of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Alexis Monson, Santiago Prieto and their Shetland sheepdog, Ziggy
Location: South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco
Size: 921 square feet (86 square meters); one bedroom; 1½ bathrooms
A typical workday for Alexis Monson and Santiago Prieto begins with a 10-step walk from their bedroom to their living room. The couple — co-founders of Punkpost, a mobile app that helps people quickly send personalized hand-lettered cards — live and work in their San Francisco apartment, built in 2006. In the middle of their open-plan living area is an 800-pound letterpress machine from the 1920s that they nicknamed Aunt Pearl. The machine is used to print exclusive cards with original designs sent in from artists from around the world.