Designing for California Living: Indoor-Outdoor Musts in San Francisco Homes

High above the Bay Area, morning fog blankets a hillside home in cool gray. By noon, that same home basks in intense western sunlight, temperatures climbing 25 degrees. Welcome to San Francisco living, where design must dance with microclimates that shift not just seasonally, but hourly

"The quality of light in San Francisco differs dramatically from the East Coast," explains Lane McNab, whose firm has spent years mastering the art of seamless indoor-outdoor design in this gentle yet ever-changing climate. "We have warm, golden western light here in California, while the East Coast has cooler, bluer tones. That difference fundamentally shapes which styles and colors work best in Bay Area homes."

In a region where fog rolls in predictably each afternoon to cool hot summer days, outdoor spaces remain usable most months. Yet, with spectacular hillside views from the East Bay almost always facing west, directly into intense weather patterns, creating functional indoor-outdoor living requires a deep understanding of San Francisco’s unique environmental challenges.

Steel-and-glass window system in an Oakland Hills home, designed to withstand western sun and weather while connecting indoors with outdoor views.

The Western Exposure Challenge

Most coveted Bay Area views share a common orientation: they face west. From the East Bay, that means looking toward the San Francisco skyline, the bay, and the Pacific Ocean beyond. It also means facing the region's most intense weather and light conditions.

McNab points to her own 125-year-old home as evidence. "The cedar shingles on the outside are original, and everywhere except the western side is in pretty good shape. And the western side is just totally beaten down every summer and winter—in the summer it's the intense light, and in the winter it's the weather."

For an Oakland Hills project featuring a dramatic steel and glass window system, this western orientation created both a spectacular opportunity and a significant challenge. The windows—approximately 10 to 12 feet tall—frame views of forested hillside, East Bay cityscape, the bay, and San Francisco beyond. But maximizing those views while maintaining livability required a thoughtful window treatment strategy.

Living room in a Spanish Revival cottage featuring layered drapes that control bright western light while keeping the room cozy and connected to the view.

The Drapery Solution

McNab chose drapery over shades for multiple reasons. The space featured hard materials—glass, steel, and wood—that needed softening. But the drapery also had to provide serious light control that could adapt throughout the day.

"The light that comes in from the west is so intense—there'll be so much glare on your TV or screen—that having a blackout or very opaque drapery is really important for being able to enjoy a media room," she explains. "But at the same time, once you close a blackout drapery or something that is very opaque, it almost feels like you've put a wall up."

Her solution layers functionality through double-layer drapery systems. A translucent sheer provides daytime privacy, particularly effective when it's brighter outside than inside, while filtering intense midday sun into soft, dappled light. The opaque outer layer provides complete room darkening for media viewing or evening privacy, eliminating the harsh all-or-nothing effect of a single blackout treatment.

This layered approach solves multiple problems simultaneously: managing glare, controlling heat gain that affects energy efficiency, preventing UV damage to furnishings and artwork, and maintaining a connection to views even when light filtering is needed.

For clients who resist any interior window treatments, McNab has embraced motorized exterior shades that can be controlled from inside with a switch or remote, providing light control while keeping interior views completely unobstructed.

Primary bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the SF Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin Hills, seamlessly blending indoor comfort with the outdoors.

Mastering the Microclimate

San Francisco's microclimates add complexity that separates Bay Area design from anywhere else. Temperature fluctuations of 25 degrees can occur within just 10 to 15 miles of driving distance. San Francisco receives the majority of the fog, while the East Bay runs warmer but still gets the marine layer in summer mornings that typically burns off by noon.

This dramatic variability requires spaces that perform differently throughout a single day. A home might need to feel cozy and protected at 8 AM when wrapped in damp fog, then open and breezy by 2 PM when temperatures soar and sunlight floods through windows.

Despite these challenges, the Bay Area offers a unique advantage that makes outdoor living genuinely viable year-round: the absence of mosquitoes and other insects. Windows and doors can remain open for approximately six months without screens or other barriers, making outdoor spaces usable far more often than in most American cities.

Year-Round Comfort: Heating and Shade

Evening temperatures drop as fog rolls in, requiring strategic heating solutions. McNab's approach is multi-layered: heat lamps provide overhead warmth for dining and conversation areas, while fire pits create natural gathering points that draw people outside even when temperatures would otherwise send them indoors.

"Fire pits are huge in the Bay Area, and they get used year-round, because even in the summer, the fog comes in and it's cool at night," McNab notes.

She also specifies heated outdoor furniture from companies like Galanter & Jones, allowing seating areas to remain comfortable without requiring permanent heating infrastructure. Guests discover unexpected warmth in what appears to be ordinary furniture—a small luxury that transforms the outdoor experience.

Daytime presents the opposite challenge. While temperatures typically range from the 70s to low 80s during summer, while not particularly extreme, the intense sunlight can still make spaces feel hot. McNab incorporates flexible shade solutions, including awnings, retractable awnings, shade umbrellas, and sun sails that adjust as conditions shift throughout the day.

Living room in a historic San Francisco Victorian home featuring open-concept design, modern furnishings, and views to the outdoor space.

The Outdoor Materials Revolution

The evolution of outdoor materials has fundamentally transformed what's possible in Bay Area indoor-outdoor design. Performance fabrics that once felt plasticky now offer the softness of velvet while resisting stains and mold.

"Back when I first started, all outdoor fabric felt like plastic," McNab recalls. "And now we use outdoor fabric in interiors all the time, because it's gotten so stain-resistant, mold-resistant, and just feels very soft and velvety, all the way down to outdoor carpets."

This materials revolution means outdoor spaces can achieve the same sophistication as interior rooms, making transitions feel genuinely seamless. The psychological barrier between "inside" and "outside" dissolves when fabrics feel equally luxurious in both environments.

For furniture, McNab gravitates toward teak but avoids monotonous matching sets. She mixes teak pieces with powder-coated tables, sometimes adding a pop of color through side tables that create visual interest through variety rather than coordination.

Perhaps the most transformative innovation has been rechargeable lighting. Previously, outdoor lighting was limited to garden lighting, landscape lighting, or permanently mounted sconces. Now portable lamps designed for outdoor use can be positioned exactly where needed for a dinner party, then moved elsewhere for a different gathering. This flexibility creates intimate atmospheres that would have been impossible before, removing one of the last distinctions between interior and exterior spaces.

Making Small Spaces Work

In San Francisco's urban core and immediate suburbs, outdoor footprints are typically compact. Even in Oakland and Berkeley, yards remain relatively small. Rather than viewing this as a limitation, McNab focuses on creating seamless flow between interior and exterior spaces.

"How do we make the draw to use the outside feel very natural and create that traffic flow that allows you to just throw your doors open and, on a weekend, keep them open all day and kind of move indoor to outdoor in a way that feels seamless and feels natural?" she asks.

Her strategy involves a reciprocal approach: making the inside feel influenced by the nature, greenery, and materiality outside, while making the outside feel cozy, intimate, and luxurious as if it were inside. This blurs boundaries so effectively that occupants move between the two without conscious awareness of the transition.

When architecturally possible, McNab eliminates level changes between indoor and outdoor spaces. Even a single step creates a psychological boundary—our brains register the change and categorize the outdoor space as separate rather than as a natural extension. In renovations, she elevates exterior grade to match interior floor levels, often by building elevated decks or raising patios.

When level changes can't be eliminated, McNab compensates strategically by repositioning doorways to create sight lines toward outdoor access, or by placing the most-used spaces at the back of the house. Kitchens, breakfast rooms, great rooms, and family rooms oriented toward outdoor living ensure that even small exterior spaces become part of daily routines rather than occasional-use amenities.

McNab treats even compact outdoor areas—sometimes just 12 by 12 feet—as legitimate rooms of the home. While that's not large for an outdoor space, it can still become an important part of day-to-day living when designed and positioned thoughtfully.

For a Berkeley project years ago—the Grizzly Peak renovation—McNab blew out small, cramped doors and expanded the deck. The home had an amazing San Francisco view, but the access prevented anyone from enjoying it. By expanding the doorways and extending the deck, the outdoor space didn't actually grow much in square footage, but its perceived importance expanded dramatically because it became visually and physically connected to primary living areas. Walking into the home, your eye immediately pulls you through toward that view.

Living and dining spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows, bringing San Francisco’s skyline and outdoor scenery into the heart of the home.

The Bay Area Advantage

In San Francisco, achieving seamless indoor-outdoor living requires more than beautiful furnishings. It demands deep knowledge of regional microclimates, materials that withstand environmental challenges, strategic heating and shade solutions, and creative problem-solving that turns limitations into opportunities.

McNab's approach centers on understanding how Bay Area families actually live. Morning coffee shouldn't require waiting for perfect conditions. Outdoor dining shouldn't be reserved for rare, flawless evenings. Spectacular views shouldn't come with the cost of harsh glare and temperature extremes.

When boundaries between inside and outside dissolve, fog becomes atmospheric rather than problematic. Small outdoor spaces become essential rather than auxiliary. Materials perform beautifully through sun, fog, and temperature swings. And homes take full advantage of the Bay Area's greatest asset—the ability to live with doors open to nature most of the year.

"Good design should make life easier and more enjoyable," McNab concludes. "It should anticipate your needs, support your routines, and create moments of genuine joy."