A World of Style: Growing Greenery and Global Influences Adorn Fiber Artist Britt-Marie Alm’s SF Nest
Love Fest Fiber’s Britt-Marie Alm and her family in their charming home in the Sunset District.
San Francisco is a kaleidoscope of inspiration, renowned for its rich culture and the global influences that enliven every aspect of the city. So when we had the opportunity to tour the gorgeous, bohemian home of fiber artist and owner of Love Fest Fibers, Britt-Marie Alm, you know we were thrilled. Located in the Sunset District (itself an icon of multiculturalism, and San Francisco’s largest neighborhood), Britt-Marie’s nest is a dream: lovingly decorated with treasures from her far-flung travels and ample living greenery, we think you’ll agree that this home is truly a jewel in the crown of SF’s Sunset District.
A World Traveler Finds Her Home Base
Since her first, fateful visit as a teenager on a community service mission, Britt-Marie has been driven by her love for the culture and the people of Tibet, and she has found ways to return to the country ever since that initial trip. Over the years, Britt-Marie visited again and again, exploring the country’s culture, learning Tibetan, researching Tibetan spiritual traditions, and finally falling irrevocably in love with regional Tibetan fiber traditions. A life’s passion was born.
From left to right: a feathery Zanzibar Gem, glossy Rubber Plant, and stunning Red Congo.
Much has come to pass since those early years, from a decade-long career in philanthropy to the ultimate adventure, motherhood! But Britt-Marie’s love of Tibet, and of sustainable fiber practices, has been a constant and her San Francisco based, globally-minded company, Love Fest Fibers, carries her passion worldwide, offering small-batch, sustainably harvested yarn and fiber goods from Nepal, Tibet and the West Coast of the US.
From The Mission To The Sunset
Prior to the pandemic, Britt-Marie tells us, she and her family were living in a studio in the Mission District. Space was a challenge, and with the new normal of spending most time at home, they quickly learned that their little brood was outgrowing that space. So they did what so many of us have done during the past couple years: they moved! From the admittedly cramped bustle of the Mission to a charming new home in the Sunset District, Britt-Marie suddenly had the space to go wild, and room for her eclectic decor and textile art to breathe.
Love Is In The Details
Colorful texture and playful decor make the perfect kids’ room!
Is there anything more inspiring than feasting your eyes on the decor of a world traveler? We think not and Britt-Marie’s home proves us right! Every object has a story, from a lovingly hand-hewn wooden bench from Tibet (estimated to be over three hundred years old!) to the canopy in her daughter’s room, repurposed from the altar crafted for Britt-Marie’s wedding by Oakland-based fiber artist Meghan Shimek.
Sky-High Foliage And A Fab Fiddle
From feathery Zanzibar Gems to a gorgeous Red Congo Philodendron, greenery reigns supreme in this house and it’s the perfect complement to a collection of furniture and decor that’s both precious and functional. The piece de resistance, though, is unquestionably Britt-Marie’s towering Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree, standing at well over eight feet tall (and brushing the ceiling)! The living greenery is itself an ongoing project: “Most of our plants have been with us for years. There's one in particular that I've had since I was in college—that means it's been with me for well over two decades!”
A sky-high Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree leans into the light.
A Dose Of Green Goodness
“Beautiful plants are like great artwork to me, I love what they add to a space.”
Attuned to the natural world, Britt-Marie’s home incorporates the palette and poetry of nature with a stunning array of living plants. “Plants feel like part of the family to me,” Britt-Marie says, “and they help create that sense of home in a space. I love returning back to them at the end of a long day, seeing how they grow and change over time, and watching them thrive when they find just the right corner in our house.”
The overall feeling of this eclectic, lively home is one of peace, invigoration and creativity. And we think there’s a lesson here for all of us: if you follow your inclinations, your passions and your heart, you can’t go wrong.
Britt-Marie’s Plant Picks: Red Congo, Zanzibar Gem, Rubber Plant, Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree, Kentia Palm.