Rising Amid the Redwoods: Portola Valley Home Featured in SHLTR Magazine
PRESS | August 2026 | SHLTR Magazine, Issue 10
SHLTR Magazine featured a Portola Valley, California, residential renovation in its August 2026 issue in an article titled “Rising Amid the Redwoods.”
Written by Laura Mauk and photographed by Adam Potts, the feature explores the transformation of a ranch-style home surrounded by mature redwoods in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically Portola Valley, Willowbrook Project
The residence, owned by Serra Butler Simbeck and Mauricio Simbeck, was reimagined to better connect its interiors with the surrounding landscape while honoring the home's architectural history and family legacy.
The renovation was led by Butler Armsden Architects which demonstrated how thoughtful residential design can preserve the character of an existing California home while adapting it for contemporary family living.
Read “Rising Amid the Redwoods” in SHLTR Magazine, Issue 10.
About ballonSTUDIO
Founded in 2003 by principal designer Sabra Ballon, ballonSTUDIO is a San Francisco luxury interior design firm specializing in high-end residential interiors, interior architecture, renovations, new construction, and boutique commercial spaces. Known for its earthy modernism, fine art integration, and architecture-led approach, the studio serves homeowners throughout San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin County, Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Lucia Preserve, Carmel, and Lake Tahoe.