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This San Francisco boutique sets the bar for chic, streamlined style.
March’s splatterware is handmade by a generations-old, family-run workshop in Puglia, Italy.
Hamilton (left) and general manager Katharine Lange catch some rays in the shop’s courtyard.
food for thought
When Sam Hamilton first opened March in 2003, she stocked her Pacific Heights shop with a smart selection of contemporary and antique European furnishings. But in the summer of 2010, after completing an externship in the café kitchen of Berkeley’s celebrated Chez Panisse, she decided to broaden her emporium’s offerings to reflect her growing knowledge of cuisine. “I wanted to showcase the fantastic food scene of Northern California,” she says, “without abandoning my passion for interiors.”
refined palette
After a year of dreaming and planning, Hamilton began a shop makeover that included the installation of an oversize Belgian pantry cabinet and handcrafted butcher-block tables. Today, the store boasts an attractive array of kitchen and housewares, such as matte-black cast-iron egg fryers and striped canvas oven mitts. Additionally, March now offers design services, working with clients on everything from cabinetry to appliances. “You should never have to sacrifice style for utility,” Hamilton says. “The timelessness of an object has everything to do with its design, materials, and craftsmanship.”
display case
Along with oil paintings by Carrie Mae Smith and still life photographs by Paulette Tavormina, the store also serves as a gallery for an impressive roster of food-inspired artwork. “It’s yet another way to represent culinary culture as an extension of design,” says Hamilton.
March’s line of pantry essentials includes hickory-smoked sea salt, red wine vinegar, and natural fruit preserves.
The store offers a mix of vintage accessories, many of which Hamilton finds while combing European fairs and flea markets. “I love pieces that communicate a history,” she says.
standout staples
hamilton’s essential items cookers by aga
“These iconic English beauties are absolute classics.”
tableware by brickett davda
“The shapes are inspired by pure, functional objects, cherished and worn by use.”
wooden spoons by blackcreek mercantile & trading co
“Josh Vogel [founder of Blackcreek] is a master wood-carver, and this series of handcrafted spoons is exclusive to March.”
splatterware by march
“Each piece is hand-thrown and splattered using techniques that have been around for centuries.”
stools and benches by sawkille
“Gorgeous, customizable, and a client favorite.”