Modern furniture, lighting and interesting objects for the home with knowledegable interior design staff to assist. We highly recommend a visit to this high-design upscale Hayes Valley store in San Francisco. Krisjon Svanberg Design krisjonsvanberg.com read more

minimal - Krisjon Svanberg Design krisjonsvanberg.com - Home Decor Near Me - San Francisco, California

I don't like to write negative reviews; however, I had a distasteful experience and I'm hoping Minimal does better. We liked a lot of the items there, but I distinctly remember the woman at the front desk not acknowledging us at any point during our stay (not when we walked in, not once during our 15-minute visit, no small talk during checkout, and nothing when we left). Of course, if there were several customers and she was busy with other people, we wouldn't have minded. However, we were the only ones in the store. We were genuinely interested in many of the items, yet she didn't care to speak to us even once. It doesn't take much to greet or acknowledge your customers. Furthermore, the establishment is situated in one of the most tourist-heavy areas of SF. Not everyone who walks in will make a purchase; however, that should not provide a justification for ignoring those whom you may perceive as unlikely to buy anything. As a business owner, it's expected that you treat each person who enters the door with respect. read more

Great little shop in Hayes Valley with one-of-a-kind items! A little on the pricey side, like everything else in this neighborhood, but there are some good finds for a reasonable price, and they regularly put select items on sale. I love their silicone selection-- like the "mark-mats", placemats with cool designs that kids can color with. The set comes with reusable markers for $26. The baby bibs are pretty cute and handy too. I've given these as gifts, and my friends love how practical they are. Stop by for a visit-- and say hello to the adorable furry cat lounging in the comfy fur basket in the middle of the store! read more

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Elegant modern home decor, furniture, and innovative product boutique. It is a great place to shop local and finding affordable yet amazing designer goods from Europe, Japan and United States. I love everything about the store. It really represents Hayes Valley. read more

Let's just suppose that you are a thrifty-savvy, whip-smart gal with new digs that you're sharing with your fantastically sophisticated bestie. Of course you're too fabulous and a tad too grown-up (yeah, I said it!) to feather your nest like an Ikea store, top to bottom. Whether giving, gettin' or just re-stocking, I recommend Minimal for their clever design, sexy sale prices and a bit of whimsy thrown into even the most practical and "necessary" items. Now, clearly, Gentle Yelpers, you know that I'm all kinds of practical and ridiculous, so Minimal is going to be a regular haunt for housewares that *can* be delightfully girly, along with kitchen towels that the menfolk are proud to sling across their shoulder or tuck into an apron. Last weekend they were having a sale and the Cadet literally had to drag me out of the shop. The store is laid out beautifully; I would recommend that if you've got small childrens or are accompanied by someone who behaves like one - this is not the venue to host a family reunion. There's room without crowding, but it's always nice to peruse such wares at a leisurely pace with personal space between patrons respected. Minimal is fantastical - don't be bitter if I beat you to all of the sale items! read more

While milling around Hayes Valley with a friend we poked our heads into Minimal. This is a great little shop to pick up house warming gifts as it's filled with interesting knick knacks at different price points. For design freaks this is a great place to find beautiful kitchen decor. As a mother of three I do my best not to waste my money on needless things (because I'm spending my extra dollars on piano and gymnastics lessons) but oh how I wished I could stuff my pockets full of gifts from Minimal. They even have lovely pieces of jewelry. But my favorite needless thing? A soda making kit with syrups and a seltzer bottle. Who needs to make their own soda? Who has the extra time these days? Oh yes, single childless folk who have hours to fill with homemade soda. Drats! Yelp 365 Challenge: #28/365 (The Needless Thing) read more

Very helpful Kristina made this shopping dent easier on the wallet. With an additional 20% discount, she helped guide through how items were made and her recommendations on style (flair?)....lol Picked up a few stylish cups and these are heavy duty. Not your IKEA $2.99 cups. These are big league cups for the serious people who love quality not quantity. Euro design overall with nice selections abound. If there's something that is not available, Kristina can order it for you and have it shipped to your location. Thats customer service fer ya! Enjoy. read more

I think "Minimal" refers to how likable the staff is. I was there in Hayes Valley on one of my free days from the stresses of life, not really caring too much about my appearance, when I happened into Minimal. Though they carry a lot of cute design products in a number of different functions, there are already a countless number of these stores in existence in San Francisco (think ALL of the stores in the upper fillmore). Considering the modern designs at modern prices, the only thing that could set one of these many stores apart from another is a friendly staff or good customer service. This store had neither. Upon entering, the blonde lady at the desk looked me straight up and down, didn't say hello, and went about her business (I was literally the only person in the entire store so "being too busy to say hello" doesn't work here). As I had the full intent of purchasing something new for around the house, I asked her about a product, while she proceeded to seem offended that I could possibly know anything similar to her, answering with very short and annoyed answers. Homegirl, no matter how expensive your stuff is, you still work in retail. This means that, even when you don't want to, you have to answer a couple of questions & be cordial (at the very least) to people you normally would run and hide from in a more urban setting. Needless to say, I purchased nothing from "Minimal" & never will. read more

Great home goods, friendly service. Sadly, some of them are out of my price range right now but I can dream, right? If you're looking for really clean, well designed furniture and accents for your home this is definitely worth a visit. Shop local! read more

I am not the needy type so not being bathed in greetings upon entering does not affect my rating. I'm so thankful I'm able to separate service from personal insecurity. On December 16, my wonderful boss invited us to a holiday party at Absinthe...a couple of doors down from Minimal. We had a wonderful time and - as is typical of the holidays - decided to do a little window shopping to work off our holiday "cheer". Minimal is the type of place where you instantly find things you never knew you wanted (or your significant other does) but can't live without once you've seen them. One stop shop! My partner pointed three times; I came back the next day. Shopping done! I have to mention the service. On Sunday, I was assisted by someone who identified herself as a very part time assistant from Berkeley. But truly, she could not have been any more excited than we were about the merchandise. Day Two. I go back to purchase the "surprise" Christmas gifts I was instructed to buy the day before. I think I was assisted by the owner. Wow! What personable and memorable service. Sadly was not greeted by the store cat. BTW, if you want a really good looking shopping bag to accentuate your look, START HERE. I got glances all up and down the street. Minimal is a carefully curated shopping experience. Don't fool around elsewhere! You'll find everything you need here. read more

With some time to shop, a San Francisco local suggested visiting the shops in Hayes Valley. We made our way there and started wandering about. There are definitely a lot of shops from fashion to furniture to cute little spots with a bit of everything. Minimal is one of those. They mostly have home gadgets and accessories, the perfect little things to make you feel like you've got the coolest pad on the street. Everything feels like a one of a kind piece, but the prices did not seem unreasonable. They also have a lot of items that would make good gifts like a flashlight shaped like a black cat (my birthday is in February) to a nice selection of jewelry. They also stock Soda Streams if you want to make soda at home! Overall, a little bit of this and little bit of that makes for a groovy spot to browse and possibly stumble across something you can't live without or just the right thing for someone who is tough to buy for. read more

Great modern home decor,and an adorable store cat

Service is amazing and I love everything in this store. I've been able to text the owner and select items, purchase, and ship directly to my home. So easy! Highly recommend this store! read more

Ah, one of my favorite types of stores. Something for every occasion!

This is a great place that showcases a lot of cute home/kitchen items. I'm (very slowly) furnishing a new apartment and I'll wander in here on occasion to get ideas. So far I haven't made any purchases, but the guy working there when I've gone in has been *so* helpful. He even gave me a list of other stores and websites to check out, which I have to give him major props for. Some of the items there are a lot more than I'd want to spend, but they also have a lot of reasonably priced stuff. They have some really cute wooden and puzzle coasters and things like that. Either way, I have never felt weird or out of place to just look around here, check the prices, etc. and leave without buying anything. read more

I've been to minimal numerous times, most recently to purchase my Soda Stream and get my replacement cartridges. I'm a bit bummed that they don't have the Diet cranberr-raspberry soda mix anymore, guess I need to shop around! As for the staff, I've always had a good experience here, keep up the good work. read more

I went in to get a gift for my friend's birthday. I asked the lady (owner?)specifically if she could gift wrap it for me before I paid. When I asked if I could get some tissues to put in the plain white shopping bag, she said "no, I can't". Yup, my bad - forgot it's called minimal! Minimal customer service that is! Sad. read more

Shopped here with my homefries Ja Cqueline and A. A. Ron. (http://youtu.be/Dd7FixvoKBw) I met Ti MO'thy, who narrated the selection of chic mens wallets. Dude was so style knowledgeable that I wish he'd advise me in my other shopping, too. I'm talking about at other stores - like have him appear out of nowhere when I'm confused with suits, or at Nike (http://www.yelp.com/biz/nike-san-francisco-san-francisco-2#hrid:eaa5EPKI8d4uNnaHmKOe5Q), or IKEA (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ikea-emeryville?select=16NbP1AobkhSkq6DrvYASw). read more

The woman that works at this store is so great - talkative, friendly etc. Lots of great stuff in here - I just wish I could have bought some shiny new toys (but I was out to dinner and didn't want to lug around a bunch of stuff and try to get it in my suitcase home). I loved all the funky kitchen tools, accessories, and cool home decor items. Sleek and modern looking. Oh and the "pleece" crinkled scarves were so soft they were amazing (can't believe they are all man made)! I'm so happy they have a website because I will definitely be ordering from them soon. read more

I'm sorry that others have had negative experiences with this store. I first shopped here around the same time the first (negative) review was posted, and each time the staff has gone out of their way to help me. Yes -- this includes the aforementioned blonde. :) The first time I was there, the blonde at the cashwrap actually let me leave my heavy laptop bag there while I looked around the store -- no small inconvenience for her, as the store was full of theater people (this was during the holiday shopping season). Each time, the staff have had no problem doing price checks or looking up other information I asked for. I should also mention that the items Minimal stocks are tasteful, lovely and functional -- and sometimes breathtakingly affordable. I still can't believe the deal I got on my husband's gift. Thanks to everyone at Minimal for your help! read more

I often drive through Hayes Valley but never stop. This time I went to the neighborhood with the intent of checking out all the stores I always pass. Awesome stores, for sure, but disappointed with Minimal. I'm not the first Yelp reviewer to make the parallel between the store's name and the service offered. Three people were in the store when I came in and they were chatting. I walked up the ramp and looked up, expecting some sort of acknowledgement. Maybe a "let me know if I can help with anything." Nothing. I slowly meandered through the entire store. I walked around the trio blocking the path. Still nothing. I was probably in the store for about 5 minutes and not a single word came my direction. Not a "thanks for visiting" when I left. Absolutely nothing, which is a little awkward in a store of that size. Instead of offering any service whatsoever, the three were busy in a light conversation about gentrification. The employee behind the desk told the other two that she hates to sound like an "uppity yuppie" but she lived in SF during the dot-com boom and had hoped that gentrification would push the current population out of the Tenderloin. Hm. If you have to preference a statement with "I had to sound like [X] but...", it's probably inappropriate conversation to have in front of customers when you're at work. I give Minimal two stars instead of one because they have neat stuff, though not necessarily what I was looking for. More small nick-nacks (such as candles) than not but I'm more interested in their modern design items (such as the Tube Top and Brazo Table Lamps). read more

My absolute go-to for unique and creative modern yet timeless goodies and gifts (too often to myself). Kristina is extremely passionate and knowledgable about her products. Minimal has a bit of everything for everyone. read more

Minimal is always one of my first/only stops when gift shopping. It's a great place to find a "gift" - something one might not normally buy for oneself, but would really enjoy having. Weird thing is, neither I nor those I've asked can relate to the experiences of the first 2 reviewers re: staff likability. Quite the opposite, even. I've always found the staff to be perfectly nice and friendly. read more

Heading to a friend's for a holiday feast, and realized I needed to pick up a little holiday gift. As I'm walking to their place I pass this lovely little store called minimal. What a find! This place is a must go in San Francisco over the holidays and beyond. Great store, great prices, great staff. read more

Wow. It's not often that I walk into a shop and get to talk with the owner about design, business, the design business, and how she can get *everything* that's been on my list of wanted wares for years, no problem. To put this in perspective I will say this: for such a design-centric town, most SF stores know surprisingly little about true heritage design. Those are fighting words to some, sure, but $350 jeans and a $7 cappuccino do not mean these are quality things, just overly precious things. 99% of what is passed off as "design" in SF is just overly precious and not truly, truly designed OR made from craft materials. They thing about Minimal is this: they know what they have and they aren't bullshitting you about it by charging Cole Valley prices- just literally what stuff is worth. Yes, that's a lot, but yes, most of it will increase in value so there. Look, every single shop in SF supposedly has "Mid-century Danish furnishings" but let's be honest kids- they don't. So when a shop owner just humbly presents deep knowledge of craft instead of some shoddy brand positioning - they can have all of my money as long as I have any. Real knowledge of real design is always worth more to me than a desperate push to cash in on the Cole Valley goes Mid-Century Craze. I'll pay for real knowledge and to that end I probably will NEVER start a shopping trip anywhere else until I see what is at Minimal. read more

Creative home decor items at pretty affordable prices. Loved the unique items here, including cheese spreaders, tea cups, wine openers and stoppers. Just really cute knick knacks that are not ridiculously priced. It's not IKEA, for sure, but still better than "Design Within Reach" which is definitely NOT within reach unless you're a millionaire (RIDIC) There's a Cherry Red Shawl from Designed in Stockholm that i covet... Great place for creative gifts (1) con- slow service...there seems to only be one person working there and there's really no space for more than 2 people to be standing in line. It literally took my friend 10 mins to pay for her coasters when there were only 2 people before her. But, i guess everyone could be a little more patient on a sunny Saturday... read more

Minimal carries a nice selection of well-priced, nicely designed Scandinavian household items. Kristina, the aforementioned blond, who is actually the owner, I believe, has always been really helpful and nice as well as well-informed about the products she carries at her store-this is more than I can say for many retail stores. Her prices are very competitive, oftentimes better than what i can find for the same product online-which is hard to do in a brick and mortar store these days. Always recommended for a nicely designed, different than your run of the mill gift (for yourself or someone else!). read more

Awesome place to find cool, unique housewares. Knowledgeable staff about design!

This is the real thing. Probably the last designer home accessories store in San Francisco it would seem. Yes, you can buy at a brick and mortar store and still find helpful service in 2019. The merchandise runs the gamut from old classics to new finds. There is a lot crammed into what is a pretty small space. I am glad it has hung on over the years. It is a great place to find a house or wedding gift. Plus, you will always find something you must have for yourself. They are helpful and will go out of their way to assist you. They even offered to gift wrap for me without my asking. After ordering glassware as a gift twice on Amazon and having them arrive totally broken, I just went here and got the same thing for the same price (plus the wrapping). Places like this are rare these days, and it feels good to shop local. read more

This is a fantastic little shop for those who love design - alessi, marimekko, design stockholm, etc. My experience with the sales associates via phone (when I was asking about a stool) and in person (when I purchased a scarf) have all been very positive. read more

Yes, this place can be a little expensive, but I do love the curated designs they have in the store. As a designer, I know most of the items in there. They do get it every two weeks and the staff is friendly as well. From furniture, home accessories, phone accessories and lighting, they have it all. Definitely check this place out when you're around the area. read more

Owner is super nice. Got a coffee and it didn't work properly, she exchanged me a new one with no hassle. Love all the nice design stuff in the store. Very worth to go and check it out. read more

Cool small sized gadgets. A great city store. Unique items with local flavor.

Though tasteful and whimsical Scandinavian design can be had at Ikea, the difference between an Ikea product and a product purchased at Minimal is that it will last a lifetime. Yes, you might find the same design elements and possibly the same designer making a guest appearance in a mass-produced Ikea product, but it won't be built with the same materials, standards, and care. The world really is large enough for both markets to exist. And the blonde behind the counter couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating as I purchased several items. Everyone is entitled to good and bad days, even small business owners. read more

Kobo Opoponax Amber (sandalwood, violet, patchouli) pure soy candle. That's what I bought here. Makes my condo smell nice. $38 plus tax nice. And worth it. Fun variety of candles and home decor (pillows, dishes, etc.) and really friendly customer service. Glad I stopped in today! read more

Cute shop with contemporary and classic home items that will be sure to get your attention. Over Thanksgiving they had a great sale that made at least your sale tax go away. read more

minimal - Home Decor Near Me - San Francisco, California

I am saddened that the experiences of other shoppers was sooo negative. Minimal is one of my favorite boutiques in the City I have been shopping here since it was Scandinavian Details and I love it ! I have always been treated very well by staff, including the "saleslady" that others have referred to in previous reviews. The items are very unique, I have purchased gifts for myself and friends at Minimal, sometimes I just wander in and browse without purchasing and I am always treated well. Once I returned a chipped pair of candlesticks and the merchandise was exchanged without question. When looking for an unusual gift for yourself or others I highly recommend stopping by...I think you will be pleasantly surprised. read more

I have to concur with others' reviews of the service... not the best, espcially when the store is closed during posted business, very unprofessional!!! Some cool products, albeit pricey. With that in mind, I'd expecy superior service... too bad the staff isn't better... they actually locked the door infront of me, and left, without any explanation!?! read more

Beautiful items inside, but I agree with the last review...MEAN saleslady. I encountered the same blonde at the register and she was beyond unpleasant. We left the store because of her. And we are huge design fiends who would have bought lots of things. Too bad. read more

If I could give zero stars I would! Minimal's service is minimal! I have purchased there two or three times. Trouble started when I found one of the two Swell bottles I bought had defects in the bottle coating. I live in the South Bay and only go to the City occasionally. I emailed the shop, the owner wrote she'd set one aside for me. That's great. However I have tried twice to exchange with no success. First time, I found the shop was closed at around 1 pm on a weekday. I called the shop number. No answer and no forwarding. There was no sign on the door as to "I'll be back at xx time." I could only give up. The Second time was yesterday. The shop was open, but the employee told me he couldn't do anything because I had exceeded the window in the 30 day return policy, even though I showed him the receipt and the bottle was in its original packaging. I explained to him my email w the owner and my frustrating first visit, he was unsympathetic. I feel the shop runs in an amateurish way - erratic business hours, employees not trained in customer service. I told him I'd write a bad Yelp review. His response was "go ahead." I gave my contact info to the employee . Let's see if the shop owner herself cares more about customers or not. read more