When I first walked into the Campbell Valet Custom Cabinets & Closets showroom, it was clear that the primary priority was quality cabinetry. Each drawer I opened or cabinet I peered into in the full-size displays of closets, wall beds, home offices and even garages spoke to this commitment. The second thing that struck me was the sheer number of options available for a custom design.

With so many of us spending hours every day in our home office – either as a home-based business or as a remote worker – having a functional space is important to productivity. As a designer for Valet Custom Cabinets & Closets, I needed a place to meet with clients and a place to work on the computer creating designs. But limited space meant I needed to combine my office with a family room. I wanted to be able to relax and watch TV after the workday was over.

With so much new construction going on in the Bay Area, more people are getting the that special opportunity of creating custom organization solutions throughout their home from the very beginning. Valet Custom Cabinets & Closets is delighted to partner general contractors, architects, and interior designers to give these homeowners exactly what they want and need in their brand-new home. Whether we create organizing solutions for one room or throughout the house, Valet Custom does more than cabinets and closets. We help you organize your life.

City living has many benefits and delights, especially in the Russian Hill area with Fisherman’s Wharf just blocks away. There’s lots to do, lots to see, and all of it close by. There is also a palatable sense of excitement that attracts many of us to live in downtown San Francisco. Having an abundance of space in your condominium or studio is one of the things we sacrifice for these other benefits. Although space may be limited, Valet Custom Cabinets & Closets can make the most of that space, taking city-dwelling to a new level. For this home owner in Russian Hill, elegance and functionality were the primary goals for her studio remodel.

As the 8th most expensive zip code in the United States, Los Altos Hills (94022, to be exact), is definitely not a cheap place to live. You get a lot of bang for your buck here, however, with guaranteed lot sizes, beautiful residential areas with restricted zoning (no apartments or commercial buildings here), and a fantastic community of adults to socialize with at the farmers’ market on Thursdays. It’s a quiet, ranch-reminiscent town that’s unfortunately about to get even more pricey.

By the end of 2017, the Fed expects yet another ¾ point increase in interest rates—meaning your LAH mortgage has the potential to rise more than $500 per month. If you’re lucky enough to live in this coveted zip code, that number may not concern you. However, it definitely serves as that market’s warning to stay put. Now is definitely not the time to buy new.

San Ramon: a beautiful, diverse, and safe place to raise your family away from the bustle of Cupertino or San Francisco. Surprisingly, I’ve seen a growing number of San Ramon clients who travel for business outside of the Bay Area. It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to leave the area—especially as the city’s about to get a brand new downtown. On the other hand, business travel contributes to San Ramon’s rank as one of the richest cities in America. They’re definitely doing something right, even if some residents have to leave the utopia biweekly.

The pace of Silicon Valley’s innovative industries’ growth is not slowing down, and neither are your work days. Now that global businesses are commonplace—running on diverse time zones—and instant communication options are boundless, what’s stopping you from working the hours that are most convenient for you and your company’s needs?

Work-life balance is a universal goal, regardless of your occupation, but it can be difficult to mentally separate from one or the other when your work and life compete for your time and—if you ever work from home—when they compete for the same physical space. Some Silicon Valley startups are making a point of paving the way for work-life balance out of the gate. But it’s not too late for you to create a context for balance even if work demands are in full effect and your hours are atypical.

Working from home in the Bay Area sounds like living the dream, doesn’t it? My telecommuting clients tell me they enjoy a better work/life balance, avoid traffic, and generally feel more productive. I believe it, especially given that the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area came in first, nationally, for number of mega-commuters—people who travel at least 90 minutes and at least 50 miles each way for work. That’s a lot of time and stress most of us could do without.