Media & Partnerships Guide
Media & Partnerships Guide
SHLTR is the gateway to Northern California's luxury design community.
Founded by Zahid Sardar, former Design Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle for two decades, SHLTR brings together architecture, interiors, landscape, industrial, graphic and digital design under one roof, serving the nation's fifth-largest media market.
They build, renovate, and curate exceptional homes — many as architects, interior designers, and other design professionals shaping the built environment. They travel, collect, and invest in enduring quality, acting on the ideas and brands they discover in SHLTR.
Our editorial coverage spans the San Francisco Bay Area, Wine Country, Tahoe, Big Sur, Carmel Valley, and Hawaii.
Every issue combines thoughtful journalism, exceptional photography, and refined design—creating an editorial environment where premium brands feel naturally at home.
Selected editorial spreads from recent issues of SHLTR.
Reach Northern California's design community through SHLTR's print publications, digital platforms, newsletters, and integrated marketing opportunities.
Bi-monthly • Distributed to 10,000 subscribers through SHLTR and the Center for Architecture + Design
See rates →Monthly · 10,000 opt-in subscribers
The Bay Area's monthly source for design news, events, and new product discoveries.
See rates →2–3 editions per year · 15,000+ estimated readership
Beautifully produced, 120-page collectible volumes distributed through leading design destinations — including FOG Design+Art, the San Francisco Decorator Showcase, The Fall Show, the San Francisco Design Center, Heath Ceramics, and William Stout Books — where they remain on display long after publication.
See rates →
The Annual
A curated review of the year's finest architecture, interiors, landscape, and design across Northern California, presented in a collectible 120-page volume, published in time for the FOG Design+Art Fair and SF Decorator Showcase.
Kitchen & Bath
A dedicated showcase of exceptional kitchens, baths, and interiors, published in time for The Fall Show and celebrating the craftsmanship behind today's most inspiring homes.
The Travel Issue
Exploring exceptional hospitality, destination architecture, restaurants, wellness retreats, and unforgettable places through a design lens.
No code yet? Email Coralie to request access.
Closing Dates
Digital magazine closes on the 1st of its publication month.Newsletter closes two weeks prior to distribution.Print advertising closes four months before publication.
| Issue | Publishes | Ad closes |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Magazine — Sept issue | Aug 26 | Aug 1 |
| Print — Book 3, The Annual | Jan 15, 2027 | Sep 1 |
| e-Newsletter — September | Sep 30 | Sep 16 |
| Digital Magazine — Nov issue | Oct 27 | Oct 1 |
| Print — Book 2, Kitchen & Bath | Oct 5 | Closed — inquire |
| e-Newsletter — November | Nov 25 | Nov 11 |
| Digital Magazine — Jan issue | Dec 30 | Dec 1 |
| Issue | Publishes | Ad closes |
|---|---|---|
| e-Newsletter — January | Jan 27 | Jan 13 |
| Digital Magazine — Mar issue | Feb 24 | Feb 1 |
| e-Newsletter — March | Mar 31 | Mar 17 |
| Digital Magazine — Travel issue | Apr 28 | Apr 1 |
| Print — Book 4, Kitchen & Bath | Oct 4 | May 10 |
| e-Newsletter — May | May 26 | May 12 |
| Digital Magazine — Jul issue | Jun 30 | Jun 1 |
| e-Newsletter — July | Jul 28 | Jul 14 |
| Digital Magazine — Sept issue | Aug 25 | Aug 1 |
| Print — Book 5, The Annual | Jan 15, 2028 | Sep 1 |
| e-Newsletter — September | Sep 29 | Sep 15 |
| Digital Magazine — Nov issue | Oct 27 | Oct 1 |
| e-Newsletter — November | Nov 24 | Nov 10 |
| Digital Magazine — Jan issue | Dec 29 | Dec 1 |
Print Annual publishes every January · Kitchen & Bath every October · the Digital Travel issue every spring.
2/3 page — 9.75" × 5.25"
Full page — 10.75" × 9"
Spread — 10.75" × 18"
Add 0.25" bleed on all sides.
Same artwork specifications as the Digital Magazine, proportionally scaled to a custom 9" × 7.5" trim.
300 dpi • CMYK • Fonts embedded or outlined.
Leaderboard — 1320 × 454 px
RGB • JPG or PNG • Linked to your website.
Design guidance
SHLTR is a design-led publication. Advertising that feels editorial, understated, and visually refined performs best. Whether you're supplying finished artwork or starting from scratch, our creative team is happy to advise, refine, or create your advertisement.
Our readers expect a visually cohesive, editorially considered experience. These guidelines help your ad feel at home in the magazine — and your brand look considered, credible, and beautifully presented. We're always happy to advise. The examples below illustrate the aesthetic that best complements the publication.
Selected advertisements from recent issues of SHLTR.
Keep it calm and confident: clear hierarchy, one strong image, a restrained tone. Skip busy layouts, sales language, extra logos, or stock photography.
Use clean, modern type — one typeface, two at most. No novelty fonts, and give it room to breathe.
Use high-quality, well-lit photography with natural color. Make it feel architectural and intentional, and crop with the composition in mind.
Favor subtle palettes — white, off-white, and neutral tones. Save bold color for when it's core to the brand.
Keep your logo clean and proportionate — just one, placed simply. Co-branding needs approval and carries an extra fee.
Keep copy short and purposeful, not dense. Make product descriptions informative rather than salesy, and add a URL or handle only if it fits naturally.
Print specifications
Exact specs are provided separately per issue. Typical standards include high-resolution files (300 dpi), CMYK color mode, correct bleed and trim margins, and fonts embedded or outlined.
Approval & support
SHLTR reserves final approval of all advertising creative to ensure consistency with the magazine's visual standards. When needed, our art department may suggest refinements — or offer design support — to help your ad integrate seamlessly with the issue.
Become a year-round advertising partner and help shape Northern California's leading design community. Multi-platform programs provide sustained visibility across print, digital, newsletters, and select social media throughout the year.
Email us for detailsOur founding sponsors and supporters include:
Susan & Jeff Campbell
Susan sits on the boards of the New York City Ballet and the Vail Valley Foundation, and chairs the Vail Dance Festival. Jeff is the retired Vice Chairman and CFO at American Express.
Dr. Priya Kamani
Founder of several tech startups and a former YBCA board member, Dr. Kamani continues to support the visual arts.
Beyond Advertising
Integrated partnerships: we connect brands with Northern California's design community through editorial, storytelling, and live experiences — each one tailored to a partner's goals across print, digital, newsletters, events, and social.
Our programs: from SHLTR Talks and juried design competitions to private events and bespoke collaborations — built for authentic engagement, lasting editorial content, and industry visibility.
What's next: the following pages highlight the partnership opportunities available through SHLTR.
Talks
Presented by IRG Stone
An ongoing speaker series with leading architects and designers, hosted at the Center for Architecture + Design.
Recent speakers: Leo Marmol, FAIA, Nicole Hollis, and Paul Wiseman. Every event is promoted through digital and social channels, extending its reach beyond the room.
Full-service production: SHLTR handles speaker curation, event production, promotion, and editorial coverage. Partners get exposure across digital, newsletters, and social media — before, during, and after.
Extended reach: Through our partnership with AEC Knowledge, select talks are recorded and distributed as continuing education, reaching 10,000+ architects and design professionals.
For brand partners: a direct line to Northern California's design community, in a respected cultural setting.
Supporting sponsorship opportunities are available.
SHLTR Competition First Prize Winner Mork-Ulnes Architects
Competition
Juried design competitions invite architects and designers to respond to real-world briefs for projects intended for construction, developed with brand partners.
Judges and entrants: recent juries have included Barbara Barry, Tom Kundig, FAIA, and Clive Wilkinson, FAIA, with submissions from firms like Mork-Ulnes Architects, William Duff Architects, Jonathan Feldman Architecture, Studio VARA, and Gary Hutton Design.
For brand partners: a distinctive platform to support design excellence and connect with Northern California's leading architects and designers.
To Discuss A Custom Collaboration, Contact CoralieEvery partnership is supported by an integrated promotional campaign tailored to its objectives. Depending on the program, campaigns may include digital publications, newsletters, live events, social media, photography, and video—creating multiple opportunities to engage the design community before, during, and after each initiative.
An example campaign, SHLTR Talks presented by IRG Stone.
In partnership with AEC Knowledge, select talks earn AIA continuing education credits — required for architects to maintain their license — reaching 10,000+ California architects and design professionals.
Editor-in-Chief
Former Architecture & Design Editor, San Francisco Chronicle • Contributor to The New York Times and Dwell.
Creative
Paschke Dwyer, the San Francisco creative agency behind SHLTR's brand identity and editorial design, specializing in branding, film, and visual storytelling.
Partnerships
Three decades of experience creating integrated marketing, PR, and event partnerships for leading global design brands and award-winning architects.
Produced in San Francisco by Shelter.Partners, LLC · editor@shltr-mag.com