Although this mid-century home is perched on a hill overlooking the bay in San Francisco's Noe Valley, its original design did nothing to embrace its clear views and natural light. The client, half of a design-savvy couple with a young son (and baby number two on the way), wanted an open and bright space in which to raise the family. "Their main priority was opening up the home," says interior designer Regan Baker. "The original house was a dark warren of walls and clutter."
Architect Mason Miller knocked down almost every interior wall in the 1,600-square-foot apartment's main floor, clearing the way for a view in each main room. A master suite was added to the top floor, and Baker gave the home a unique textural blend of rustic, modern and retro-inspired décor. The view of the blue sky, the endless ocean and the city "is just like a piece of art on the wall," says Baker. "It's best viewed around white walls and less clutter."
"The client's love of the juxtaposition of natural elements with shiny and sleek modern elements really inspired the concept," says Baker. Walls were kept white to let the finishes shine and keep the home feeling modern.
Both the client and her husband are over 6 feet tall, so they wanted to add some visual height to the 8-foot ceilings. The crown molding was stripped off, 8-inch baseboards were added and white paint was used to help visually extend the wall space.
The stunning fireplace is tucked into a corner between the joint living-dining space. Although the result is amazing, restructuring this fireplace was a bit of a struggle. "Corner fireplaces are never a good idea — ever," says Baker. "We needed to minimize the awkward angle of the fireplace yet also bring in color without highlighting it too much." The deep, textural gray of this tile proved to be the perfect match for the surround, and it contrasts with the warm hues of the red oak hardwood floors.
The clean and modern kitchen is one of Baker's favorite rooms in the house. "I love how the graphite penny-round backsplash really frames the view of the bay from the moment you walk in and complements the walnut accents," she says.
The husband is an avid cook, so having a large and workable kitchen was a must. A deep single kitchen sink was high on the priority list, as were plenty of storage and counterspace.
The home's unique mix of textures is particularly evident in the kitchen. "Sheen and texture were very important in the color and material selection," says Baker. "An overabundance of shiny finishes would be too retro, and the opposite would be too rustic and less modern. A combination helped marry the two styles."
Stove: 30-inch Viking convection range Bar stools: Leo bar stool, Room & Board Refrigerator: Miele KF1800 series Subway tile: Rittenhouse Square, DalTile
Open shelving provides storage and easy access for frequently used dishes and glasses. The warm Boos walnut shelving plays off the cool graphite tones of the penny-round backsplash.
Architect Miller worked to maximize the home's natural light. Like most homes in close-knit San Francisco neighborhoods, this one shares two walls with adjoining houses. Getting enough natural light in was definitely a concern, as the north and south walls are the only ones with windows. To solve this, Miller knocked out many of the home's interior walls to open up the space and put a large skylight in the center of the home.
A high-gloss red gives this custom desk a retro touch. Baker played with glossy paints, fixtures and lighting to add a few subtle mid-century touches to the modern design.
Desk: Custom by Mason Miller Desk paint: Salute, Sherwin Williams Chair: Enzo Chair, Room & Board
The modern half-bath was outfitted with an off-the-shelf vanity to offset cost and save some time for the team. High- and low-end tile was mixed in throughout the space to extend the budget without scrimping on style. The light fixture is one of Baker's favorite pieces in the house — the unique pendant is a custom combination of three individual fixtures from Design Within Reach.
Baker's initial decision to leave walls relatively bare was abandoned in some of the home's smaller spaces. The patterned wallpaper in the bathroom feels current but still has a decidedly old-school vibe that works well with the rest of the home.
Since the home didn't originally have a master suite, figuring out how to configure one on the upper floor was a challenge. This smaller space was the home's original living room, so every inch counted when squeezing a bedroom and a bathroom into it.
The client had done quite a bit of homework on materials for the bathrooms and kitchens. She knew right off the bat that she wanted glass tile in a matte finish, and honed Carrara marble. Miller loves working with walnut, so it was used for these custom pieces, which were designed to complement the glass and stonework in the master bath.
Backsplash: Lucian Glass, Ann Sacks Floor tile: Black Slate, Waterworks Vanity counter and tub apron: Statuary Carrara marble slab, Integrated Resource Tub and shower tile surround: Carrara tile, Integrated Resource
