Originally from Russia, our client moved to the Twin Peaks neighborhood of San Francisco to fully embrace and enjoy the city he loves. With his love of tinkering and keen attention to detail, he wanted to transform a somewhat “cookie cutter” condo into a refined and elegant home that clearly reflected his appreciation for unique art and sculptural forms.
A bachelor with a penchant for entertaining, he wanted a space that could comfortably host large gatherings and intentionally showcase his personality and collected treasures. To achieve a unique balance of functional space and refined aesthetics, we opened up the main level to optimize it for large groups and introduced architectural details for a modern sense of sophistication that felt artistic, organic, and aligned with his unique personality.
Inspired by our client’s love for dark colors, we embraced the moody and foggy views of San Francisco to create a masculine color palette throughout the home. Original hardwood floors were refinished in a darker tone providing greater warmth, depth, and character.
In the dining room, an ebonized maple dining table with solid brass pins works with the Vanishing Light 22 art piece by Mayme Kratz to create a simple and refined space. An elongated light fixture with its wooden texture and soft glow provides a modern element of sophistication that is both artful and organic.
Originally pinched and quite small, we wanted to transform the kitchen into a focal point within the home—a room on display! By removing cabinets from the perimeter we were able to give guests a clear visual into the space and create a more airy atmosphere that encourages guests to move easily throughout the open living, dining, and kitchen areas.
This larger space made room for the addition of a marble textured island which serves as a piece of furniture inspiring visual interest and conversation, both visually and functionally, and speaks to his love for sculptural forms and keen attention to detail.
By darkening the metal of the stairs to a more blackened steel we were able to create a more sophisticated feel for the area. With the addition of a full bar underneath, we created even more visual interest through the use of custom brass shelving and a mirrored backsplash that helps make the space feel larger and provides a sense of purpose upon entering the home.
In the living room, we reimagined a very basic fireplace and added a custom stone hearth and mantel in Belvedere Quartzite. The darkened hue seamlessly blends with the walls painted a lighter shade of black with an alluring hint of inky violet. A pair of blackened brass and glass sconces provide a bright sense of symmetry and architectural detail, while the white wool rug from Jaipur Living adds welcome contrast and cozy texture to the darkened and refinished hardwood floors.
The powder room is a concentrated and dramatic embodiment of the home’s dark, moody, and masculine palette. The location of existing plumbing could not be moved, so the fixtures were refinished to feel more architecturally significant and intentionally designed. A custom concrete vanity contributes a modern sense of sophistication while the shimmer of blue Fireclay tile adds texture and architectural detail.
Within the master bedroom, an existing Hastens mattress needed the pairing of an elevated headboard that could match its grandeur. Bocci light switches designed into the top of the headboard maintain an elevated visual while still allowing their functionality to be hidden from view. Dark bedding covers the bed with the same sense of moodiness found throughout the home.
Custom floor-to-ceiling drapery in a blue hue, designed and installed by our client’s friend in New Zealand, blends into the window framed views of sunsets over the ocean, foggy blue skies, and house-filled hills of San Francisco. Our client’s existing Philodendron adds a sense of sculptural greenery that brings the outdoors inside.
Reinforcing the deep colors throughout the home, the natural wood stairs leading to the roof deck were darkened and refinished to provide a greater sense of depth while its steel handrails were blackened to connect visually to the matte use of black across lighting fixtures and accessories in the home. A sculpture, found by our client, uniquely captures the artistic and organic feel of the home.
Kelly Gabaldon
SENIOR DESIGNER
Jill Stocker
SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER
The Englander Building Company
GENERAL CONTRACTOR