Located in the Pacific Heights neighbourhood of San Francisco, this residence sits at the top of a prestigious 1930’s co-op building. Sprawling over 3,200 sq ft with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, it has sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay, taking in the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Coast of Marin.
Upon seeing the penthouse unit, American designer Alison Pickart immediately knew that she wanted to keep the classic architectural detailing to be true to the building and this particular property within the building. As a young woman with two daughters owns the home, Alison wanted to put a fresh spin on the “older feel” of the architecture. “Her personality is warm and open, a ‘super mom’ at her core,” Alison says, describing the homeowner - a philanthropist and entrepreneur with deep connections to the tech world. “She has a deep undercurrent of style and understanding of design, so exploring concepts like the hand-painted silk de Gournay wallpaper for the study, decadent velvet upholstered walls in the bedroom, the crisp white living room and dining room with classic silhouettes and luxurious textiles were all right up her alley.” Scroll through the gallery below (Photography: Aaron Leitz; Production: Emily Leung) to explore more:
They embraced the classicism with furniture that, for the most part, leaned very traditional. This, being the family’s city house, was outfitted to host many people and events in a super chic way, but still feel cosy and welcoming for lazy weekend afternoons hanging out with close friends. The residence maintains the iconic period elements of high ceilings and detailed moulding, while opening up the floor plan to add light and give it a younger, fresher feeling.
The new floorplan eliminates the threshold between the living and dining rooms, creating a beautiful, cohesive space for the client. Massive light sculptures by Scottish artist Niamh Berry hang over both the living room and dining room. Composed of brass loops with channels clad in opal glass, these sculptures are both modern and innovative, giving the classical apartment a new edge.
“My favourite part of the home is the living and dining room, there is a very simple colour palette used throughout to create a connection of space that is amplified by the duelling Niahm Barry light sculptures that were commissioned specifically for these two spaces,” comments Alison.
“Because one of the big components of this design program was to provide ample seating for guests who would be attending card parties and events in this home, it was important to think of how to accomplish that beyond just the dining room. Opening up the rooms to one another allow for many different seating vignettes that still feel together.”
Designed for entertaining, the media room uses the lack of natural light to its advantage, creating a cosy atmosphere. St. Laurent, on navy metallic silk by de Gournay, covers the walls, giving the room a luxe, warm feeling. Custom Holland & Sherry embroidered pillows sit atop a custom sectional couch with peacock blue silk mohair by Corragio textiles. A banana silk Moroccan rug and pink lavender ice resin Scala luxury side tables add pops of colour to the space.
“I loved working on this very classic and aspirational space, but my favourite part of the project was the collaboration with the client. She was so open to new ideas and concepts, yet had very strong opinions on certain things, that helped to guide and direct the process,” Alison reflects. “The materials we used were all so extraordinary as well that the finished product is one of the most deeply luxurious spaces.”
The alluring space is gracefully adorned with classic furniture with a modern twist.
The master bedroom, bold and luxurious, feels like a haven. Designer’s Guild dark grey silk velvet covers the walls, muffling city sound and giving the room privacy.
A Cloud XL chandelier from Apparatus hangs overhead a Dmitry & Co bed upholstered in navy. A chair and ottoman also from Dmitry & Co stand opposite a vintage secretary, once again blending new and old.
