Pacific Heights Residence

Challenge

This 1890s Victorian home in Pacific Heights had been subdivided in the 1970s, leaving awkward room configurations and a dated interior that obscured the home’s original elegance. The clients, a family with two young children, wanted a home that felt both historically grounded and suited to modern family life. The challenge was to restore architectural integrity while creating functional spaces for contemporary living—open enough for family interaction, but with distinct zones for work, play, and entertaining.

Approach

The design began with architectural restoration: removing partition walls to restore original room proportions, refinishing hardwood floors, and repairing plaster moldings. The kitchen was relocated to the rear of the home, opening onto a renovated garden terrace. Throughout, we introduced a restrained material palette—white oak, honed marble, and plaster—that complements rather than competes with the home’s Victorian bones. Custom cabinetry was designed with clean lines and traditional proportions, creating visual continuity between old and new. Lighting was carefully layered: period-appropriate fixtures in formal spaces, contemporary pendants in the kitchen and family areas.

Outcome

The completed home strikes a rare balance: it reads as unmistakably Victorian in its architecture, yet feels entirely contemporary in its functionality and aesthetic. The open kitchen and family room have become the heart of the home, while the formal living and dining rooms retain their original grandeur. Clients report that the home accommodates both intimate family dinners and large gatherings with equal grace. The project was featured in Dwell magazine’s Home Tours series, highlighting the successful integration of historic preservation and modern design sensibility.