Westen
Transforming a slender Victorian into a light-filled home.

Renovating a home that is a century old comes with its challenges. This is especially true in San Francisco’s trendy Lower Haight, where preservation, due to the neighborhood’s historic significance, is strictly enforced by the Planning Department. When the clients commissioned us to renovate their Stick-style Victorian, they were committed to preserving its charm.

Instead of fighting the tall and narrow rooms, the design accentuates the soaring ceilings and maximizes space. The new layout required removing walls at the double parlor to create a great room with open kitchen, sitting and playrooms, and a guest bedroom-cum-office, along with a full bath. The lower level, a former basement/garage space, now features a master suite with his and her closets, two bedrooms, a full bath, wine storage, laundry room, and mudroom. The overall design consisted of melding the old and new. The casework, trim and openings interact beautifully with the restored Victorian woodwork, and are a timeless backdrop to the bold color palette.

In contrast to the façade, which was maintained due to preservation requirements, the modernized back deck spills onto a terraced landscape. This once inaccessible south facing yard now features an outdoor kitchen with shade pergola, hot tub, and a play area.