JAPANESE VICTORIAN

This circa-1900 Victorian condo in Hayes Valley was fully gut-renovated and furnished in a materially rich, Japanese minimalist design. Our client, a fellow Japanese American, had lived for over 12 years in this home before it was time for a transformation that would bring a peaceful, effortlessly inviting energy to each space. It was a very rewarding effort to marry the remaining original architecture with the client’s own style and functional needs. Without a formal foyer, we created built-in millwork in the dining nook next to the entry stairs, including an entry “key-drop” cabinet and a seat for taking one’s shoes off, alongside a dining banquette and tall pantry. In the home office, we added custom bookcases, office storage, and a wall bed with sofa, allowing this space to serve a guest room.

Throughout this home, we selected light American woods reminiscent of Japanese Hinoki Cypress, added plaster and limewash surfaces to rooms for a subtle textural boost, and found or designed furnishings that feel intuitive and cozy. The final home, brought into living color via the client’s own artwork, heirloom decor, and living plant sculptures, infuses a new serenity and lightness into our client’s everyday life – we hope for another 12+ years to come!

Photos by SEN Creative; plant sculptures by House of Botanicals