“The old living room and balcony on the sixth floor were transformed into the master bedroom with an en-suite open bathroom,” Hammer said. Flos lighting illuminates the space above the vanity.
Where possible, original details were preserved and worked into the final design. As the MWAI team describes, window casements were kept intact and interior doors and trims were “carefully removed, stripped, restored and faithfully matched back in the original design.” An original stained glass window is seen in the hallway.
The architects divided the home into separate floors for sleeping, living, and working. Since the house is situated on a hill that slopes 20 feet from top to bottom, there are plenty of stairs. Those pictured above were crafted using wood salvaged from a 100-year-old bungalow that previously stood on the site.
At the top of the stairs, an Ib Kofod-Larsen rocker sits in the master bedroom
Wall Hooks by Tina Frey
Hand-sculpted from resin, Frey’s wall hooks add sculptural utility.
The Ven collection first began when Risom approached Design Within Reach with the idea of revisiting one of his older cabinet designs. The result is a series of customizable storage pieces that honor Risom's designs, updated with Hardy's contemporary twist.
Vignettes show off what Aumas does best. In this one, he takes advantage of the apartment’s tall windows.
An original 1961 Mole armchair and ottoman—an iconic Sérgio Rodrigues design made from oversize tufted leather cushions and rounded wood frames—sits in the office.
The Catifa chair in the dining area is by Arper.
The SSB-1 by Erik Heywood for BOOK/SHOP, $199 from book---shop.com
Available in walnut or birch wood, the shelf offers an attractive way to store books. Set on the floor in a kids' nursery or on a table to keep prized items organized and in view.
"When it's time to put our noses to the grind stone and produce work, we head upstairs," Benson says. "Myself and one or two fellow designers will chip away at things in the loft into the evenings."
With the help of Sarah Zames of General Assembly Design, Brian Crano and David Craig merged two apartments into one while preserving their general layout. One apartment serves as a space for entertaining while the other, housing a bedroom and home office, retains a more intimate character.
Can you tell us a bit about how you found the storefront and what the space was like pre-renovation? How does the architecture complement the pieces for sale?
The site came on the market (quietly) and we were really taken by the opportunity afforded by the unusual space. There just isn’t anything in the neighborhood that compares. We’ve got a lot of exposure from the street, which brings in natural light and the front room. With the double height ceiling, it's a dramatic backdrop for our products. Prior to our renovation, the front and back were completely disconnected. We took the dividing wall down and opened up the space to bring some of the light and air deeper in the store. And from a programming perspective, we wanted to showcase pieces from the home in the areas that they would be used, so we designed “rooms” with basic functions: kitchen, bath, and living.
An ample sill made of English elm was built into two front windows to create a gathering spot that is visually connected to the street. Donna Wilson’s lively Ernest pouf in coral Nos Da upholstery for SCP adds extra seating in the living room.
A row of Nahtrang pendant lights creates an axis, anchored by the enormous custom bookcase framing the dining room artwork. The seating at lower left is the ASA Armchair by Bernardo Senna; the dining table charis are by Martin Ballendat for Anima Domus.
The 11+ World Clock reinterprets the traditional functionality of the clock by creating a unique and playful interaction between the user and the design. Although the face of the World Clock may not seem out of the ordinary, its cylindrical body allows it to display 24 different time zones via a clever rolling mechanism. Independently working hands allow the clock to be quickly rolled to any of its 24 time zones, while immediately transitioning back to the local time. View the clock in action here.
The lower level has a reinforced concrete frame. The timber and concrete surfaces are left exposed throughout the home. Tolomeo lights from Artemide hang above one of the beds.
At street level, the wooden garage door opens its toothed maw.
A vintage 1950s credenza discovered in Paris supports three works by Aumas and two Sol LeWitt–inspired cubes used in one of his window displays. The daybed is an eBay purchase reupholstered in fabric from Kvadrat and the dark paint is from Dulux Valentine. Aumas found the photographer’s lamp at a Brussels flea market.
The pool of the Phoenix house feels as laterally finite as the house feels spacious—but the view goes up forever. Photo by Dean Kaufman.
Cassidy used the pool as an anchor for an overarching backyard master plan that pulled the parts together.
It is all very mindful. “We proceeded with a philosophy and a vision,” says Chamberlin. “All of us understood that the poetry of what you look at is very important.”
Bishop is an avid record collector—Rolling Stones albums are a sought-after favorite—and he keeps his vinyl in the shelving unit ”1.1,” a reproduction of Arbel’s first completed work. The kids can often be found playing video games at the desk in the great room.
Open shelving can cut both ways: Curate the air out of all your cool stuff and you're left with a gift shop, not a home; but beware piling everything into an open space for fear of a visual muddle. The residents of NHR strike a great balance of colorful activity without getting too precious. Neutral flooring, a dark wall help, and a blue Unfold pendant lamp from Muuto keep a sense of play without tipping into formless clutter.
San Francisco’s modernists were faced with the issue of building within a firmly established stylistic tradition—think bay windows and gingerbread. Henry Hill’s 1947 renovation of a 1908 Victorian tucked away on an alley in historic Russian Hill provides a remarkable response to the dilemma.
The black column in his living room is not a mysterious monolith, but one of his speakers.
Adjacent to the owner’s larger home, the Music Studio, with its bowed, ship-like ceiling, was designed to house events, parties, and performances.