The renowned San Francisco-based firm MAK Studio just completed a glimmering new residence in the city's Dolores Heights neighborhood. Challenged by a narrow city lot, the sleek structure sits back from the street to create a dedicated parking area and maximize privacy—all of which sets the stage for massive sliding doors and sunken patios across both ends of the home.
This contemporary home designed by MAK Studio is now up for sale in San Francisco's Dolores Heights neighborhood. A gated front parking pad is bordered by a walkway from the street, which leads down past a sunken patio and steel-plated planters to the main entrance.
Inside the entryway, a custom steel staircase and screen by Melissa MacDonald Metalworks filters natural light from a skylight above. The home's inverted floor plan places each of the three bedrooms on the ground floor and the main living areas upstairs.
The design's affinity for natural light shares some similarities with MAK Studio's Natoma House, featured in the January/February 2020 issue of Dwell. Sleek finishes, expansive windows, and luminous staircase designs lend both homes a contemporary and serene feel, enhanced by multiple outdoor areas that are knitted into living spaces.
In the Dolores Heights property, the top-floor living areas are capped by full-height windows and doors at each end, with skylights providing even more natural light from above. The middle level, which contains the home's three bedrooms and entryway, also features sliding glass doors that open to the outdoors, while a basement level office and family room benefit from clerestory windows along the sunken patios.
Stairs from the entryway lead up to the open-concept living/dining area and kitchen. Sliding glass doors by Fleetwood open both ends of the upper level to the outdoors.
Another view of the dining and seating areas show the full-height windows that fill the rear of the home with daylight. Views from the space look north toward the San Francisco Bay.
The space also features built-in seating along one side. Wide-plank European oak floors run throughout the home's three levels.
A large island grounds the kitchen, while louvres direct sunlight from a skylight above.
Stairs in the kitchen lead up to a motorized skylight and provide access to the roof. Both the floating staircase design and an adjacent screen also filter natural light into the space.
Streamlined kitchen cabinetry is accented by Gaggenau appliances and Basaltina stone countertops.
The skylight continues into the family room, which also features a fireplace and access to a deck overlooking the front of the home.
In total, the home offers three bedrooms, as well as three-and-a-half bathrooms. Finishes include custom stained oak surfaces, St. Claire stone sinks with matte black VOLA fixtures, and a distinctive laminated bronze mesh glass wall in the principal bedroom. Keep scrolling to see more of the property, currently listed for $6,800,000.
Downstairs, the principal suite also overlooks the front of the home and provides direct access to the private, sunken patio.
Walls made of translucent, laminated bronze mesh glass enclose the en suite bathroom.
A stone double vanity and steam shower complete the principal bathroom.
At the opposite end of the middle level, both of the secondary bedrooms overlooks a sunken patio and deck in the backyard.
A staircase in the entryway leads down to the sunlit basement level, which contains both a home office and family room.
A look at the home office reveals built-in cabinetry along one wall and a large, south-facing clerestory window along the sunken front patio.
The rear of the lower level features a family room with built-in bookshelves.
Outside, a bi-level rear deck is clad in Western Red Cedar and surrounded by lush plantings.
A view of the front facade shows the principal bedroom opening to the sunken patio, as well as the clerestory window in the home office.
Another view shows the parking area that helps to recess the house and create more privacy for the glass-fronted facade.