The traditional facade of this Craftsman home in San Francisco’s Noe Valley doesn’t give away its industrial-inspired interiors and the ultra-modern, glass rear facade. Originally built in 1906, the Valley Street Project was completely reimagined by architect Ross Levy and architect and interior designer Kevin Hackett for a tech entrepreneur, a community organizer, and their two children.

The transformation of what had been “just 966 square feet of legal living space on the top floor of a steep reverse slope” into a three-story, 3,000-square-foot home is dramatic. The two-year project was a highly collaborative affair between Levy, Hackett, and the homeowners. Hackett was brought on not only to create the design language of the project and refine the interiors, but also as a good friend of the clients—which kept the design process informal and engaging.

The home, according to Hackett, begins with a “handshake”—a steel grate bridge that marks the transition between the unassuming front facade and its modernist reincarnation. The walkway leads into a lofty great room, the heart of the home, where the family can gather for meals and conversation. A wide, floor-to-ceiling grid of black powder–coated aluminum mullions opens the living space to the lush landscape of the backyard. The warm, yet industrial, material palette pairs walnut floors and concrete with burnished steel and upcycled timber.

The kitchen occupies a slim profile along the sidewall and is delineated by a solid walnut-and-steel island designed by Síol Studios. The firm also designed the bespoke lighting suspended above the island and the custom, matte-gray cabinetry and the black, honed granite countertop. In lieu of a typical tile backsplash, a saturated jewel-toned floral mural by Bay Area artist Jet Martinez brightens the space.

The ceiling of the great room is lined with massive, old-growth Douglas fir beams that were reclaimed from a wharf in Field’s Landing, California, close to where one of the homeowners grew up. The timbers, which were carefully restored and prepared by Joe Oberjat of Trojan Wood Floors, carry deep sentimental meaning. They are, as Hackett explains, “part of a broader design nod to the importance of community, history, and continuity.”

This thoughtful attention to detail and sense of personal connection echoes throughout the home. “It’s really a home built around the concept of dwelling—you can’t design unless you’ve first seen the client reading a book, engaging in the ritual of tea: those small moments and processes in their day that ultimately create the space,” he says.

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Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Ross Levy, Levy Art + Architecture / @levy_aa
Builder/General Contractor: Clarke Construction
Interior Design: Síol Studios, Kevin Hackett / @siolstudios
Lighting Design: Síol Studios
Landscape Design: Síol Studios
Plant Selection & Installation: Collecting Flowers, Danielle Coulter
Cabinetry Design: Síol Studios
Cabinetry Installation: Kenwood Cabinets
Kitchen Mural: Jet Martinez

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