Houzz Tour: A Spanish Revival Yields a Functional Family Home
In San Francisco, a once-dowdy grande dame gets a makeover to become a family gathering spot
After years of living in a small house, the members of this active, social San Francisco family needed a place where they could be together but not be on top of one another, with enough space for big family gatherings.
They found a gracious, 1920s Spanish Revival-style home in a neighborhood they liked. The pros? The three-level house was spacious and the sloping backyard abutted a neighborhood park and playground. The cons? The grande dame was a tad dowdy both inside and out, and the floor plan needed tweaking to meet the family’s needs.
For help, the owners turned to San Francisco architect Andrew Mann and interior designer Dara Rosenfeld.
They found a gracious, 1920s Spanish Revival-style home in a neighborhood they liked. The pros? The three-level house was spacious and the sloping backyard abutted a neighborhood park and playground. The cons? The grande dame was a tad dowdy both inside and out, and the floor plan needed tweaking to meet the family’s needs.
For help, the owners turned to San Francisco architect Andrew Mann and interior designer Dara Rosenfeld.
AFTER: Mann respected the home’s historical style when he approached the renovation. “We honored the architecture and the precedent of the existing homes in the neighborhood,” he says, “but we wanted the home to be crisper, cleaner and more in the moment.”
Mann expanded the upper floor to include a new master suite and three children’s bedrooms. He redid the roof with weathered clay tiles salvaged from the original roof, interspersed with newly purchased salvaged tiles.
Fresh taupe-hued stucco, new windows and new lighting gave the exterior a lift. Custom wood panels above the windows of the living room at left and the dining room on the right add a sense of height and reiterate the Spanish theme.
Windows: Loewen
Mann expanded the upper floor to include a new master suite and three children’s bedrooms. He redid the roof with weathered clay tiles salvaged from the original roof, interspersed with newly purchased salvaged tiles.
Fresh taupe-hued stucco, new windows and new lighting gave the exterior a lift. Custom wood panels above the windows of the living room at left and the dining room on the right add a sense of height and reiterate the Spanish theme.
Windows: Loewen
Mann widened the existing garage below the house, at left, and lengthened it, creating tandem parking. The renovated garage now has access to the lower level.
New plantings and bluestone walkways by Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture add to the curb appeal.
New plantings and bluestone walkways by Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture add to the curb appeal.
Mann kept the arched entry and quatrefoil plaster medallion but updated the space with a new, custom white oak door.
Candle lanterns: Janus et Cie
Candle lanterns: Janus et Cie
AFTER: “This part of San Francisco is often foggy and gray,” Mann says, “so our focus for the interior was to bring in light to make things glow.”
He added a big beam of light to the home’s central core by installing a skylight above the staircase, which was refinished and stripped of its carpet. Pale paint colors for the walls also help bounce light into the house.
The new oak flooring features a decorative red jarrah border.
Credenza: Julian Chichester; lanterns: Gump’s; paint color: White Down, Benjamin Moore
He added a big beam of light to the home’s central core by installing a skylight above the staircase, which was refinished and stripped of its carpet. Pale paint colors for the walls also help bounce light into the house.
The new oak flooring features a decorative red jarrah border.
Credenza: Julian Chichester; lanterns: Gump’s; paint color: White Down, Benjamin Moore
Rosenfeld worked with the family to incorporate its existing furnishings with new pieces, using a warm palette with pops of color. “We wanted a traditional feeling to reflect the house, but with a more updated, modern look,” Rosenfeld says. “It also had to work as a family home. Nothing could be too precious.”
In the entry, Rosenfeld designed a borne, or round settee, covered in a peacock blue mohair fabric, to serve as a catchall for guests’ coats and bags.
The custom area rug picks up on the home’s quatrefoil design motif.
Borne fabric: Coraggio; area rug: Mark Nelson Designs
In the entry, Rosenfeld designed a borne, or round settee, covered in a peacock blue mohair fabric, to serve as a catchall for guests’ coats and bags.
The custom area rug picks up on the home’s quatrefoil design motif.
Borne fabric: Coraggio; area rug: Mark Nelson Designs
AFTER: “The owners wanted to keep the home’s living and dining rooms as separate, formal spaces,” Mann says of the decision to not tear out walls and create an open floor plan. “They wanted adult spaces.”
The remodeled living room includes a new stone-clad fireplace and cabinetry-free windows.
Rosenfeld further softened the room with lush draperies and created a comfortable seating grouping around the 1970s French cocktail table.
Chairs by fireplace: A. Rudin; area rug: Mark Nelson Designs; drapery fabric: Pindler & Pindler; paint color: Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore
The remodeled living room includes a new stone-clad fireplace and cabinetry-free windows.
Rosenfeld further softened the room with lush draperies and created a comfortable seating grouping around the 1970s French cocktail table.
Chairs by fireplace: A. Rudin; area rug: Mark Nelson Designs; drapery fabric: Pindler & Pindler; paint color: Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore
Rosenfeld had the owners’ existing sofa and armchairs re-covered in rust-colored fabrics to help ground the living room.
The homeowners worked with art consultant Michelle Bello to choose pieces for the house, such as this painting by Emily Lazarre.
The homeowners worked with art consultant Michelle Bello to choose pieces for the house, such as this painting by Emily Lazarre.
New French doors connect the dining room to the family room and, on the opposite side, open to a walkway that leads to the backyard, providing a good flow when friends and family gather for dinner parties and holidays.
Rosenfeld refinished the owners’ existing dining table and chairs and had the chairs reupholstered in a lustrous, metallic leather.
The light fixture’s shade also has a quatrefoil pattern.
Area rug: Stark Carpet; light fixture: Ironies; drapery fabric: Highland Court by Duralee; paint color: Monroe Bisque, Benjamin Moore
Rosenfeld refinished the owners’ existing dining table and chairs and had the chairs reupholstered in a lustrous, metallic leather.
The light fixture’s shade also has a quatrefoil pattern.
Area rug: Stark Carpet; light fixture: Ironies; drapery fabric: Highland Court by Duralee; paint color: Monroe Bisque, Benjamin Moore
A pale green Plantation sideboard provides storage in the dining room. The painting is by Hiro Yokose.
Mann widened the openings between the entry, living room and dining room to bring more light into the spaces and to expand the sightlines.
The coffered ceiling in the dining room reflect’s the home’s revival style of architecture.
“We developed a hierarchy of trim for the house,” Mann says. “The formal spaces like the dining room have the most detailed trim, while the more casual spaces, such as the basement game room, have less trim — trim that’s more simple and rustic.”
“We developed a hierarchy of trim for the house,” Mann says. “The formal spaces like the dining room have the most detailed trim, while the more casual spaces, such as the basement game room, have less trim — trim that’s more simple and rustic.”
The family room connects the dining room to the kitchen area.
Sectional and ottoman: Plantation; striped rug: Mark Nelson Designs
Sectional and ottoman: Plantation; striped rug: Mark Nelson Designs
AFTER: Both the wife and the husband come from big families and enjoy entertaining, so a larger, functional kitchen was a must.
Mann reworked the back of the house to expand the kitchen and add a family dining area.
New custom cabinetry in a simple, traditional design is at once modern and historical and includes a small desk, topped by shelves for cookbooks, that serves as command central for the family.
The husband crafted the dining table in the foreground from old gumwood trim salvaged from the renovation.
Cabinetry: Gaidmore Furniture & Fine Cabinetry; dining chairs: Janus et Cie; light fixture above table: Robert Abbey
Mann reworked the back of the house to expand the kitchen and add a family dining area.
New custom cabinetry in a simple, traditional design is at once modern and historical and includes a small desk, topped by shelves for cookbooks, that serves as command central for the family.
The husband crafted the dining table in the foreground from old gumwood trim salvaged from the renovation.
Cabinetry: Gaidmore Furniture & Fine Cabinetry; dining chairs: Janus et Cie; light fixture above table: Robert Abbey
New windows and French doors at the back of the house flood the kitchen and family room with light and offer access to a new deck and the adjacent park.
A large island, topped with quartzite, provides plenty of elbow room for meal prep.
Sinks and faucets: Franke; bar stools: Altura; pendant lighting: Arteriors
A large island, topped with quartzite, provides plenty of elbow room for meal prep.
Sinks and faucets: Franke; bar stools: Altura; pendant lighting: Arteriors
The doorway on the right leads to a walk-in pantry, positioned conveniently next to the gas range.
Appliances: Sub-Zero and Wolf; backsplash: Galleria Tile
Appliances: Sub-Zero and Wolf; backsplash: Galleria Tile
The lower level, originally a walk-out basement and greenhouse, was enclosed to create a family game room.
Mann detailed the space with simple French doors, rustic beams and shelving to frame the big-screen TV.
As with the rest of the house, Rosenfeld chose durable fabrics and surfaces that could withstand kids, dogs and sports equipment. “During football season, this room is game central,” she says. “The room had to withstand a thrown ball.”
Custom sectional: Belmar; area rug: Mark Nelson Designs; light fixtures: Ralph Lauren Home
Mann detailed the space with simple French doors, rustic beams and shelving to frame the big-screen TV.
As with the rest of the house, Rosenfeld chose durable fabrics and surfaces that could withstand kids, dogs and sports equipment. “During football season, this room is game central,” she says. “The room had to withstand a thrown ball.”
Custom sectional: Belmar; area rug: Mark Nelson Designs; light fixtures: Ralph Lauren Home
Mann added a fireplace to the game room, as well as window seats, which are also illuminated by skylights on the outdoor deck above. The pingpong table is a well-used feature.
The new skylight illuminates the stairwell as well as the landing leading to the upper-floor bedrooms.
In expanding the upper floor, Mann added a master suite, shown here, and an additional bedroom to the existing two bedrooms.
Bed: Plantation; bedding: Serena & Lily; lamps: Circa Lighting; paint color: Chatsworth Cream, Benjamin Moore
Bed: Plantation; bedding: Serena & Lily; lamps: Circa Lighting; paint color: Chatsworth Cream, Benjamin Moore
Custom cabinetry and travertine countertops in pale colors give the new master bathroom an airy look. Bottom-up shades provide privacy but allow treetop views.
Cabinetry: Gaidmore Furniture & Fine Cabinetry; mirror: Made Goods
Cabinetry: Gaidmore Furniture & Fine Cabinetry; mirror: Made Goods
A daughter’s bedroom gets subtle princess style thanks to lavender walls.
Bed: West Elm; window shade: Smith & Noble; paint color: Sugar Plum, Benjamin Moore
Bed: West Elm; window shade: Smith & Noble; paint color: Sugar Plum, Benjamin Moore
The kitchen and family room open onto the new deck, built atop the game room. Next to the grill, Mann installed a glass countertop that doubles as a skylight for the window seats in the game room below.
Bluestone pavers underscore the Janus et Cie outdoor dining furniture and sofa.
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Bluestone pavers underscore the Janus et Cie outdoor dining furniture and sofa.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple — he’s a builder, she’s a stay-at-home mom — and their three school-age children
Location: San Francisco
Size: 6,500 square feet (604 square meters); five bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms
Designers: Andrew Mann Architecture and Dara Rosenfeld Design (interior design)
BEFORE: The home had elegant bones, but it had been years since it had received any TLC. The partial upper level contained two secondary bedrooms, with the master suite on the main floor.