Built in 1911, this Edwardian home is located in the charming neighborhood of Noe Valley, in San Francisco, California. It’s on the south side of the city.
The house is perched up on a hill overlooking downtown San Francisco. There is the coffee shop around the corner, and a short walk to a bustling street with restaurants and shops.
Innen Studio
“It is the biggest project I have completed to date since opening my own interior design studio in 2020,” says Hana Mattingly, founder and principal designer at Innen Studio. “The clients were very trusting of my vision from the start. The fact that I came in before construction kicked off gave me free reign on all of the architectural components, permanent fixtures and materials.”
Prioritizing functionality and repurposing some home decor elements
“Saving enough budget for decorating is always a challenge for gut renovation,” confesses Hana Mattingly. “During a project, it's typical to encounter a few unforeseen construction expenses, and our situation was no different. These costs reduced our art and decor fund a bit. So, we turned to repurposing fabrics we had purchased already for window treatments or furniture, turning them into pillows and blankets, rather than starting from scratch. In the end it felt intentional, custom and cohesive. We also bargain hunted for original artwork – Lost Art Salon in San Francisco is a hidden gem for that type of thing. There are several pieces scattered throughout the house.”
Drawing inspiration from French architecture
“I looked to French architects when designing this home, specifically Joseph Dirand,” says Hana Mattingly. “Since it was built in 1911, the home has a similar historic quality to it like many apartments in Paris and we kept most of the architectural elements original, while adding modern details when it came to stone, cabinetry and lighting – something Dirand does especially well. History and modernity living in harmony was the goal.”
Warm neutrals, moody choices and natural stones
- Innen Studio chose warm neutrals primarily for the colors throughout the house as they work well with the natural stones (from limestone to travertine to marble, which create an inviting feel), earthy fabrics, wood tones and polished fixtures in nickel.
- In the kitchen, the use of white oak contrasts with the espresso brown stained wood flooring.
- Handmade tiles from Tabarka and Cle adorn the bathrooms and outdoor kitchen.
- A few bold paint colors were chosen for the rooms that were already quite dark. “We discovered those colors within the patterned fabrics used for the window treatments,” says Hana Mattingly. “Those moody choices ended up making these my favorite rooms in the house (guest bedroom, downstairs office/reading nook).”
- In the downstairs office/playroom, which has direct access to the backyard, there is a “reading nook” as the homeowners are avid readers. It's a space for the kids to hang out while the adults are entertaining upstairs, as well as a working space for the husband for when their daughter is at school. The dark green hugs you as soon as you enter the space and the patterned fabrics add a splash of fun.
- “Aya – the couple’s daughter – goes to outdoor school and because of this the design team needed to make sure all the surfaces are easily cleanable. “We would find little branches and rocks that she collected in school throughout the project, which was always endearing,” remembers Hana Mattingly.
A balanced atmosphere
- “This home exudes elegance, but in a functional and playful way,” says Hana Mattingly.
- The atmosphere is tranquil and cozy. “We used lime paint in the main living room and tadelakt in the primary bathroom, which immediately transformed a once blank slate into a textural, calming space,” says the interior designer. “Oppositely, we used patterned fabrics and bold paint colors in some of the rooms, which felt like a warm hug and created the ultimate comforting environment.”
A few tips from the interior designer on how to achieve beautiful design within a budget
- “Make sure the scale is right. Good design starts with space planning. The room will look and feel more high end if the scale works, even if that means buying the less expensive rug, sofa, etc.”
- “When undergoing a full home renovation, it’s important to have two lists. Items to splurge on and items to save on. Splurge on the more permanent items that will be difficult to replace down the line, such as plumbing and light fixtures, stone countertops, and cabinetry. Then save on the items you can more easily replace once you’ve built up a budget again, such as cabinetry and door hardware, paint, furniture and decor.”
- “Reuse fabrics! Say you purchase a custom fabric for a sofa, and there is leftover yardage, repurpose that fabric by making pillows, or a window shade.”
- “Utilize Facebook market and Craigslist. There are so many hidden treasures on these types of websites.”
Layout
3 levels, 5 bedrooms and a size of 3,387 square feet / 315 square meters.
Innen Studio opened up a wall connecting the dining room with the kitchen to flood the main level with natural light and provide more space to add a floating island in the kitchen.
Team:
Interior design: Innen Studio
Architecture: Katkin Architecture
Photographer: Bess Friday
Stylist: Austin Whittle
Materials Used:
- Entry: Pierre Chareau alabaster sconces from Rewire Lighting. Imo bench from Pinch. Benjamin Moore paint for the bannister. Gold framed drawing from Lost Art Salon.
- Family room: Bronson sectional and Tula coffee table from Croft House. Swivel chair from Disc Interiors. Sensorio Swoop armchair from Crate & Barrel. Solid oak cube side table and plaster shell uplight from Rose Uniacke. Paragon Birch rug by Armadillo. Vintage 1950s metal lamp from 1stdibs. Frode Bahnsen table lamp from The Coveted. Artwork Louisiana by Bess Friday.
- Dining room: Nomad dining table by Jacob May. KBH chair from Fair. Small painting (wall art) by Nickey Hodge from Francis Gallery. Large photograph (wall art) Stool and Untitled Painting by Leslie Williamson from Studio Ahead. Gala light (chandelier) by RBW Lighting. Male Figure sitting (sculpture) from Lost Art Salon.
- Kitchen: SQ Counter Stools by David Gaynor Design. Onos pendants by Hector Finch. Henry faucet and pot filler from Waterworks. Artwork “Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco” (framed drawing 1920’s) from Lost Art Salon. Wall paint Chevre and Bone Limepaint from Color Atelier.
- Living room: Uma sofa from Quintus Home. Vintage boucle chairs. Limestone coffee table by Stahl & Band. Ottoman from Crate & Barrel. 9841 Mahal rug by Marc Phillips Rugs. Maureen Fullam mirror from March. Artwork by Marta Johansen. Fireplace from Chesney’s. Custom oval globe lighting from Gallery L7. Sconce from Plug.
- Primary bedroom: Nolen bed from Community MFG. Ito nightstands from Disc Interiors. Tangent 7 Flush mount by Allied Maker. White ceramic table lamps by Danny Kaplan. Drapes by Rose Tarlow. Artwork by Liam Stevens from Francis Gallery.
- Sitting area: French club chairs by Nickey Kehoe. Laurel marble side table from The Future Perfect. Fly SC4 coffee table in black marble from Finnish Design Store. Rug from Stark Carpet. Anders ceiling light from Pinch.
