K Interiors leads the charge in creating a chic Sea Cliff home that mimics its setting for a fashionable family of four.
“The Jacob May Flora table adds a touch of femininity to the dining space,” Peña muses.
THE HOMEOWNERS
When Kristen Peña of K Interiors (kinteriors.com) first met the owners of a stereotypical San Francisco Edwardian home, both the designer and clients’ visions immediately aligned. “The homeowners were a perfect match for us,” Peña says. “[One] is in the fashion industry, and I could tell from her outfit exactly how she would want her house to feel.” Having moved from the Presidio with two young children, it was extra important for the family to have opulent outdoor spaces with plenty of room to entertain.
THE PROJECT
The homeowners purchased the Edwardian-style Sea Cliff home in 2017 but didn’t break ground on renovations until January 2020, tapping Ronan O’Dea Construction (rocsf.com) to modernize and open the floor plan. “Architectural changes helped to craft the space into an oasis with views of the bay from both the front and back of the home,” notes Peña of the build. “The home became a true indoor-outdoor stunner on all levels, allowing for the beauty of the water, the abundance of natural light and the freedom for the family to spread out and appreciate the outdoors.”
Urban Electric lighting and a mirrored artwork by Max Gimblett sourced from Hosfelt Gallery add a touch of soft glam in the living room.
THE GOALS
“Immediately upon meeting the clients, I understood that their home needed to take on a Jenni Kayne-esque vibe of true California casual but crafted with only the most beautiful of materials, neutral colors and textures that make you want to touch,” Peña explains. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, the designer integrated expertly curated color schemes (grays, greens, blues, beige and soft blush), texture and material, effortlessly enveloping the spaces in a feeling of the outdoors. “Most importantly,” she says, “the house needed to be beautiful but also family friendly and punctuated with fun splurges like art and lighting.”
An airy roof deck boasts jaw-dropping views of the bay.
LIVING ROOM
Muted tones and striking textures adorn the living room, from the Nickey Kehoe (nickeykehoe.com) white oak Radius coffee table to the custom-made pale gray linen sofa. The clients requested an open floor plan with the dining room and kitchen during the construction process, made possible by widening the living room entryway while preserving the arched ceiling details. A standout piece? “The custom white cloud marble fireplace mantel is the perfect subtle organic element to allow for the Max Gimblett (maxgimblett.com) mirrored art piece above to shine,” notes Peña.
The design team added texture and personality to the kitchen with quartz countertops, custom cabinetry and a Pratt Larson backsplash.
DINING ROOM
The formal dining room is anchored by a Jacob May (jacob-may.com) Flora table and chairs by CB2 (cb2.com) flanked with black cane and upholstery—“a perfect balance of an heirloom piece paired with more affordable chairs that can be changed out when the kids get a little older (and neater!),” Peña says. The black-and-white color scheme continues with a chaste bench from Super Simple (shopsupersimple.com), one of the designer’s favorite local spots for home accessories.
The boy’s room plays with pattern on pattern and textured luxury linen bedding.
PRIMARY SUITE
Hues of moody gray mimic the city’s famous fog in the primary bedroom, brought to life by Caroline Lizarraga (carolinelizarraga.com) decorative paint on the walls. In contrast, the primary bathroom is on the sexier side with an oxidized oak vanity with brass detailing, plus marble mirrors and Circa (circalighting.com) alabaster lights.
The penthouse office is anchored by a custom-made Penamade desk using the age-old technique of coopering.
THE VIEW
While picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Baker Beach are available via the roof deck and sky bar, the clients didn’t know they were there upon purchase. “The views were an unexpected bonus that [neither] the homeowners, nor sellers, had any idea about at the time of the sale,” Peña explains. “The clients didn’t realize until the addition [of the roof deck] went up.” Now, the space is outfitted with cozy RH (rh.com) furniture placed low enough to avoid wind but high enough to see the sights.
Peña crafted subtle yet effective visual interest in the kids’ bathroom with a custom striped tile pattern.
“Immediately upon meeting the clients, I understood that their home needed to take on a Jenni Kayne-esque vibe of true California casual but crafted with only the most beautiful of materials, neutral colors and textures.”–KRISTEN PEÑA
The stunning arch bed from Crate & Barrel is perfectly complemented with a structural Etsy nightstand atop a custom desk built-in.
THE OUTCOME
How does the house live now? “The end result is better than we could have imagined,” one of the homeowners admits. “It all came together beautifully even after the bumps we hit with a remodel that kicked off when the world shut down.” We couldn’t agree more.
HOME TYPE
Single-family
LOCATION
Sea Cliff
DESIGN
Kristen Peña
K Interiors
kinteriors.com
BUILDER
Ronan O’Dea Construction
rocsf.com
Allied Maker
Sconces and pendants
alliedmaker.com
Article
Bar stools, kitchen
article.com
Crate & Barrel
Arch bed, child’s room
crateandbarrel.com
EQ3
Bed and nightstand, boy’s room
eq3.com
Hosfelt Gallery
Art, living room and sky bar
hosfeltgallery.com
Jacob May
Bed, primary suite
jacob-may.com
Penamade
Desk, penthouse office
penamade.com
Pratt + Larson
Tile backsplash, kitchen
prattandlarson.com
Sonoma Tilemakers
Tile, kids’ bathroom
sonomatilemakers.com
The Urban Electric Company
Lighting, dining room and kitchen
urbanelectric.com
Photography by: BRAD KNIPSTEIN
