Kendall Wilkinson Transforms This Superb San Francisco Pied-A-Terre

By Michael McCarthy By Michael McCarthy | November 3, 2022 | Home & Real Estate, Feature,

A pied-a-terre in the heart of San Francisco receives a complete renovation and luxe decor makeover from Kendall Wilkinson.

David Wiseman Cloud Garden Canopy lighting sets the stage for a gorgeous dining room with exceptional views of the city.

THE PROJECT

Marimo Berk, co-founder of the Creekside School, owns a 3,200-square-foot pied-a-terre in San Francisco’s St. Regis Residences that needed a significant refresh after 10 years. Berk shares the three-bedroom, three-bath space with her 20-year-old son, along with a niece who lives in the condo full time while attending medical school. The cherished home with jaw-dropping city views is a launching pad for the fun-loving Berk, who adores attending Giants and Warriors games, as well as patronizing local theaters and the hottest restaurants in town.

THE TEAM

Choosing a designer for the project was a no-brainer for Berk, who has worked with Kendall Wilkinson, principal and founder of Kendall Wilkinson Design (kendallwilkinson.com), for more than 15 years. In fact, Wilkinson first tackled the interior design of the condo a decade ago. This time, Wilkinson worked closely with her design firm’s principal, Carrie Wunschel Adams, along with longtime collaborator Stuart Hills of Apparatus Architecture (apparatus.com) and Jeff and Grant Woods of Black Mountain Construction Development (blackmountaindev.com).

“I design for the person living in a home,” says Wilkinson. “I take my expertise and listen to a client’s wants and needs, creating a space that’s truly theirs. Every job is as unique as my clients.”

Three words led the creative charge for the project, according to Wilkinson: glamorous, luxurious and colorful, but with elements brimming with functionality. It helped, of course, that the designer had worked with Berk on many projects over the years, enabling a type of aesthetic shorthand for preferences and tastes.

Marimo Berk’s art collection includes Eric Zener, “Man in Focus” (2007 mixed media, with silver leaf, film acrylic and resin), 36 inches by 48 inches.

THE GOALS

“The scope was massive, with the existing wide-plank floors being one of the only elements remaining intact,” says Wilkinson, noting that the team opened the kitchen to create more flow to the adjoining breakfast and dining rooms. Luxe materials (think exquisite marble and onyx), lighting from local and international makers and gorgeous furniture, textiles and rugs were in the lineup to bring the look together.

“The scope was massive, with the existing wide-plank floors being one of the only elements remaining intact.” –KENDALL WILKINSON

THE CHALLENGES

Wilkinson and Wunschel Adams wanted to focus on some of Berk’s favorite pieces, including the art she has collected over the years. “With this project, we could open up the walls between the kitchen and dining room and update the lighting and finishes to create a more light-filled, inviting space that highlights her favorite artworks and furniture pieces,” says Wilkinson.

Kendall Wilkinson’s team collaborated with Apparatus Architecture for the bright, functional kitchen.

LIVING ROOM

Wilkinson says creating the look for this expansive space mirrored the goals for the entire house: sinuous upholstery combined with bespoke materials, fabrics and rugs. Framing the room are a mural and Venetian plaster wall finishes by Willem Racké (willemrackestudio.com), along with custom De Gournay (degournay.com) wallcovering.

Standouts in the space include a custom fabricated and upholstered sofa from Andrew Woodside Carter (awcarter.com) with Sandra Jordan Fabric (sandrajordan.com) and side tables, coffee tables, sideboard and lounge chairs—that latter covered in Edelman (edelmanleather.com) leather—from Coup D’Etat (coupdetatsf.com). A custom Markam XI area rug from Tai Ping (taipingcarpets.com) lines the room beautifully.

A custom-designed, curved sofa was designed to fit the room perfectly.

KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM

Wilkinson worked closely with the team from Apparatus to completely redesign the kitchen, which now flows seamlessly into the dining room—a space perfect for everything from quick meals to entertaining guests.

A David Wiseman (davidwiseman.com) Cloud Garden Canopy light fixture rests above a John Liston Denarii (jlistondesign.com) custom dining table from Coup D’Etat, as well as Studio Van den Akker (studiovandenakker.com) chairs with Casamance (casamance.com) fabric from De Sousa Hughes (desousahughes.com).

Falling Flowers wallpaper from de Gournay brightens the primary suite

The breakfast nook, complete with a Scala Luxury (scalaluxury.com) table from Coup D’Etat and Ginkgo lighting from Remains (remains.com), is a boon to both design and utility, as Berk, her son and niece constantly find themselves in this cozy hub.

PRIMARY SUITE

The challenge for Wilkinson and her team in this space was balancing the staggering beauty beyond the windows with a calming yet buoyant aesthetic inside. They succeeded brilliantly, with Falling Flowers wallcovering (with a custom background) from de Gournay, a built-in window seat with custom upholstered cushions by Wilkinson’s team using Nobilis (nobilis.fr) fabric and an Ornella lounge chair with Bart Halpern (barthalpern.com) fabric from De Sousa Hughes.

The powder room features a Lost Valley mirror and Willem Racké custom mural.

The bathroom features stone from Da Vinci Marble (davincimarble.com), an inviting tub from Victoria & Albert (vandabaths.com) and hardware from Waterworks (waterworks.com).

HOW THE HOME IS LIVING

Not surprisingly, the renovation has been a hit, and Berk has enjoyed the benefits of a design that had function built into its DNA from the start. “My son, my niece and I could not be happier with the end result,” says Berk. “The lightness, the color, the beautiful finishes and all the bespoke touches make this home our oasis.”

Stone and wood work in accord in a guest bathroom