De La Cruz Interior Design Transforms This Russian Hill Bachelor Pad

By Michael McCarthy By Michael McCarthy | April 7, 2025 | Home & Real Estate, Feature,

A reimagined Russian Hill bachelor’s pad creates a dreamy, polished, yet comfortable aesthetic.

The Russian Hill four-story bachelor pad blends indoor and outdoor spaces perfectly.

THE PROJECT

A bachelor who is a general partner with a venture capital firm owns a 2,596-square-foot home in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood, designed initially 30 years ago by architect George Hauser. The property has excellent bones but was a little sun-bleached, and the infrastructure and finishes needed updating. The homeowner decided to embark on a down-to-the-studs renovation.

THE TEAM

The homeowner selected Jon de la Cruz (@delagrammar), principal at de la Cruz Interior Design (dlcid.com) for the project. “My design aesthetic is modern but rooted in classics and always punctuated by distinct vintage pieces and bespoke furnishings and an emphasis on art,” says de la Cruz, noting that understanding a client’s lifestyle is essential to creating a space that reflects their personality. “I connected immediately with this client, and we embarked on art excursions together, visiting some of my favorite galleries in San Francisco, like Fraenkel Gallery (fraenkelgallery.com), Jessica Silverman Gallery (jessicasilvermangallery.com), Rebecca Camacho (rebeccacamacho.com) and Casemore Kirkeby (casemoregallery.com).”

The designer—who tackled every inch of the home, from new flooring to kitchen cabinets—says his client wanted an equally stylish and comfortable home, but soft and masculine. “He has a whiskey collection and also a keen eye for art. He intended to start a healthy collection of local, mid-career artists.”

The design team elongated the kitchen island, enabling the homeowner to accommodate more guests.

LIVING ROOM

“We took cues from the views and beams and created a light and airy space,” says de la Cruz. “The sofa and chair are custom and made to feel casual. Art in the background over the stairs is Claire Oswalt (@clairoswalt)—we bought two pieces for the home.”

Custom corner sectional seats are covered in Perennials (perennialsfabrics.com) Plushie velvet, and the cushions are quilted with Castel (castelmaison.com) Cheyenne chenille. Other standout elements include a hand-knotted rug from Mansour (mansour.com), a cocktail round by Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. (blackcreekmt.com) and a shearling lounge chair from De La Espada (delaespada.com) from The Future Perfect (thefutureperfect.com).

Perennials fabric covers a custom corner sofa.

KITCHEN

The team created a presentation-style space and lengthened the island so guests could all sit together. Guests will also discover a sitting nook with a custom upholstered banquette lined in woven linen from Zak + Fox (zakandfox.com), a Florence Knoll walnut table, Apparatus (apparatusstudio.com) lighting and Thomas Hayes Studio (thomashayesstudio.com) counter stools.

Rounding out the space are Sub-Zero and Wolf (subzero-wolf.com) appliances, Arabescato counters and splash from DaVinci Marble (davincimarble.com), Juniper Design (juniperlighting.com) lighting and Dornbracht (dornbracht.com) fixtures.

Designer Jon de la Cruz carved out a workspace boasting natural light.

PRIMARY SUITE & BATH

“The bedroom is all about comfort. While it’s masculine, [we wanted] a bit of sexiness,” says de la Cruz, who designed the bed’s walnut headboard. The room features a blue-striped coverlet and handwoven linen curtains from Zak + Fox, percale bedding from Samuel Scheuer Fine Linens (@samuelscheuer) and leather table lamps from O&G Studio (oandgstudio.com). Phillip Jeffries (phillipjeffries.com) grasscloth wallcovering frames the room in denim blue. Art from Todd Hido (@toddhido_) caps the room perfectly.

Bianco Carrara slab and mosaic create a timeless bathroom. The room boasts matte black fixtures from Waterworks (waterworks.com), a Happy D free-standing tub from Duravit (duravit.us), and Circuit sconces from Apparatus.

The primary suite features a Phillip Jeffries wallcovering.

HOW THE HOME IS LIVING

The home’s transformation created a dramatic sense of place, especially when the homeowner entertains. “He loves [his new home], especially with how we were able to make a space for his whiskey collection and [curate new] art,” says de la Cruz. This bachelor pad always had views; now, it has a design gravitas in every room that matches its lofty location.

The home’s moody aesthetic blends masculinity and artistic forms.