A couple with a new baby on the way renovates a gem in Cow Hollow.
The kitchen features Urban Electric pendants, Mater USA stools, custom millwork and a library ladder for great form and function.
THE PROJECT
A couple with their first baby on the way discovered an incredible property in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood with gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge. While the 3,998-square-foot property had been renovated in 2013, the couple knew it needed a complete renovation since the rooms lacked functionality and didn’t match the couple’s aesthetic—nor did the home provide perfect spaces for their growing art collection.
THE TEAM
The couple selected Studio Heimat’s (studioheimat.com) Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein and Eva Bradley to tackle the project. The duo met while working for legendary Bay Area designer Ken Fulk. They launched Studio Heimat in 2015. “We create livable luxury through comfort, organic form and bold statements,” says Cheung. “Our design ethos marries vintage, custom and modern elements. Our design process is more than aesthetic; it’s a thoughtful exercise that translates our clients’ life moments into a dynamic space, enhancing how they live, love, dream, work and play.”
“We dive deep into who [clients] are, asking many questions, and go back into our creative laboratory to do the thought work, the dreaming big, the curation and selections,” says Bradley. “We have regular meetings, responsive and empathetic communication, and a lot of documentation to keep the project on track to ensure a successful outcome.”
Adjacent to the kitchen sits a dining area with Eames chairs and a Saarinen table—both from DWR.
THE GOALS
Bradley says their clients wanted rooms to feel luxurious and stylish but understated. Spaces also needed to have a purpose for daily activities. “Our approach was to create a palette of sophisticated neutrals, use quality building materials and design custom millwork,” she says. “By doing those three things, we maximized the project’s function, durability and overall luxurious design language.”
LIVING ROOM
The area serves as the home’s main entertainment area and flows into the first floor’s other essential areas: the kitchen and family room. “Therefore, it was important for us to define this space as its own,” says Cheung. “We anchored it with a large Nyla Buff area rug from Stark Carpet (starkcarpet.com) and defined the seating area with matching sofas flanking the fireplace.”
DINING ROOM
“We wanted to have a more formal area for dining while keeping it understated and not too stiff,” says Bradley. “The dining area sits between the living and family rooms, so it floats in the floorplan. We wanted to anchor the space with a light fixture, art and dark upholstered dining chairs.”
To set the tone, the team selected a dramatic Beldi light fixture—double-armed with blackened steel—from Urban Electric (urbanelectric.com) and art from Damien Hirst (@damianhirst). The room’s functional stars include a dining table from Carl Hansen & Son (carlhansen.com) in a walnut finish, Saarinen chairs from DWR (dwr.com) and a sideboard from McGee & Co. (mcgeeandco.com).
The home perfectly blends indoor and outdoor living.
KITCHEN
For budding-chef clients who own lots of kitchenware, the Studio Heimat team knew they needed to create abundant space for everything—especially as their clients’ family grows and interests evolve.
“The homeowners wanted to keep this space classic but not boring,” says Cheung. “We devised this symmetric layout on the perimeter wall, taking the closed cabinetry to the ceiling to utilize as much storage as possible. But it also tricks your eye into feeling like the space is even taller than it is. We opted for a library ladder and railing for both function and aesthetics, and we love how it turned out. The Urban Electric pendants are in a custom blue tone like a subtle piece of jewelry for the room.”
Standout pieces include Holly Hunt (hollyhunt.com) Great Plains drapery fabric sourced from Kneedler Fauchère (kneedlerfauchere.com), custom cabinetry for the couple’s wine and whiskey collection from Stapp’s Fine Woodworking (stappsfinewoodworking.com), a coffee table from David Iatesta (davidiatesta.com), stools from Kravet (kravet.com) upholstered in Corraggio (corragio.com) fabric, lighting from Visual Comfort (visualcomfort.com) and pillows from Hermès (hermes.com).
The light-filled primary suite bath
PRIMARY SUITE
“We wanted to create a sanctuary for our clients,” says Bradley. “That meant continuing the understated luxury look and feel while maintaining function. We set the tone with a gorgeous but quiet Solstice Silk wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries (phillipjeffries.com), which added some texture.”
Cheung explains that the furniture—including lounge chairs from The Art of Lounging (artoflounging.com)—is upholstered in sumptuous and soft fabrics from Holly Hunt. An area rug from Stark lines the room, and a chandelier and sconces from Visual Comfort allow the proper lumens and style to the room. Across from the bed, the team created a massive custom dresser with two built-in hampers inset wallpaper in Tweed and Hibernian Beige from Phillip Jeffries.
Each room in the home showcases Studio Heimat’s adept use of color and texture.
HOW THE HOME IS LIVING
“Our clients are thrilled,” says Bradley. “The layout accommodates the flow of their lifestyle as their needs change and evolve. We always offer maintenance and stay connected to our clients.”
The Studio Heimat team also threw the couple a surprise dinner for two in the redesigned home’s backyard. “We had a notable private chef come in, and it was such a fun way for us to celebrate their new home and the next chapter of their lives,” says Cheung.
DESIGN DETAILS
TYPE
Single-family
LOCATION
Cow Hollow
DESIGN
Studio Heimat
studioheimat.com
RESOURCES
STARK CARPET
Area rug, living room, primary suite
starkcarpet.com
HOLLY HUNT
Drapery fabric, living room
hollyhunt.com
STAPP’S FINE WOODWORKING
Custom cabinetry, living room
stappsfinewoodworking.com
DAVID IATESTA
Coffee table, living room
davidiatesta.com
KRAVET
Stools, living room
kravet.com
VISUAL COMFORT
Lighting, living room, kitchen and primary suite
visualcomfort.com
HERMÈS
Pillows, living room
hermes.com
URBAN ELECTRIC
Lighting, dining room
urbanelectric.com
DAMIEN HIRST
Art, dining room
@damianhirst
CARL HANSEN & SON
Table, dining room
carlhansen.com
DWR
Chairs, dining room and kitchen; table, kitchen
dwr.com
MCGEE & CO.
Sideboard, dining room
mcgeeandco.com
PHILLIP JEFFRIES
Wallpaper, primary suite
phillipjeffries.com
THE ART OF LOUNGING
Lounge chairs, primary suite
artoflounging.com
Photography by: JOHN MERKL
