Refined Wild
Cooking and entertaining are big parts of our lives and the way my partner Ryan and I create joy for our friends and family. The small, impractical, compartmentalized kitchen / living space that was original to our San Francisco home was a huge sticking point and best suited for solo TV dinners and X-Files marathons. The solution was bringing down walls, supporting the structure with hidden beams beyond the ceiling, opening up the whole space, and letting the eastern light pour into the center of the home.
The inspiration behind this space is centered on contrasting the majestic poise of a San Francisco Victorian with the wild power of the jungle into a refined balance of the two worlds. Bringing in elements of Bollywood film, the desert, and vintage Americana to make the space feel personal, rooted in history, and bursting with color and texture.
The brass inlay marble backsplash, arched glass shower door panels, waterfall countertops, and a vintage 1970’s Murano Glass chandelier in the heart of the home are several key elements that breathe life and celebration into the space.
This space will always be a work in progress, a testing ground for design ideas, and above all - a labor of love.
Project Scope: structural changes, relocation of kitchen appliances, custom cabinetry, cosmetic renovation of the walls + floors + crown moldings + decor + furnishings + art placement.
My Role: Design | Sourcing | Project Management | Carpentry Detailing | Staging
Timeframe: April 2021 - June 2022
Core Challenges
Small, compartmentalized kitchen with no functional workspace or proper storage
No in-unit laundry
Bathroom facelift on a tight budget
Rooms with inconsistent moldings
Textured walls and ceilings
Kitchen | Living Solutions
Removing load-bearing walls to open the space allowing light to pour in, while maintaining the structural integrity of the house with load-supporting beams hidden seamlessly above the ceiling
Relocating appliances to elongate the kitchen and adding an island to further extend usable workspace and storage
Highlights include roll-out hidden spice storage for 50+ small mason jars of spices, glass-front bar storage, and display cabinets for pottery.
Retrofitting an existing closet to become the laundry room with built-in shelving and additional storage
Employing my self-taught carpentry skills to install crown moldings to match the door, window, and crown moldings throughout the rest of the space
Smoothing textured walls and ceilings to Level 5 finish - painting and installation of wallpaper
Bathroom Solutions
Adding additional wall storage cabinet to the bathroom and painting vanity and wall cabinet in Dunn Edwards DE6301 Hidden Forest
Carrying brass kitchen cabinet hardware into the bathroom for continuity
Oversized arch-shaped fixed panel shower door with burnished brass hardware
Selection of plants, watercolors, pastel sketches, and sculpture layered throughout
The Details
As a competitive open-water rower, observing the sunlight pouring into Richardson Bay while training one morning drove the inspiration for the lower cabinet color, Dunn Edwards DE6301 Hidden Forest, offset with Benjamin Moore Classic Gray 1548 (OC-23) on the upper cabinets.
The design is elevated further with a brass inlay marble backsplash, burnished brass pulls, and two 18” tiki-inspired rattan drum fixtures over the island.
The custom designed oak bookshelf provides a sturdy backdrop for a series of colorful vignettes anchoring the 1970’s multi-color Murano Glass Triedri chandelier at the heart of the home.
