"They wanted this house to be a joyful space,” says interior designer Maura Fernández Abernethy of her clients, a couple of longtime Bay Area residents. Plucking inspiration from their vibrant art collection as well as their international background, Abernethy knew just how to transform this San Francisco residence into a jovial home befitting an active family: color, and plenty of it.
For this project, joy is found through personalization. The concept is at the heart of the reimagination of this recently built five-story home. The newer spaces served as something of a blank slate where Abernethy added fresh elements such as vibrant, deep hues; bespoke furniture; and built-ins designed to display meaningful objects amassed during the owners’ travels.
Home Details
Interior Design:
Maura Fernández Abernethy, Studio Vara
Home Builder:
Derek Thompson, Thompson Suskind, L.P./Home Ally
Designer Maura Fernández Abernethy turned the home’s five-story staircase into an opportunity to display the owners’ art collection. The mixed-media works are by Mika Tajima, from her “Art d’Ameublement” (top) and “Negative Entropy” (bottom) series.
“We originally proposed a beige runner, but the homeowners wanted more color,” Abernethy says. She answered with a floor covering by Tai Ping crafted with a colorful rainbow effect on the interior edge.
The living room, the first space revealed as one enters the dwelling, is a dynamic case in point. It’s presided over by a statement-making black marble fireplace wall, and Abernethy immediately proposed brightening the area with a pair of goldfinch-hued sofas, a color picked up in the rug and selected artworks, including a sculpture by Yinka Shonibare. “It’s a playful wink in a visually stimulating space,” the designer says. “It sets the stage for the back-and-forth between serious and whimsical all through the house.”
Family and a dynamic art collection are also through lines here, with many pieces of the latter assembled by the couple over the years with guidance from art consultant Patrice Lovato. Other elements reference the family’s culture, such as the homage to a classic Pierre Jeanneret Chandigarh chair seen in the living room, a nod to the husband’s Indian heritage.
On the garden level, Abernethy designed a family media room with oak casework and furnishings in shades of blue and orange that play off the bright Kate Shepherd screen prints. “It’s a fun indoor-outdoor space that leads out to the barbecue,” she says.
In the library, general contractor Derek Thompson crafted illuminated bookcases painted a deep shade of blue that surround an artwork by Dawoud Bey. Bright yellow armchairs and a caramel leather coffee table add to the dramatic aesthetic. “A library doesn’t have to be buttoned-up and serious,” the designer notes. “Instead, we went for a clubby feel.” The family’s grand piano is placed there, too. “It’s an intimate space, and a little unexpected,” she adds. Another surprise is the stairway runner, its painterly edge transforming in rainbow-like color from one floor to the next, inspired by the Mika Tajima paintings in the couple’s collection. “You’re delighted when you see it,” the designer says.
In the primary suite, Abernethy relished an especially color-rich brief. “Their bathroom is neutral, so we originally started making the bedroom neutral too, but they asked for more color,” she says. “We showed them a blue-and-yellow palette and a purple-and-orange palette.” The latter won, and the resulting room is a cosseting mélange with touches of soft pink and pale sage green.
Ultimately, it’s these adventurous notes and the tangible feeling of exuberance that win the day here—exactly what Abernethy and her clients were aiming for. “Our spaces can profoundly affect us in a positive way with just a little bit of color and cheer,” she reflects. “We need to actively make our homes more artful because when we do, we benefit.”
The primary bedroom features a Go Build Studio-fabricated bed, nightstand and ottoman, all grounded by a Stark rug. Set against the Omexco wallcovering is a photograph by Doug and Mike Starn.
Tour The Home:
Custom living room sofas upholstered with Holland & Sherry fabric rest on a Tai Ping rug. Completing the space are a Cassina lounge chair, side tables by Oscar Coakley, and three coffee tables—two glass by Troscan and one bronze by the C|Heckscher Collection. The sculpture is by Yinka Shonibare.
Designer Maura Fernández Abernethy turned the home’s five-story staircase into an opportunity to display the owners’ art collection. The mixed-media works are by Mika Tajima, from her “Art d’Ameublement” (top) and “Negative Entropy” (bottom) series.
“We originally proposed a beige runner, but the homeowners wanted more color,” Abernethy says. She answered with a floor covering by Tai Ping crafted with a colorful rainbow effect on the interior edge.
The garden-level media room opens wide to the outdoors. A sectional and ottomans by Zanotta, the latter upholstered in a Pelle Italia leather, add playful color. The casework and benches were crafted by Go Build Studio.
The interior wall of the media room displays a collection of screen prints by Kate Shepherd. In the hallway just beyond is a C-print by Stephen Galloway.
The library’s yellow swivel chairs by Anees Furniture & Design echo the color of the living room sofas. Set within the bookcase is a photograph by Dawoud Bey, illuminated by a Juniper picture light. The rug is by Tai Ping.
The primary bedroom features a Go Build Studio-fabricated bed, nightstand and ottoman, all grounded by a Stark rug. Set against the Omexco wallcovering is a photograph by Doug and Mike Starn.