Explore The Contemporary Refresh Of This San Francisco Home
In the lounge, a Community Manufacturing sofa and Stahl + Band chair join a window seat dressed in Kerry Joyce fabric. Lighting comes courtesy of an Apparatus ceiling fixture, Currey & Company floor lamp and vintage table lamp atop a Blaxsand table. The artwork is by Gonzalo Fuenmayor.
After more than a decade in their Mill Valley home, a couple and their children decided it was time to give a little love back to the dwelling that had long sheltered them. Rather than finding a new residence, it was important to them to embrace their family history and memories, and after so many years in the house, they knew exactly what changes were needed.
“They have three kids, a big dog and a cat, so there was some wear,” says residential designer Jennifer Tidwell. The husband and wife also felt they weren’t making full use of the home. Formal living spaces were largely unoccupied, and the backyard needed purpose. “They wanted to create a better flow with more comfortable and inviting spaces, but functionality was the most important thing,” Tidwell notes.
Home Details
Architecture and Interior Design:
Jennifer Tidwell, The Workroom Interiors
Home Builder:
Ignacio Camarillo, Ignacio Camarillo General Contractor
Landscape Architecture:
Brad Eigsti, Imprints Landscape Architecture
Styling:
Anika Gawthorne
The residence had great bones, but there were some issues with the floor plan. The main level was designed in a C-shape with the dining room at the center. This gave the space great access to the patio but also meant the kitchen was relegated to a small corner. To make it all work, Tidwell, alongside long-time collaborator general contractor Ignacio Camarillo, flipped the two spaces. Now, a central kitchen is on axis with the new outdoor entertaining area, and a dining room with a custom banquette occupies the former cooking space. “That’s become the gathering spot, where everyone can pile in,” the designer says.
There are more new casual gathering spaces, including a lounge designed just for the couple. There, Tidwell installed a cedar ceiling for a cozy feel and added a sink to the existing bar. “This room is where the adults can hang out and watch a movie, mix a cocktail or read a book by the fire,” she muses.
Presiding over the dining table is a diptych by artist Jessica Pisano. Vintage leather chairs found at The Original Round Top Antiques Fair are paired with a banquette upholstered in a woven fabric by Anne Kirk Textiles. The light fixture is by NPage Studio.
A Lawson-Fenning sectional and armchair surround the family room’s custom coffee table. The floor lamp is by Soho Home, and the lamp on the teak root Blaxsand table is vintage. Robert Kingston’s Nautilus overlooks the space.
In the lounge, a Community Manufacturing sofa and Stahl + Band chair join a window seat dressed in Kerry Joyce fabric. Lighting comes courtesy of an Apparatus ceiling fixture, Currey & Company floor lamp and vintage table lamp atop a Blaxsand table. The artwork is by Gonzalo Fuenmayor.
The kitchen and back pantry feature cabinets by Design Line Cabinetry in both charred and bleached oak. The Calacatta Borghini marble countertops from Integrated Resources Group are accented by a Lacanche range and Waterworks faucet.
Counter stools from Mill Collective pull up to the island, over which hangs a light fixture by The Urban Electric Co. Mullan Lighting sconces and a custom wood-and-plaster hood are backdropped by Waterworks subway tiles.
Presiding over the dining table is a diptych by artist Jessica Pisano. Vintage leather chairs found at The Original Round Top Antiques Fair are paired with a banquette upholstered in a woven fabric by Anne Kirk Textiles. The light fixture is by NPage Studio.
A cottage on the property was converted into an office for the husband. Designer Jennifer Tidwell chose Abnormals Anonymous’ Come Fly With Me grass cloth as a nod to his love of fishing. The faucet is by Waterworks, and the hardware is by Classic Brass.
Joining a desk and guest chair by Croft House are a West Elm office chair and Erden rug. The lamp and sconce are by Currey & Company and Gallery L7, respectively. At the windows are shades by Presidio Classics.
An Allied Maker sconce and brass rod by Devol embellish the primary bedroom’s headboard. Rounding out the space are Audo Copenhagen chairs, an Arteriors floor lamp, a Maiden Home side table and drapery panels in an Élitis textile. The pair of artworks are by Lisa McCutcheon.
Set against wall tile from Tile Fever, a Duravit tub with Waterworks taps creates a focal point in the primary bathroom. The vanity by Design Line Cabinetry is set atop porcelain floor tile from Exquisite Surfaces.
A Perennials-upholstered RH sofa, Community Manufacturing armchairs in a Castel stripe and Peter Dunham Textiles-covered ottomans keep guests comfortable outside. The side and dining tables are by Harbour, and the dining chairs are Four Hands.
Upstairs, Tidwell created rooms that reflect the downstairs’ relaxed vibe, tailoring them to each member of the family. In the primary bedroom, a custom dark-oak bed draws the eye down from a group of small, high windows, while a pair of shearling chairs ups the comfort quotient. The couple’s bathroom, too, was completely reimagined with a soaking tub under windows with treetop views. Outside, a guest cottage became a personal office for the husband, where a fishing lure-motif wallpaper speaks to his favorite hobby. The space also plays host to his gear and display of angler collectibles.
That level of customization and the addition of personality-filled elements were key to the design. “There weren’t a lot of details here, so it was important to give the rooms the character they should have,” the designer continues, noting new features like wood beams. “Everything needed to be natural—unlacquered brass that will patina, marble, and oak, be it unstained, charred or bleached,” she explains. A soothing, moody color palette flows through the home, with textured rugs as well as linen, bouclé and velvet fabrics adding a tactile experience. And while most all the furnishings are new, a few sentimental pieces remain, including the dining table and several artworks, a collection that was enhanced with pieces found through art consultant Evie Simon.
The refresh also extended to the outdoors. “We wanted to create a more contemporary sense of entry and used a lot of chartreuse plants to pop against the new dark-gray finish of the house,” explains landscape architect Brad Eigsti. “The back patio bakes in the sun, so we created a large arbor, adding an outdoor kitchen, seating and dining areas, a fire feature, hot tub, and living wall with succulents.” Eigsti also leveled the sloping lawn to create play space. “It’s a real family-friendly yard now,” he says. “We brought the home’s new aesthetic outside, and what a transformation! Spaces like this change people by giving them the ability to get off their screens and out into nature.”
And therein is part of the success of the project: Every space is utilized. “Your home is your haven,” Tidwell says. “I loved making ‘little havens’ throughout this house for each family member to enjoy for years to come.”
Set against wall tile from Tile Fever, a Duravit tub with Waterworks taps creates a focal point in the primary bathroom. The vanity by Design Line Cabinetry is set atop porcelain floor tile from Exquisite Surfaces.