Nestled in one of the most iconic neighborhoods of San Francisco, this historic Queen Anne Victorian apartment dates back to 1908. It’s in the heart of Russian Hill, just steps from Lombard Street and those famous eight hairpin turns. “When you walk out the front door, you’re not only looking at that famous tourist attraction (and its gaggle of spectators), but you’re also treated to stunning 180-degree views of Coit Tower to the east, Alcatraz to the north, and the Golden Gate Bridge to the northwest,” says designer and Creative Director Erin Hiemstra. “The apartment’s location keeps you in good shape too. The hill on which it sits is one of the steepest in the city!”
The apartment itself is 1,100 square feet, and features an open concept living, dining and kitchen area at the front, with two bedrooms and two baths situated toward the back. It’s owned by a successful marketing consultant, who is originally from Australia. “She needed her home to function both as a professional work-from-home haven as well as be ready to both entertain, as she frequently hosts colleagues & clients in her space, and also welcome guests who come to stay for conferences or are visiting from Australia,” Erin explains. The homeowner wanted to honor the home’s heritage, keeping the curved lines that are architecturally unique, but modernize the amenities and bring in a more contemporary feel.
As a longtime follower of Erin’s (now semi-defunct) design blog, Apartment 34, the homeowner originally reached out to Studio Trovato—the design firm Erin runs with Managing Director Jeanne Chan—for renovation help in 2019. “But unfortunately, COVID intervened, and we weren’t able to be involved,” the designers recall. “Instead, the homeowner worked with fellow Australian, stylist Claire Delmar, to create an architectural design scheme from afar—with Erin’s own historic San Francisco Victorian home (#thisoldvictoriansf) offering a lot of inspiration. Highlights include the installation of reclaimed oak herringbone floors, replication of Victorian-era crown molding and ceiling medallions, extended-height paneled doors and a lovely, refined color palette for the walls and trim.”
With the initial round of renovations complete, Studio Trovato stepped in to help complete the furnishings plan and decorate the newly revitalized spaces. The pair added functionality with custom-designed furniture, sourced accessory lighting, rugs, and finishes, and brought in the “final layer” of decorative accessories. “The home is a gorgeous example of what we at Studio Trovato like to call historical modern, meaning historically appropriate details were intentionally preserved or restored, while modern elements like clean-lined shaker kitchen cabinets, floating shelving, a minimalist custom built-in desk and contemporary furniture and lighting create a beautiful, timeless combination,” Erin explains.
The completed space offers a great visual of the pair’s approach to interiors. “Our ethos is that our homes, like our lives, are in a constant state of evolution and should not necessarily be ‘done’ all at once. Rather we adhere to the concept of slow design, which allows time to hone your tastes and decision-making process in order to discover and collect things you’ll love for a long time, not just right at the moment,” Erin says. “Often one design choice will waterfall into the next, so you want to give space for each choice to breathe a bit. And budgets might not always align with the desire to do everything, right now.”
In this case, the designers worked through each room in the project one at a time, over the course of about 18 months. “The client was such a partner in the hunt for the perfect treasures for each space. We love projects that are truly collaborative, because everyone brings their own creative perspective to the challenge and the end result is always better.”
Take a tour in the slideshow.
