HIGH-RISE SANCTUARY IN THE SKY
For these busy restaurateurs, creating a space for respite away from their hectic daily schedules was imperative. Taking inspiration from iconic American fashion legends like Halston and Tom Ford, this sophisticated couple leaned into refined glamour and minimalism – hallmarks of the high-rise Mira tower by Studio Gang where they live. Straddling SOMA and the Embarcadero neighborhoods, it is a twisting column of stacked floors, looking like something out of a Futurist painting.
Like the exterior, the interior spaces barely have a right angle, with an entry that pierces through into the living room on a diagonal, each space flowing into the next, creating a dynamic, but cohesive unit with sweeping views of San Francisco, Twin Peaks, and the Bay.
As you enter, a custom mural sets the stage with its rich emerald green, shimmery metallic bronze and copper, and black blots, printed on textured grasscloth wallpaper. While evoking an Asian sensibility, its abstract pattern defies an exact locale; a distant horizon leads the eye beyond the otherwise narrow hallway. The couple had to leave behind a beloved Japanese screen in similar colors, so we transformed the blank faceted canvas to bring that nostalgia into their new home. The doors and trim were painted in metallic brass to blend with the mural.
A compact powder room tucked behind the first door was covered in a black-on-black contemporary take on toile wallpaper, a pattern that is at once masculine in color but delicate in its intricate silhouette of a hunting scene. The glossy pattern pops off the walls in a clever play against the matte background.
Walking through the atmospheric entry, one enters the heart of the home, comprised of the kitchen, living, and dining areas. Framed by large windows, the urban San Francisco landscape becomes the backdrop against which we layered soft, textural materials in similar hues of green, gold, and black as the entry, but accented by ruby-red leather chairs. Sensual, organic-shaped furniture pieces dot the space, and the brass kidney-shaped console doubles as a mini bar, leading into the dining area. Here, dining chairs in an orange fabric and caramel leather add another pop of brightness to the space, especially against the angular glass dining table and bubble ceiling fixture overhead.
As one pivots towards the dining area, you get a glimpse into the primary bedroom with its ethereal cloud toile wallpaper, again an illusion of being already high in the sky. As requested by the client, the other walls are covered in a velvety suede wallcovering, and it’s no coincidence that suede was also Halston’s go-to material for his own interiors. A bronze dome light fixture gives off a soft, ambient glow, while the swivel reading chair offers a view of the Bay.
The adjoining primary bathroom walls received an intertwining anaconda wallpaper in eucalyptus and subtle bronze, which gives off a soft luster in the shifting light. A graphic vintage Turkish rug provides warmth against the cool tile floor.
Finally, tucked away off the entry area is the study and den, which also transforms into a guest bedroom. Here, a plush wool rug becomes the foundation for this cozy space, and a compact desk is perched in front of the large window for a little at-home work area.
