At Home on Nob Hill (continued)
San Francisco designer Jiun Ho's precision-crafted renovation of a landmark apartment makes room for family heirlooms and a collection of modern art
Ho's task in renovating the 1,500-square-foot co-op was to strike a balance between contemporary furniture and antique objects, traditional architectural details and museum-quality modern art -- and to create enough lightness and space for the mix to come through. "He wanted the interior to reflect his personality," the Malaysian-born Ho says of the owner. "He's an accomplished scientist. And as a German engineer, he likes things to be very precise."
The owner bought the 12th-floor space in an ornate peach-hued Spanish Baroque-style building designed by Weeks and Day, the architects of San Francisco's famed Mark Hopkins and Huntington hotels (which are both neighbors). The biggest draw was the unit's stunning views from expansive windows and a terrace: Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Gothic belfries of Grace Cathedral across the street. But the space hadn't been touched in decades. (Ho recalls outdated paint colors and Laura Ashley floral wallpaper.)
Like many other homeowners, Ho's client initially thought he could tackle what seemed like a minimal renovation on his own and began working with a local contractor. He soon realized he couldn't pull it off without professional design help and called Ho, whom he knew socially.
Ho cleaned up the surviving baseboards, crowns and doorways and re-created the profiles of missing and damaged moldings to match the originals. He opened up plaster walls and ceilings to stealthily install modern conveniences -- like speakers and recessed lighting -- and built out coves above the windows to hide the hardware for new motorized fabric shades. In some cases, Ho added clearly contemporary flourishes, like the sleek custom nickel-plated radiator and air-conditioning grilles throughout the apartment. The original built-in shelving and cupboards in the dining room, refinished and repainted, got a contemporary twist with sculptural pulls designed by Philippe Starck.
The client, who is fond of his inherited European pieces, wanted his collection of significant modern art to stand out, so he vetoed color on the walls. Ho chose Benjamin Moore's Designer White, a favorite of many design pros for its crispness and light-reflecting qualities. Deferring to the homeowner's art collection also meant sticking to fewer pieces of furniture. But Ho had to make sure there was enough room for one large item: his musically inclined client's Steinway grand piano.
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