By Alice Liao
Project: House of Light and Shadow / Size: 3,758 square feet / Location: San Francisco / Architect/Interior Architecture: William Duff Architects / Photos: Matthew Millman
When the homeowners first purchased this 3,785-square-foot Victorian house in central San Francisco, its interiors had been stripped of its original details, leaving the front façade the only link to its architectural past.
Enter William Duff Architects, whom they commissioned to contemporize the home both functionally and aesthetically, while paying homage to its roots. The result, the House of Light and Shadow, sets up a dialogue between old and new by integrating traditional design elements into crisp, modern living spaces tailored to the homeowners’ needs.
This dialogue is most notable in the contrast between the front and rear elevations. The former, original to the house, has a flat roof, is asymmetric in appearance, and was repainted white with black and gray accents for updated curb appeal. Clad in custom Western cedar siding, the latter has a contemporary silhouette, a peaked roof, and oversized glazing that promotes a sense of connection with the outdoors and maximizes views of the city.
Firm residential practice leader Jim Westover, AIA, LEED AP, says of the front of the house, “This design approach turns the façade from appealingly decorative to strikingly graphic.” He also notes that despite the dramatic differences, the front and rear facades are referential.
The house consists of three floors laid out in an inverted floor plan. On the ground floor, an in-law unit is co-located with a utilities room and an exercise area that opens to the backyard. The master suite, children’s bedrooms, and a Jack-and-Jill bathroom are situated one level up. And the top floor, which features tall, vaulted ceilings and skylights, contains an open-plan kitchen, dining area, and living room, along with a guest suite, powder room, and office. The living room opens onto a balcony with views of the city.
Throughout, white oak flooring in a chevron pattern adds warmth to a minimalist color scheme pitting white walls and ceilings against black and neutral finishes. Glass and blackened steel frame the staircase that connects all three floors. Blackened steel also frames bedroom entryways and accent the main living areas on the third floor. In the kitchen and a library bar, black walnut cabinets with black quartz countertops create visual cohesion.
Decorative trim, wood paneling, wainscoting, and ceiling medallions further speak to the house’s Victorian past, while solar panels, a Tesla Powerwall system, and a radiant heating system address sustainability.
Acknowledging the beauty and historical significance of Victorian homes in San Francisco, Westover notes that “heritage architecture isn’t always suited for contemporary living, particularly in cities where space is at a premium.” With the House of Light and Shadow, however, “we are contributing to moving history into the present,” he says.
Alice Liao is an editorial consultant and freelance writer covering architecture and design. The former editor of Kitchen + Bath Business magazine, she lives in Teaneck, N.J.
