Antiques and Old-World Luxurious from the San Francisco Hills
Up a series of steep and twisting streets, Ashbury Heights sits at the peak of a hill behind San Francisco’s famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. This beautiful neighborhood is filled with gorgeous houses, each with its own background and fashion, including this stunning home by Candace Barnes. Barnes, a San Francisco designer and antiques dealer, remodeled the 1912 house for her family, developing a timeless, classic style to fit her incredible assortment of antiques. A foggy, city-inspired colour palette and European-inspired architecture unite with 18th- and 19th-century antiques to create this beautiful home.
at a Glance
Designed for: Candace Barnes and her family
Location: Ashbury Heights neighborhood of San Francisco
Size: 2,800 square feet; 3 1/2 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths
Candace Barnes
Barnes opened up the house to create a light-filled, functional environment. Replacing the dilapidated windows and doors with high European-style models brought in more mild, and antique Indian and Syrian mirrors using mother-of-pearl and bone reflect it about that open dining space.
Candace Barnes
The muted colour palette found its inspiration from the Ashbury Heights setting, mimicking the foggy tones of San Francisco’s skies. “The colours really reflect the nuances of this environment,” says Barnes. The oak herringbone flooring increase the ambience.
Candace Barnes
The kitchen has the exact same luxe appear as the rest of the house, even though the cabinetry provides a twist. A bank of cabinets over the sink initially took up substantial visual distance and blocked the light. Barnes took off those cabinets and made the new ceiling-high cabinets to the right side.
Countertop: honed limestone; cabinetry: custom, Candace Barnes Design; faucet, faucet: Kohler
Candace Barnes
Barnes carefully optimized that the kitchen’s space, putting in cabinets and additional storage wherever possible. Even the supports at the middle island open: One retains crap; the recycling.
Pendants: custom Chinese fabric lanterns; range: Viking; hood: Thermador
Candace Barnes
Built-in shelves at the entry screen a collection of antique books. An early-19th-century Biedermeier base table and a 19th-century bronze chandelier with serpents complete the house’s expansive and traditional inviting place.
Candace Barnes
Most of the home’s furniture came out of Barnes’ antiques shop, including this beautiful art deco alabaster chandelier in the living area.
Candace Barnes
The fireplace at the end of this room gets the long space feel cozier. Barnes had an 18th-century limed pine fireplace surround installed to tie in with the house’s old-world style.
Candace Barnes
The master bedroom seems luxuriously soothing, using its gentle palette and sunlight. In lieu of a headboard, Barnes used an antique chinoiserie screen in black and gold. A set of art deco bronze tables using black marble tops ties the dark feature with remainder of the decoration.
Ottomans: custom; curtains: custom, silk; chandelier: antique
Candace Barnes
The antique furniture has been carefully chosen to complement the house’s European-inspired architecture. “Once the house was complete, architecturally, it felt like it could stand alone,” says Barnes. “It did not call for a whole lot of enhancements and decorations”
Candace Barnes
Toward the back of the house, the lower level behind the garage has been completely excavated to create this family room and a split bath. The terrace is opened up into by the fireplace.
Candace Barnes
A lavish custom sofa made by Barnes is the best place for heating up next to the fireplace. Barnes picked a massive painting by Linda Christensen to your room’s large wall.
Table: John Hutton first custom coffee table; rug: sisal, Stark Carpet; art: “Turning Away,” by Linda Christensen
Candace Barnes
The fireplace linking the indoors and outside warms the downstairs terrace, also. New cushions update the antique patio furniture.
Patio tile: Peacock Pavers
Candace Barnes
The house previously had just a beautiful two-story Japanese walnut exterior; Barnes used it as a base for the remainder of the landscape. A pagoda-style bamboo entry gate leads visitors to an entry route lined with camellias, ferns and a 20-foot wall of bamboo specimens.
Candace Barnes
Ashbury Heights is among San Francisco’s more diverse neighborhoods, with houses ranging from Victorian to midcentury. “It’s a really distinctive neighborhood,” says Barnes. “Every house has a character.”