Shades of Blue and Inexperienced Rejuvenate This San Francisco Victorian Home | Architectural Digest

After years of serving as a rental unit, the third level of a 1906 San Francisco town house was finally purchased by a couple who deeply appreciates its Victorian architecture. But before they could enjoy the bay windows, patinated hardwood floors, and ornate molding, they needed to peel back layers of haphazard updates. Interior designer Clara Jung stepped in to refresh the home, highlighting the original details while adding a cool-toned contemporary edge.

BEFORE: Original bay windows provide treetop views.

“The clients wanted to bring it back to life, but, obviously, overlay a modern take on it,” explains the Banner Day Interiors founder and principal. “We weren’t going to recreate historically accurate elements, like tiles and trim, but we wanted to pay homage and make sure that the new look integrated well with what was left of existing features.”

Clara also maintained the traditional layout of the long, narrow footprint. It’s separated into distinct rooms, aside from the blended kitchen-dining-living area. The previous owners had knocked down dividing walls to create an open-concept social hub, which Clara gladly embraced. “Honestly, there was no structural work done,” she reveals—but the transformation was still dramatic.