Our clients fell in love with this unique duplex penthouse in the elegant Pacific Heights neighborhood, recently remodeled from top to bottom by Andrew Skurman Architects, and challenged us to reimagine it for their decidedly modern tastes. Our instinct was to simplify the interiors to create the more contemporary look they had in mind.

To retain the integrity of Skurman’s design and fulfill the clients’ request for a serene background, we made minor simplifications and enveloped the large space in a palette of creamy whites with soft, matte finishes. In the foyer, we removed pairs of large, formal-feeling columns and replaced a traditional balustrade on the stair with a ribbon of sleek plaster topped with a curved white oak handrail in the same color as the decorative parquet flooring. Similarly, we designed a contemporary mantel in limestone to replace the traditional antique in the living room, and paired custom upholstery and case pieces with stylish vintage elements. We designed modern interpretations of Serapi carpets in cream with a chocolate brown pattern in the living room and reversed the color scheme in the adjacent dining room to reinforce the mood. The room that gets the most use during the day contains the lighter carpet, and the room that gets the most use at night holds the darker. In the dining room, we removed plaster ceiling decorations and simplified the corner niches; we also designed the dark walnut tables with white gold leaf details. The primary bedroom, which had been particularly dark in its previous incarnation, is now an airy refuge: walls, a headboard, and drapery of the same gauffraged, pearl-colored velvet continues the apartment’s dominant palette while subtly differentiating the private space.