Unwind in This Subtle House in San Francisco

2023 Best of Year Winner for Medium City House

For a Pacific Heights house in need of a gut renovation, the usual procedure was flipped: It was designer Shamir Shah who brought on architect Geddes Ulinskas to shepherd the renovation through the city’s intricate permitting process, take charge of the house’s core and shell, and work in a truly collaborative spirit. The house, originally 4,000 square feet, dates to 1947. The project was essentially a new build that took six years to complete (thanks to COVID erupting during construction) and encompassed seismic upgrades, new framing and fenestration, a reconfigured floor plan, and a penthouse addition, increasing square footage to 6,000. “We wanted large walls for art,” Shah says, referring to the Max Neumann canvas anchoring the living room, furnished with a pair of Todd Merrill Custom Originals sofas. Overall, pale creams and grays dominate the palette, while bronze is the metal of choice.