Elegant and mysterious, this Victorian villa in San Francisco that looks like an art gallery houses a series of surprising bathrooms.
Author: Francesca Longoni — Photographer: Pär Bengtsson
Studio Nina Magon oversaw the renovation of this Victorian-style villa in San Francisco, which focuses on contemporary art and the design of the dream bathroom.
In this villa in the heart of San Francisco, suspended in another era, the bathrooms take center stage. Luxurious marble-clad rooms coexist within a period building filled with artwork.
San Francisco , the city of contrasts and encounters. Between styles, eras, and individuals. As in the case of this Victorian-inspired villa , which intertwines countless paths and just as many stories. Starting with the story of the owners of this period home, who share an innate passion for contemporary art and design. The villa, a beautiful example of Victorian architecture, needed a renovation that “would fulfill the clients’ request to create contemporary spaces capable of housing a vast art collection ,” explains Nina Magon , founder of the eponymous American studio. She is the creator of this project, which blends minimalist atmospheres with typical Victorian elegance.
The designer emphasizes how important it was for the project to start from the typological characteristics of the residence itself. “We began a complete, 360° renovation, focused primarily on preserving the Victorian features ,” suggests Nina Magon. The home’s archaic charm is preserved, particularly in the living area, which retains the cornices, friezes, and decorations typical of the era. This includes three period fireplaces : one in the library, one in the master lounge, and one in the master bedroom. The refinement of this old-world style clashes with the modernity of the other rooms, which have been almost entirely redesigned: the walls become seamless surfaces, as if they were large, white canvases on which to sculpt austere forms and pure lines. The architect’s intent was to “create a space where tradition elegantly intertwines with the contemporary.”
This San Francisco villa, which looks like an art gallery , actually is one. The iconic 20th-century furnishings dialogue with the artworks on the walls, becoming one. Immersive and bold, these masterpieces inhabit the home alongside great masters of the past, such as Carlo Scarpa and Tobia Scarpa . These design masters come face to face with young, emerging artists such as American Nathlie Provosty , with her monochrome canvases, Dorian Gaudin , Wilhelm Sasnal , and Kristi Cavataro . Many other names are part of this lavish collection, which also includes decorative objects such as vases, small sculptures, and photographs. Nina Magon, the designer, describes the villa as a “living art gallery, transformed into a hybrid environment, halfway between a domestic space and an exhibition space.” Every detail, from the elegant lines of the furnishings to the selection of materials, reflects the owners’ refined taste. This seemingly white box reveals a rich and colorful heart.
