Noe Street Townhouse

This couple wanted to update their flat in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco. When purchased, the second floor unit had challenges with circulation and a sense of openness, and addressing those became integral to our client's kitchen and bathroom remodel. 

The kitchen was closed off, preventing socialization within the public rooms. By transforming a key wall into an arched opening, and mirroring this opening at the dining room, visibility between the entry, kitchen, and dining room was improved, as well as more space to entertain guests. 

Our clients are avid flea marketers and wanted to display their finds, so we incorporated a number of built-in options. Open walnut shelving above the upper cabinets was designed for assorted collectibles that would contrast with the dark wood. Alternately, the back of the kitchen peninsula was developed with a lighter background to showcase the jewel-toned collection of their vintage seltzer bottles. Since the bottles are transparent, a light background was chosen to best exhibit their colors. LED lighting is integrated throughout to illuminate their collection. 

Vertical-grain walnut milord and a continuous back-painted glass backsplash are the perfect combinations of beauty and function. At our client's request, we developed custom details to eliminate the cabinet pulls, only required at the integrated appliance panels. A skylight above the peninsula adds natural light to the interior. Under the side window, a low niche in the wall provides space for cat food bowls out of the way of human feet, and humorously decorated with a small piece of art. Developing solutions for our client’s pets have become an Eisenmann Architecture specialty.

For the bathroom, our design recommendation was to expand into an adjacent closet. This allowed for a roomier shower with a custom teak bench and overhead skylight, clad in vertically installed Mexican glass tile. Other features include a residential wall hung toilet with a walnut ledge above to conceal the carrier system, minimalist walnut cabinetry, and a second skylight above the sink. In the powder room, a similar wall hung toilet and walnut shelving solution creates a cohesive design. And as it should be, a flea market find was hard-wired into the architecture as an integrated light fixture.