Designer Lauren Geremia gained a reputation in SF for designing buzz-worthy hotspots (her projects include Umami, Taverna, Aventine, Citizen’s Band and Churchill). So when newlyweds Aditya Agarwal and Ruchi Sanghvi were looking to create the perfect space for entertaining in their Noe Valley home, they knew who to turn to.
The white walls in the living area were chosen to create a gallery-like space. “This is a young couple who likes art,” says Geremia. “They should have a space where they can feel free to switch up their art and not feel married to any piece”—though the wavy lines at the bottom of painting Precision Strike by Conrad Ruiz mimic the lines on the faux birch-wood console so well, it’s likely to become part of the home’s permanent collection.
Geremia helped the couple create a party-perfect space by using chic finds by local artists in tough, can-handle-it-all materials. "This is a couple who likes to entertain, and so we created pieces that could take a beating,” says Geremia. In the living room, the Knoll sectional is covered in durable heavy linen, a vintage factory cart came with a party-proof patina, and a porcupine quill mirror was hung on the wall.
Sometimes the unexpected can be a welcome discovery. When the Porcupine Quill mirror arrived from Horchow, everyone agreed that it actually looked better in the packing crate than it did on its own—so they hung it on the wall as is. Table: Eli Berland, Berland Design, Oakland, Mirror: Porcupine Quill mirror, Horchow; Hand sculpture: Eurasian Interiors, SF.
Over in the dining area, Geremia turned to a stable of young, local talent to provide the home with unique pieces. Eli Berland created the farm table, Jess Wainer built the Geremia-designed mouth-blown chandelier and the purple dining chairs were custom made by Uhuru. The back wall was given a coat of dry-erase paint, which the homeowners, Agarwal and Sanghvi, use when they work from home or want to post the cocktail menu for a party.
The couple wanted an old-school office with a masculine feel, a quiet getaway brimming with books where they could disconnect from the world. The antique typewriter on the custom-made desk still functions, and they enjoy using it to type letters, thank you notes and invitations to family and friends.
