A Serene Refresh

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Originally, the owners of this lovely house at the crest of San Francisco’s Dolores Heights called upon interior designer Kristin Riccio to redesign their kitchen. As they so often do, the client/designer relationship sparked, launching the project into a renovation of the entire house that was completed just this past December.

About twenty years previous, the owners had undertaken a comprehensive renovation of their 1940s house with architect Toby Levy of Levy Design Partners, giving it good bones and updated systems. But it was time for a major refresh, one that would create a serenely updated space, highlighting the mature terraced garden and the expansive views of San Francisco while still respecting Levy’s original interior architecture.

It was also a time of change for Riccio, who recently rebranded her multidisciplinary design firm (once known as Greene & Grey Design) to Kristin Riccio Interior Design.

Riccio is an adroit colorist, and she translated the clients’ love of blue into a very sophisticated palette, tempering the blue with neutrals and greys and San Francisco’s wonderfully diffuse marine light. At top, a vintage pair of Marco Zanuso Lady chairs perform like sculpture in the living room, playing off the massive fireplace surround. Below, the kitchen that started it all– is a sleek but warmly reassuring space and looks out directly into the garden.

The breathtaking blue tiles from the city views in the guest bathroom.

Ricco used a warm, muted palette to create an incredibly serene master suite.

Pops of bold yellow and deep blues were placed in the expansive living room to bring life to the wide-ranging views.

Photo Credit: Brad Knipstein Photography