Design Dilemma: Fast Fix in Jordan Park
Author:Lindsey ShookJane Mortimer had been looking for a new home for her soon-to-be-larger family when she spotted San Francisco’s Jordan Park neighborhood from her California Pacific Medical Center hospital room while in labor with her first child. Jane and her husband, Roger, wanted a yard where their children (they now have a boy and girl) could play, and Jordan Park’s grand old homes with spacious lawns seemed to hold the perfect answer.
However, when the couple finally landed a house in their desired location, it needed a bit of work before becoming their dream home. They hired Jeff Schlarb and Lisa Bakamis of Green Couch to do what they are known for: quick and elegant design. The duo tackled the living room, where Roger’s modern aesthetic wasn’t living in harmony with his wife’s traditional, pattern-rich style. From start to finish, the process took 12 weeks.
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After:
“The furniture was a mix of scales from small Le Corbusier chairs to a giant B&B Italia sofa,” says Schlarb. “The design compromise didn’t reflect either style, and the family didn’t use the room often because it was uninviting.”
The new living room has a contemporary look and interest comes from a variety of textures within the neutral palette. Because the room is large, the team outfitted it with multiple cowhide rugs (they bridge the gap between seating areas in a space Schlarb describes to as one-and-a-half rooms) and swivel chairs that can face the sofa or fireplace.
In the dining room, the team used a table, chairs and console the couple already owned and updated the space with textured wallpaper, a fresh (but still neutral) color palette, curtains with a bold pattern and a new rug.
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The foyer adjacent to the space received an equal dose of glamour with a statement-making chandelier and mirrored console.
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After (different angle, but the idea is clear):
“Jane and Roger wanted to have a dining room that felt elegant and slightly clubby and masculine,” says Schlarb. “The foyer is the first glimpse of the home for guests and it was important it have some drama and impact.”
The result is a home Schlarb describes as having “sizzle.” His client, Jane, puts it this way: “It has made me fall in love with this house all over again.”
