apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is really, really nice!

Your place looks beautifully pulled-together while still expressing a quirky personality.

Your bathroom is breathtaking. Those mirrors!

(My brevity is because I'm rendered speechless with awe and envy by the stained glass in the bedroom.)

Very nice. This is definitely my style and I aspire to have as well put together as you do. I love how wood ages- visually warm and very tactile (worn smooth or bumps and nicks to tell the story of it's life). I like spaces that show the personality of the people who live there and that said people actually have personality.

I recognize those little plaster letters from the Alameda Antique Fair. (You should definitely check out Ivan Home in Berkeley for letters, but hurry before they close later this fall.)

Holy beans! I don't think I want to know how much a place that nice costs. And a dog too...! So unfair. The bedroom is unbelievable.

WOW! Victoria you have a gorgeous home. I'm going to have to look at the slide show a million more times because there are so many beautiful treasures you have in your home and it is so well put together.

Well I'm going to print out the pictures of your place and put them in my inspiration book. What a fabulous eye you have for mixing old and new. Several combinations that you have I would never have thought would work together and they're just great. Brava!

Victoria, your place is so lovely. Lots of personality coming through and such nice collections, all presented with style -- I think you've got quite the eye!

This is definitely one of my favorite house tours EVER. I love it all, but especially the bath and dining rooms. Bravo! Thanks for sharing.

I just want to thank everyone for their kind and generous comments! This is my passion, so it feels really great to know you like what I've done. Only trouble is, I feel it could be time to change it all again, as I am known to do quite often. Keep checking the blog for updates. Thanks so much,
Victoria

Lovely! Looks so inviting and comfortable. Love the balcony and the pillows. Would love to hang out there with a book and mojito.

Question: where did you get your fireplace screen? I'm looking for one and yours is exactly what I need.

Thanks!

Hi 'ttinsd' - thanks so much! You know, the screen came with the apartment, but I have seen them at Omega Salvage and Urban Ore in Berkeley, and also at the Alameda Flea Market.

http://www.ohmegasalvage.com/

http://www.shopinberkeley.com/u/urbanore/index.php

Good luck with your search,
Victoria

You mix old and new with such flair. Love the pillows! Love the fact that you have treasures everywhere, yet the place still feels light and open and fresh. Green with envy ...

Lovely!

Love it!

Oh
my
God

Everyone took the unoriginal words out of my mouth,
but what a fantastic eye Victoria has. I'm gaping in awe and writhing in envy. I just returned from a trip to San Francisco in which I fell in love with the city, may have even walked passed Victoria's place as I explored on foot many neighborhoods from Union Square to the Haights to Castro. I imagined how lovely it must be to live in one of those beautiful 3-story Victorians.

Definitely the other one of my top 2 house tours EVER.

Victoria!
Why aren't you a stylist, dahling?
So well done. So personal. Lovely palette.
If you de-acquisition, let me know!

Perfect.

as everyone has said i am so jealous!!! your place looks like what i constantly strive for but rarely can achieve. an inspiration, truely. the best part is i am in the process of deciding to fulfill a lifelong dream and move to the bay area. sell my home in philadelphia and start fresh. you have the most fabulous place. and in the area i'd love to find an apartment. i can almost feel what i love about the city in the wonderful charm of your home. thanks for the help in my turmoil over my impending life changes. i can't wait to go to the places you've mentioned as sources. thanks for sharing your home.

This place deserves all the praise it's getting ... I *love* it. Probably my favourite house tour yet. But ouch, that kitchen tile really is horrendous. Especially given all the other beautiful elements built in (tub, gorgeous light fixtures, stained glass, etc).

L-O-V-E.

It's perfect.

Can I say that I am completely jealous of your dog? If i lived in your beautiful home I too would look that contented. i especially like that way you did the bay window area. if i sat down in that white chair with that wonderful light coming in I don't think I would ever move.

This is so nice! The small "vignettes" you've created are lovely. You have such nice things, and they are so well-placed, with lots of room in between to breath.
My place also has lots of wood and natural textures against white walls. I own my place, and am thinking of putting up color on the walls. But looking at your place, I realize how much I like the combination of wood-and-white, with patches of color here and there. Victoria, would you opt for color instead of white if you could?

Hi Christine -

I've been contemplating color for a while now, and haven't gotten the gut feeling to go with it yet. Also, the 13' ceilings are a bit problematic for a 5'2" DIY'er. One color I am considering is a deep charcoal/blue gray above the copper fireplace. Also, I actually have a can of Restoration Hardware's Sea Mist (a light gray blue) that I was thinking of painting three walls with: 'chalkboard wall, pass-thru from kitchen wall, an the hallway gallery. Still thinking about whether I love the white though. Also want to paint the bathroom and have been all over the place with ideas for color there... from pale yellow, to aqua to pale lavander. We'll see! Thanks for your kind comments - this has been really rewarding. xo,
victoria

I read all of the comments before I viewed the photos, and was amazed that there was not (at least so far) a single snarky post. The apartment lives up to its billing: warm, functional, very personal, and clearly much loved. Beautiful job, Victoria; you have a great eye and have created a beautiful home!

Is the credenza/dresser in the dining area the one you stripped? Love it.
Also, needless to say at this point how much of a "love at first sight" this is for me... It makes me want to ditch Brooklyn and embrace the Victorian San Fran.

I'm definitely bookmarking your blog!

Hi Asli -

Yes - the buffet in the dining room was the I found at a yard sale covered in bad white paint. I threw it in the bag of the bug (well, actually there was some heavy lifting involved) and took her home to do a little stripping. Big job. Smelly job...but worth it. Thanks so much!
victoria

Holy cow, this is such a beautiful balance of historic charm and fresh modernism. Your place is not only visually appealing, it seems as though it FEELS livable too.

Your place is amazing! Everything looks like it belongs where you have placed it. Your sense of design, color and proportion is exceptional. Since I always struggle in placing items I am in complete envy of your skills! Plus your place has great bones, good job on finding it in this town.

Your sense of style is so great! I love it!! I'll definitely take many cues from your fun photos. Thanks for sharing your apartment with us. Can you come and redo my house for me?

Cheers,
Pamster (t.u.h.)

Wow, what a lovely place you have! It looks so refreshing.

The copper fireplace is stunning. Is the fireplace functional?

I love the dog on the pillow toadstools on the patio. Nice place to curl up with a dog and a book, I bet.

Thanks for letting us see your digs.

This may be my favorite house tour so far. Absolutely gorgeous. I love the aqua pottery and glass! The deer planter brought back memories. The armoire is beautiful.

I think aqua, green, and turquoise are a good way to deal with that tile.

I'll be checking back on this and printing as well.

I am so envious!

Thanks again everybody! This is a blast!

So...Marm - yes the fireplace is in working order, and since San Francisco can be chilly in the summer when the evening fog rolls in, it's getting a lot of use lately.

Here's a question for y'all...what do you think of the idea of painting the wall above the copper fireplace a deep charcoal/blue gray?

Thanks - victoria

Beautiful, warm, inviting. Every detail looks like it has a story behind it. Your home is wonderful.

Wow, I love your place. I think it's so well-done and cozy, and I look at it and think, "She seems like an interesting person."

LOVE your dog, too. This does reawaken my urge to live in SF some day, although no doubt, my place would not look like this! ;)

I also think it's interesting that all the comments you've gotten so far are (I think) from female posters. I wonder why?

Victoria,
I like your ideas for the blue-gray on those three walls, and the gray on the fireplace wall. I think it would look very "finished," if that makes any sense. It would also play off your ceramics and your dining room light fixture. I think some variation on that color could be a possibility for your bathroom too!
I am thinking along the same lines of adding a few walls of color in my place, but in russet tones.

Victoria,
Thank you for sharing your place and the enjoyment I got from viewing it! I think your idea of the blue above the fireplace is spot on! I also like the idea of the blue having a bit of cobalt in it-hmm?
It was fun to see some of your great style ideas hit home here and I have a question-I too 'put things around' e.g. towels in wire baskets on the floor, ceramics in trays, etc. but then I get really tired of keeping up with the cleaning (pick up, dust, wipe,put down, repeat with next item..)and purge everything only to repeat it by going out thrifting and starting over again. Do you ever feel the same drawback by not living in a sparse space?
2nd question... is BoMo the west coast version of the east coast CoMo or MoCo (country modern and modern country) - whatever it is-it's lovely!

You live in my house!! - that is so what I want my place to look like - its gorgeous and perfect in every way (except as you say, for those kitchen tiles - but even they have a comfortingness about them) - it was great to see the odd few IKEA items that I have also - I really can't compliment you on this enough

When I am somewhere horrible and feeling crappy and need to go to a happy place in my head I now have a new place to imagine myself - your perfect apartment

I really like the white and wood look and your white in particular is a really ncie one. Do you know what it is? Benjamin Moore? Acadia White?

I love this place!!!

San Francisco is one place I have always wanted to live (despite the weather) and I now have a place to imagine living in.

You did a wonderful job creating a beautiful home.

oh my oh my
yes - I was also amazed that there have been absolutely no mean comments, but how could there be? this place is absolutely amazing.

I love the colors, the different blues, turquoise, teal, green... I'm part way there in my own house, and I think I'm going to steal your color scheme.

I'm in love! with your place.

btw, Victoria, what is it that you do for a living? just curious if it's in Art/Design, or something else.

Jeez you guys, you're bringing tears to my eyes! I'm "ferklemped"!

So to answer a few questions:

BoMo refers to Bohemian Modern - kind of modern with an eclectic twist.

Yes - sometimes I crave a sleek, modern space, but I've tried to pull it off and have come to realize it's just not my nature and i can't live that way. My OCD is bad enough as it is! It's hard for me to leave stuff laying around as it messes with the asthetic, but I gotta have it somewhere. As my good friend once said to me - "I always thought you were just neat. I didn't realize you were mentally ill."

White Paint - not sure what color as the landlord painted it before I moved in - but I do see cans of Benjamin Moore in the basement!

What I do for a living - I'm a commercial art buyer/print producer for an ad agency here in SF called Heat. Maybe you saw the big Condé Nast outdoor campaign all around NYC last year with people hugging their magazines - it was shot by Mark Seliger and I produced that shoot. It's a fab job and I love it.

So...I think that covers the questions. Thanks again everybody for all this design-love! Please continue to check out my blog as it, and my apartment, evolves.
victoria

Refreshing and real. You have a great eye!

Where do you hide the clutter? It is amazing that you are so free of clutter; yet you have a multitude of visual displays simultaneously occurring in which to absorb...

You must have a secret junk drawer?

Love the pic of the dog on the bed- sweetie pie dog napping on the church bed- luv it~ woof!

Awesome slideshow- glad i got to view!

Just lovely!

What a beautiful apartment. The subtle blue and green accents throughout are great and I love the film "L'Avventura", what I wouldn't give for that poster!

Folks seem so surprised that you received such positive comments about your home; why is it so surprising? It's a wonderful, thoughtful, comfortable place! I am forwarding info on your apt to my son who lives in LA and has a somewhat similar floor layout; I think he'll enjoy lots of your ideas. Have a wonderful new year!