Offering spectacular Bay Bridge views, Soma two-level loft in San Francisco was an uninspired white box chopped up into many small rooms. Studio VARA architects worked with the owners on another home in the Carmel Valley, and wanted to bring a similar warm, modern and spacious character to this loft that celebrates the view while offering two-bedroom suites for overnight guests.
To accomplish these goals, walls & soffits were first removed to expose concrete. Now pared down to the essentials, the space was reimagined as a composition of planes and volumes in warm materials: concrete, wire-brushed and waxed European white oak, gunmetal gray panels & gallery white walls.
The kitchen, a compact composition of white lacquer casework opens to harbor views over an oversized island. A slender blackened steel stair of white oak treads and a frameless glass guardrail replaces the heavy original, and serves as a focal point for the room. The adjacent guest bedroom features a moveable wall of hanging panels that can be hidden away, allowing the living room to seamlessly double in size.
The master bathroom features backlit steel mirrors, travertine slab floors & shower walls and vanities made from wire-brushed, waxed oak. Overlooking the living room, a loft features casework that separates a large dressing area from the media room.
Using a vibrant Stark carpet purchased by the owners before construction started, furniture and art were selected to complement the natural material palette. Unique pieces include a custom steel and oak dining table and an upholstered bench.
*credits
- Architect: Studio VARA
- Interiors: Tony Ambus, Design Details
- Structural Engineer: Strandberg Engineering
- Photography: Bruce Damonte