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See photos of the dramatic designs inside this Sea Cliff mansion

The 2023 SF Decorator Showcase updated a 1927 Sea Cliff mansion. | Maryann Jones Thompson/The Standard
By Maryann Jones Thompson

Ever wanted to get a look inside one of Sea Cliff’s mansions? This month’s your chance—and the San Francisco Decorator Showcase is your ticket. 

For just $45, you can walk (no sitting) through the rooms, ascend (not descend) the circular staircase and gaze out (no opening) the windows to take in the Golden Gate views of a $6 million Mediterranean mansion on El Camino del Mar, one of the curved lanes that twist through the elite western San Francisco neighborhood.

Tineke Triggs designed the primary bedroom in the SF Decorator Showcase home. | Courtesy Christopher Stark for Tineke Triggs

But the 1927 structure isn’t even the star of this show: Every room, hallway, ceiling and corner of the home is designed to the hilt—28 spaces sporting everything from inlaid floors to tiled walls to wallpapered ceilings—by the Bay Area’s most marvelous interior designers.

Regarded as one of the premier interior design events in the U.S., the 2023 Decorator Showcase tours continue through May 29. The project is the 44th annual fundraiser for SF’s University High School financial aid program, which has received more than $17 million from the event since it began.

Check out the photo gallery below for a quick preview of some brilliantly designed “nooks” found throughout the mansion, including work from first-time Decorator Showcase designers Malone Detro, Kyle Hill, Mini Gangwal and Russell Martinelli.

Meredith Brown and Roma Olišauskaitė of Geddes Ulinskas Architects were moved to merge modern style with ​the stairwell’s Mediterranean Spanish origins. “We were inspired to preserve and complement the space by telling a story of symbiosis—wherein the modern slowly emerges alongside the historic, coexisting respectfully with it by sharing the organic nature of the space.” | Courtesy Blake Marvin Photography for Geddes Ulinskas Architects
Malone Detro transformed an alcove into a stunning cocktail corner fronted by a backlit marble counter. “All about entertainment, the ‘Sunset Salon’ dining bar provides a joyous escape during a busy dinner party; a personal disco tucked behind the Mediterranean carved door.” | Courtesy Lauren Andersen of Sen Creative. for Malone
The AubreyMaxwell team connected their powder room design to Sea Cliff’s setting. “Whirling blue and white waves in the stone slab floor recall the churning ocean water nearby.” | Courtesy AubreyMaxwell
Edges merge seamlessly in Tineke Triggs's primary bath. Of the design, Triggs said, “Curves abound, materials transition in synchrony, and the result is a whimsical yet calming space to finish a night on the town.” | Courtesy Christopher Stark for Tineke Triggs
Of her “Interstellar Cellar” design, Noz Nozawa said, “While not every space need be a champagne supernova of design, we hope our [wine] cellar reminds you that any space, for any purpose—even a room principally for storage—can become a celebration of the stuff that brings you to life.” | Courtesy Christopher Stark for Noz Design
Mini Gangwal of MGG Designs described fitting fun and function into a small “Smart Wasruimte.” (Wasruimte means laundry room in Dutch.) “The result is a tech-enabled space that feels just as special and beautiful as the rest of the home.” | Courtesy Serena Morelli for MGG Designs
Russell Martinelli’s landscape design drew inspiration from classic Hollywood glamour. “Inspired by the iconic film 'Breakfast at Tiffany’s,' a moody, dark, and sophisticated color palette echoes in curated materials and design features. The landscape transformation starts with refinished steps reminiscent of old-world cobblestone, the color chosen to reflect Hepburn’s soft elegance.” | Courtesy Andrea Quagliata for Martinelli Design
Kyle Hill’s design for the home’s fitness studio evokes the vibe of a sleek lounge. | Courtesy Kyle Hill Design
Elan Evans turned an elevator into a destination inspired by a garden at dusk. “Whenever I have a chance, I love bringing the outside to the inside, especially into a small space buried in the center of the building with no windows.” | Courtesy Elan Evans Decorative Finishes
Eugenia and Emma Jesberg’s philosophy for the child’s bedroom design extended to its closet walls. “Based on the idea that colors and shapes can inspire and persuade cheerfulness, this is an environment that will foster creativity, artistic energy, and imagination by living on and off the canvas.” | Courtesy Mario Serafin for Eugenia Jesberg Interior Design

2023 Decorator Showcase


🔗decoratorshowcase.org

 

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