Decompartmentalizing a 1940s San Francisco Home – Fine Homebuilding

Photo of author
Written By Jim J Neal


A 1948 spec house was the home of a San Francisco family for a few years. But it wasn’t their forever home. Klopf Architecture changed their minds and helped them see past the small, dark rooms with outdated materials and finishes. They now envision a modernized, decompartmentalized house. The house was renovated with open spaces and lots of natural light. The reverse floor plan places the bedrooms facing the bay and city views on the street side of the house. It also connects the interior living areas to the outside.
The new great room is now one large open volume. It features a raised ceiling, large windows and glass sliding doors. It also opens onto the patio, which is surrounded by lush landscaping. Klopf increased the structure’s height and width to make the most of the natural light and connect to the backyard. This created a functional and comfortable indoor-outdoor living area. The ceiling is visually connected by a linear batten system that incorporates lighting.

Architect Klopf Architecture, klopfarchitecture.com Builder San Francisco Design and Construction, sfdcbuilder.com Landscape Architect Terremoto Location San Francisco, Calif. Photos Mariko Reed

Fine Homebuilding #308