Cow Hollow Residence

An international couple who also have homes in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan fell in love with this home over ten years ago. They desired a home base in the United States to entertain on a grand scale. Although their other homes elsewhere in the world are more contemporary our clients wanted to embrace and enhance the traditional architecture of this 1919 Mediterranean Revival home in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood.

The showstopper of the home is the grand library, which takes its inspiration from the Library at All Soul’s College at Oxford, and houses the clients’ extensive book collection while doubling as a ballroom for larger events.

A major excavation enabled the basement level to be expanded to the full
width of the home. It houses the library as well as 3,000 bottle
capacity wine cellar, tasting room and catering kitchen. Reclaimed
limestone, Antique Dalle de Bourgogne, line the floors of the wine area
connecting the two spaces.

In the kitchen, calacatta verde marble was chosen for the countertops and backsplash. A custom range of brass and stainless from ILVE is a standout piece, and the wet bar adjacent to the kitchen becomes a warm jewel box with its copper counter and backsplash.

The sample master suite includes an outdoor Onsen tub, a traditional Japanese soaking tub, and is accessed via the shower in the primary bathroom.