Coastal Apartment Makeover

Before transforming the great room into a showplace for her view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Interior designer Blair Blincoe's apartment had an overall bachelor pad style and a space plan that detracted from the view, mostly because of the TV's placement.

With its new space plan in place, Blair created a living room area which allowed her roommates and guests to capitalize on the view from any seat.

Just off the front door, Blair and her guests are greeted by an entryway packed with architectural detail, references to San Francisco, and the designer's newly found personal style. A pair of armchairs were snagged curbside a few blocks away on Franklin Street; a weathered, green side table was purchased for $5 from a neighborhood estate sale just a few weeks after moving in; and, to top it all off, a vintage life preserver is a literal nod to the new city Blair calls home.

Many of the homes in San Francisco are packed with architectural detail, including the judges paneling in Blair's entryway. To keep the paneling from being too busy, both the molding and the wall itself were painted a neutral shade of taupe.