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The Story
When Christine Kilpatrick found this San Francisco condo, it was exactly the light-drenched space she’d been searching for, with its high ceilings, many windows and ornate trimwork original to the 19th-century building. But some features were bringing the place down. “It was dated from a 1990s reno — 1890s would have been more beautiful!” Christine says. The kitchen counters were a muddy granite, one bathroom had black marble everywhere and there was a hulking fireplace in the den. She hired design firm IDF Studio to make the interior as smile-inducing as its architecture. Painting the walls freshened things up, colorful chairs and interesting tile added style, and wallpaper set a lighthearted mood. The designers also wove in an element that’s totally Christine: animal art, a collection that grew out of a lifelong love. “I was raised in a farming community until I was 15 that had more cows than people, so I enjoy having animals around,” she says. The eye-catching pieces and patterns connect the rooms, creating one wildly chic home.
In the kitchen, blue cabinets caught Christine’s eye on Pinterest, kicking off the look. The hue is refreshing next to the white quartz countertops. To emphasize the 10 -1/2-foot-high ceiling, a backsplash of marble subway tile by Daltile extends up to it. On the floor, graphic concrete tile in charcoal and white by Ann Sacks injects energy. A custom wood table as an island breaks up the blue. The bright: The cabinets are painted Bird’s Egg by Benjamin Moore. The light: Reflective metal trim on the hood and range by BlueStar bounces sunbeams all around.
