Showhouse season is upon us! The Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, with Palm Beach Cottages & Gardens as a media sponsor, was on display until mid-March; Connecticut Cottages & Gardens just presented the Junior League of Hartford Designer Show House; and this summer, Hamptons Cottages & Gardens will present the revered Hampton Designer Showhouse. For these special projects, top designers transform homes, room by room, to create imaginative and aspirational interiors.
If you’re on the west coast, fear not. The 46th annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase is underway through May 26 and it’s worth the trip to see. While ticketed guests may tour the home until the end of the month, a lucky buyer with deep pockets can actually move into the design masterpiece afterwards as it just hit the market for $19.5 million.
This Pacific Heights townhouse, just a block-and-a-half from Presidio of San Francisco, dates back to 1936 but was extensively renovated this year by 19 designers. Much of what has been installed for the charitable event, such as wallpapers or stone choices, will stay, but new owners would, of course, have to buy any of the furnishings and decor they like directly from the designers. This still averts the additional cost and timeline of bringing in their own interior designer. In fact, they are benefitting from the vision and creativity of 19 experts and their trusted networks rather than just one, which is indeed rare.
Kelly Hohla designed the gorgeous kitchen, complete with bespoke cabinetry and stunning stone counters and backsplash. She also designed the adjacent open family room, and it’s all topped with an elegant, floral patterned ceiling. Will ceiling wallpaper start trending next? Inspiration is everywhere inside designer showhouses.
The 9,390-square-foot stunner totals five bedrooms. The modern yet artful primary suite boasts a gas fireplace, two walk-in closets, and an ensuite bath with its own balcony. Up on the roof, an 2,150-square-feet terrace looks out to the iconic San Francisco Bay. Dustin Moore of Strata Landscape Architecture oversaw the transformation of this urban outdoor sanctuary, which holds an outdoor shower, fire pit, and powder room—ideal for entertaining. There is a separate, private three-bedroom apartment on the garden level, which was designed by Katie Monkhouse.
Many who walk through a showhouse dream about living in the home. And in this case, someone can! Neill Bassi of Sotheby’s International Realty holds the luxe, jaw-dropping listing.