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Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Architecture Wednesday: San Francisco Italianate Victorian

956 South Van Ness is a historic grand Italianate Victorian built in 1872 by noted architect Edward Leodore Mayberry. Nearly 150 years later it was the subject of an extensive 2-year restoration and renovation that honored its history & artistic accents while upgrading the interior for modern living and fully upgrading all systems including the foundation, electrical, & plumbing. This is now a truly unique home, unlike any other on the market where high design meets functionality and quintessential San Francisco living.

The main level is an entertainer’s dream with grand living and dining rooms—all with soaring ceilings—a chef’s kitchen and family room combination and a sun-filled walkout garden. Up the original preserved staircase are three bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom, and a large, finished attic with its own full bathroom, offering space for a rec room, media room, or guest bedroom.

The lower level was completely built out for additional living space—a bedroom and full bath or a future ADU with plumbing for a small kitchen. Additional features of this spectacular, fully-detached home include a two-car side-by-side garage, an 800-bottle wine room … I’m in heaven … two laundry rooms and abundant storage.

I love the glitz and glamor of the interiors and the fabulous tiles used in the baths; normally I don’t like dark trim and light walls but in this house it works. Things I don’t care for? No elevator. If I’m on the second floor and want a bottle of wine, am I schlepping down and then back up two flights of stairs? Well, of course I am but I’ll be kvetching about it the entire time. I am also unhappy about the garage being placed right in front of the house—though I know that was the only space for it—because it masks that fabulous black exterior.

One more quibble … the four bedroom, five-and-one-half bathroom, 5,158 square foot home sold for $4.5M … before I could scrape together my coins!!!

30 comments:

  1. My friend Kailyne has taken me pass this house many times on visits to San Fran!!! Now I get to see the inside?!?!?

    I always loved the house, even though, the garage part is sort of odd. But the inside is SOOO ME, right down to the color palette and the furnishings, even though we aren't supposed to look at those.

    The only thing I hate is that glam, sleek shiny metro tile. Yuck. But the living room has my name all over it. Excellent kitchen and baths, room to do other things in the house, and great floor plan and ALL the space for bottles of gin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    And don't get me started on the staircase, that excellent wallpaper, the right amount of textures, ample closets, that outdoor space and ...............

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    1. I so wish they'd done something else than that garage. Lots of those old homes, scoop out a driveway and doa basement garage so the exterior of the home isn't ruined.
      I love so much about this home, even the tiles and the wallpapers and everything else.
      If I had the money and there was an easy way to get an elevator in--so I could elevate from the wine room to the bed room, you know--I'd snap this house up.

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  2. I never did like the street view of the garage in this style. However, it makes for an amazing patio area. And oh how I love this house. Would have loved that when we lived in San Francisco. We looked at a number of vintage Victorians. Our fantasy. But they were either renovated not to our taste and would need another reno or they were major fixer uppers and after our previous experience (a money pit) we wanted something move-in ready. Our favorite big Victorian needed to be raised for a new foundation and retrofit. We were lucky to find a brand new house we loved. But the exterior didn’t have any style.

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    1. It really is stunning. Just love it.

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  3. Well, that's quite something!

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    1. Oh it is something, indeed, though not for everyone. But even me, who considers himself a bit of a minimalist., would love living there.

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  4. Cleora Borealis9:13 AM

    😳😵‍💫 Whoa! Too much much?! When I think San Francisco (my adopted hometown I wish I could afford ❤️) and Victorian, I think the quaint and cute Painted Ladies!
    This place is overwhelming in ways that are jarring to me. White walls allowing for wonderful personal style to be added, but with dark wood that ain't my style. And, no matter how many grand homes you show me that have tiny guest bathrooms with big wallpaper design with dark tiles and dark vanities and crystal chandeliers, I don't get it. I am only claustrophobic when I look at these jam-packed water closets! 🥵 Oh well, there will be other houses 🏘! 😃

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    1. I normally hate dark painted trim but I love it here for some reason. I don't mind an overdone powder room because you aren't really in there for too long.
      And there are always other houses!

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  5. Get rid of all of the white and black and that's definitely a keeper.

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  6. Krayolakris9:36 AM

    Absolutely gorgeous!

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    1. It is something quite special, even at a hefty price.

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  7. Some of those bathrooms make me dizzy. Too much $$$$$$$

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    1. I think with bathrooms you can go a bit crazy because you don't spend all that much time in them.
      Our powder room is black, with thin gray stripes like a man's pin-striped suit with an antique mirror with an olver green frame.

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    2. Now that powder room sounds fun. I love the description you gave. Fits the butch men of the house.

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    3. It "suits" us.

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  8. Anonymous10:08 AM

    the dog's mother
    xoxo :-)

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    1. Tis a good word for this house!

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  10. The zig-zag tile on floor and wall in that one bathroom is a bit too much. I like the tile, just pick the floor or the wall. Otherwise? That kitchen?? Give me!!! This is damn fine and I could live there, but yeah, it needs an elevator.

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    1. For some reason I don't mind any of the wacky tiles! They seem to work in this house possibly because they are mostly black-and-white.

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  11. Simply stunning!! I love 99% of the home. There are a few minor tweaks that I would make. I'm not sure about the tiled wall in the hallway. Different for sure. Some of the wallpaper is not to my liking. Too trippy and busy, but that can be changed. You had me at a urinal. I was hoping that the tide would change with the love for all things black. The exterior and the black moulding inside are too trendy. Yes, I know the outside color is gray, but close enough. I would save a few pennies to change to exterior color, but it will do for now. The inside could easily be changed. Love the spaces of the home, and the finished attic would be great for gatherings. The outside space is great for those warm nights and eating under the stars. That garage door is to die for. Have to contribute to the beautification of the neighborhood.

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    1. I don't know if that's tile or a high-glass wallpaper but I like it as it sets the tone for the rest of the house.
      And I love a black, or dark gray home, and even though I prefer trim in white of natural wood, the black in this house works for me.
      I loathe the garage because it takes away from the house.

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  12. What makes it "Italianate," I wonder? It doesn't seem particularly Italian to me. I like the decor and the interior color scheme, including the dark trim, and I love the carpet on the stairs. The mural on the garage door is hideous, but I imagine they need it as a graffiti deterrent.

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    1. PS -- given the location and the excellent decorating skills, I'm guessing "the gays" owned this property. :)

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    2. I usually hate dark painted trim, but in this house it somehow works. And I love the bold colors and designs and tiles and such and, yes, I bet The Gays did this!!

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  13. Fabulous.
    When you use Hollywood Regency style you really don't need any other colors, no? The textures and the layering are on point. I'm all in even for that wallpaper!!
    Stunning. four and a half mill, huh?


    XOXOX

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    1. It doesn't sound like too outrageous a price, no???
      I mean, I don't have anywhere near it but ... 😁
      xoxo

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  14. I agree with you about the pale walls and dark trim. It works. Pity there isn't the space for lawns, but practicality must win. $4.5 doesn't sound a lot for the property, but converting to AU$9m, perhaps on the mark.

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    1. You're right about the green space, there could be a little more other than one square tucked into the side yard!

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