Seeking an unconventional home in San Francisco, California, Sam and April Lawrence wished to get out of the typical Victorian or modern loft space. They discovered a space on the Valencia Street corner over a bakery that was being developed as an office, with a large front window, concrete walls and wide-open spaces. The creative duo (he’s the CEO of Crushpath and she is a fashion designer) used their spacious home to showcase their two passions, city living and reclaimed relics. In the kitchen above, a large sign was picked up from Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage outside of Portland, Oregon. It was dismantled from a drugstore and wired with neon by an artist, dominating one end of the space.

Prior to the remodel, this stairway landing was very awkward. After adding oversize square poufs and new finishes, it’s the most popular gathering spot in the house. The wallpaper inspired the homeowners to use silver and gold throughout the interior. The wallpaper is a rugged backdrop for the couple’s frame collection, picked up from flea markets. The frames were empty when they purchased them, but they got the idea put quirky things in them.

The couple originally planned to mount old doors from a Tenderloin gym on a barn track over the entry to the bedroom, but when it didn’t work out, the vendor mentioned that he had an airplane door from the first Pan Am airplane to complete a transatlantic flight. The door, which is now illuminated, adds an industrial air to the space.

One modification to the door, the windows are now operable.

The bedroom has been designed as a series of blacks, purples and blues accented by a chrome dresser and oversize silver mirror, reflecting the shiny nature of the plane door outside.

Sam promised April a room-size dream closet to purchase this piece of property (she preferred a place with a yard for their two puppies). Pink built-ins with Lucite shelves display April’s sizable shoe collection and a stack of colorful suitcases hold textile samples. The double doors hide a Murphy bed that can fold down and make the space a guest room.

The large window at the front of the home looks out over Valencia Street.

The spacious sofa is made for entertaining, the padded back is deep enough to serve as bench seating and one side of the sectional is double-sided. It also is a great place to watch a movie, as a large screen drops down over the big window across from it.

The rough-hewn nature of a long table meets the Old-World elegance of tradition-with-a-twist wallpaper in the dining room.

This long cabinet was picked up from an automotive shop, where it received the perfect amount of patina. A collection of works by Sid Dickens hangs above it.

Photos: James Tensuan