Soul Revival
Location Berkeley, CA · Architect Willis Polk · Photographer Bruce Damonte · Stylist Yedda Morrison · Square Footage 3900
Project story
A long-time client wanted a change of scenery. After living in classic California modern homes -- think minimal spaces bound by white walls and large swaths of glass -- she was ready for a more maximal interior. We guided a respectful update of this historic Willis Polk house, transforming it for modern life. Original finishes and details, previously hidden over time, were revealed and restored. The new interiors embraced gracious rooms, original oak paneling and arched windows with views of the surrounding historic neighborhood. Finishes and fixtures true to the era of the house were added to create a layer of authenticity including colored glass panes in the original pocket doors, ceramic mosaic tile floors in the updated bathrooms and push-button light switches throughout. A significant collection of contemporary art and photography, including works by Marilyn Minter, Alec Soth, Gordon Parks, Yayoi Kusama, and William Eggleston, resides amongst a bold and venerable collection of vintage furniture that spans decades of design and includes art deco, midcentury French and Italian and post-modern pieces. The result is a sophisticated alchemy balancing the past with the present.
"I’m sick of living in a white-box house” - Our client
A new mood. A pair of Studio Van den Akker lounge chairs in Dedar fabric gossip with the larger than life vintage coffee table inspired by Charlotte Perriand.
A CTO pendant sprouts from the glossy ceiling while the Hermes wallpaper grows a garden of lush flora.
Project goal: to take a revered turn-of-the-century home and bring it into modernity. What is that 1969 floor lamp by Franco Albini and Franca Helg
doing in this 1915 Willis Polk living room? Being fabulous.
A few of the clients favorite black and white images are now neighbors. Alec Soth "Rodeo Dance", Zoe Leonard "Two Women Looking At One Another", and Gordon Parks "Invisible Man Retreat" (L to R).
The owner’s significant collection of contemporary art and photography including works by Marilyn Minter, Alec Soth, Gordon Parks, Yayoi Kusama, and William Eggleston reside amongst bold and unique furnishings that span decades of design.
A Bocci sconce snakes its way up the wall, escaping the Lawson-Fenning burgundy credenza. Print by Lucy Raven.
Old meet new(er). A sunny solarium with original french doors, a vintage 80s Flexform sofa, sculptural 60s Gio Ponti chair, and an edible Carlo Nason floor lamp that won't reveal her age.
A small but mighty Reinaldo Sanguino side table that walks the line between fine art and function.
Elyse Graham's Drip Mirror oozes from an Escher-like universe under the watchful eye of a Lambert Et Fils pendant.
A fun-sized sink ensures that we'll never not wash our hands again.
Paolo Ventura’s depiction of a cactus is a nod to the owner’s Arizona roots. This was part of Ventura's quarantine diary where he used painting as daily meditation to get through the pandemic. One piece a day.
I didn’t get hung up on wondering if a piece was appropriate for the period of the house but instead asked myself if it was something my client would think is cool. By channeling her personality and style, we achieved this interesting mix.”
50 shades of blue in the bedroom.
A long vanity dressed in Neon Celery freshens up and powders her nose.
The lower level lounge or De Stijl painting?
A curvy Vladimir Kagan sofa in repose flirts with an area rug sporting Nordic nomadic tattoos. Swipe right.
