San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Designer Profile
Based in Presidio Heights, Kendall Wilkinson opened her eponymous design firm in 1992.
Classy, elegant and inspiring describes not only the spaces designed by Kendall Wilkinson, but also the woman herself.
Wilkinson’s diverse portfolio features a blend of commercial and residential spaces, and her sphere of influence stretches far beyond the Bay Area. Besides a wealth of homes in Presidio Heights and Pacific Heights, Wilkinson’s flourishes can be found within homes in Cabo San Lucas, Big Sky, Mont., and New York.
Wilkinson’s palette employs vibrant colors and various textures to create inviting interiors and enticing outdoor spaces. She credits her mother, an interior designer herself, as a major influence in her work.
“She was instrumental in honing my artistic eye,” Wilkinson said.
Based in Presidio Heights, Wilkinson opened her eponymous design firm in 1992.
Wilkinson has launched two lines of fabrics — one for indoors, one for outside. The Design District’s Fabricut does the manufacturing of upholstery, drapery and other fabric designs Wilkinson conceptualizes.
In this interview with The Chronicle, Wilkinson talks about her favorite neighborhoods to work in, what she finds most challenging about her work and the project she’s most proud of.
Q: What are your favorite neighborhoods to work in and
why?
A: My office and design studio are in Presidio Heights, so I have lots of work there and in Pacific Heights. But I’m happiest when I get to work with homes that have an indoor/outdoor concept with views of bridges and the water. When I’m working in the Presidio area, I love using a color palette that is inspired by the outdoors. I’ve also done a lot of work in Woodside, and I really love working there because of the nature aspect. There’s so many lush trees and gardens. And there’s so much land that you really get to develop the outdoor areas in conjunction with indoor spaces. That’s when I’ll use retractable or collapsible NanaWalls that
lead to an outdoor kitchen. Connecting indoor and outdoor spaces is key to my design concept. I’m lucky to live in an area where you incorporate that in spectacular ways.
Q: What’s your favorite type of architecture? Why?
A: I like Edwardian architecture. And you find a lot of that in Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights, where I’ve done a lot of work over the years. I like Edwardians because their design definitely has a San Francisco influence. They’re basically more cleanlined approach to Victorians, but we still get to use decorative moldings and classic designs. We’ll complement that by having clean lines in furniture and less clutter. It’s Old World classic architecture mixed with a contemporary modern feel.
Q: What’s the most challenging part of your job?
A: It’s definitely running the day-to-day part of the business. I like to focus on the creativity of design, so it can be challenging to stay in the mindset of creativity and learning while simultaneously running a business with employees. That is why I value my fabric line so much and how it has been crucial in helping me stay innovative and expressive because I can solely focus on the design process of its creation.
Q: What’s a piece of technology you can’t imagine doing business without?
A: My iPad. I use it to show clients my portfolio or get a design concept. So much of the design process is about visual aspects, so I like showing my work on the large iPad, which has great clarity. It certainly helps not having to lug around magazines and books and stuff like we once did.
Q: What’s your favorite project to date?
A: That would be two homes I did in Monte Sereno, near Los Gatos. The main home had this incredible indoor/ outdoor aspect, and the clients wound up buying the house below them, connecting the two residences through landscaping. I loved that project because the client was this amazing woman who was very interested in learning about the nature of furniture as an art. She traveled the globe looking for sculptural furniture resulting with the inside of that house looking incredible. The furniture was famous in its own way. She was an art collector, and helped me to learn more. She was incredible to work with.