Historic Locksley Hall reimagined for modern living
Every superlative in the thesaurus doesn’t begin to capture the grandeur and essence of Belvedere’s storied Locksley Hall. The trilevel Classic Revival frames views of downtown San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge from most rooms. The lavish grounds include a pool paved with stones from China’s Yangtze River while Georgian and Victorian designs adorn the classical interior.
Originally constructed in the early 1900s, the historic home at 440 Golden Gate Ave. underwent a 10-year, $30 million remodel to painstakingly retouch every square inch. Three architectural all-stars (interior designer Suzanne Tucker, architect Sandy Walker and landscape architect Stephen Suzman) spent years
The living room hosts multiple sitting areas and access to the wraparound veranda.
laboring on the ambitious project now available for $49 million.
“This house deserved attention. The owners truly loved this house and spared no expense and honored the home’s heritage,” said Tucker. “I love historic architecture. Being part of this project was a dream.”
Shortly after buying the house in the mid-1990s, the couple began the remodel. Walker, who had drawn up plans for the previous owner, was tapped to put those ideas into action. She shored up the infrastructure and changed interior configurations while Tucker tended to the finishes. Outside, Suzman planted roses, terraced the gardens and installed hardscaping.
Because of its historical significance, the team needed to run plans past specialists tasked with preserving the home’s heritage.
“We were free to do what we wanted inside the home, but we couldn’t change the exterior,” Tucker said. “For example, we couldn’t add windows or increase their size. We had to work with what he had.”
A narrowly constructed galley kitchen tested Tucker’s creativity.
“Designing that kitchen and butler’s pantry was fun and challenging, and I use those words interchangeably,” she said. “We ended up with an elongated kitchen that’s really functional.”
An octagonal pantry and a custom pot rack provide additional storage, while dual farmhouse sinks increase prep space. Professional appliances and a center island, topped with verde malachite green marble, highlight the room overlooking the water.
Since its creation the mansion has boasted architectural pedigree. Famed architect Julia Morgan designed the pedestrian gates of the Belvedere estate.
Tucker marveled the first time she walked through the bronze gates fashioned by a matriarch of Bay Area architecture.
“I’ll never forget the first time I walked through that home,” Tucker said.
Tucker and the clients opted for classical finishes in the home, though Tucker said its construction and use of natural light invites a variety of styles.
“It has such beautiful bones and gracious scale,” she said. “You could decorate it with contemporary art and beachy furniture and it would still sing.”
By installing Corinthian moldings, mahogany doors, wainscoting and coffered wall panels, Tucker put the home in touch with its stately roots. Like Victorian homes of the time period, the main level of Locksley Hall hosts inlaid hardwood flooring. Classical Georgian molding with corbels wraps around the living and a dining room opening to a teak veranda.
Although the most recent remodel wasn’t able to expand the windows, the restriction turned out to be moot. Sometime over the years the back and side walls were opened up to welcome in sunlight and maximize