Hot Property
Tri-level Dolores Heights home offers panoramic views of San Francisco.
How are you going to live in the middle of a major city and capitalize on views? That question pestered Sandrine Barbier and husband Eric after leaving Palo Alto and buying 429 Douglass St. in 2012.
The couple began reimagining the tri-level straddling the borders of Noe Valley and Dolores Heights. Now the fourbedroom offers view terraces on every level and a remastered spa bathroom overlooking at the cityscape.
“The view is definitely what defines the property,” said Sandrine Barbier. “In the morning
when the sun rises, at lunch while having a bite on the terrace on a sunny day or at night having a few friends for dinner and enjoying the city lights.”
A lack of views wasn’t the only concern the couple addressed.
Sandrine Barbier, who has French blood coursing through her veins, definitely wasn’t enamored with the dated kitchen.
“The kitchen was old and separate from the living room. We wanted a more open space where friends and family could gather and enjoy a glass of wine while I was cooking,” she said.
Caesarstone counters with waterfall edges are a mere introduction to the posh inclusions of the overhauled space. Professional appliances, Grohe fixtures, pendant lighting, builtin bench seating and an ebony tile backsplash accessorize the entertainment hub now accented by bamboo, white gloss and glass cabinetry.
“Being in my kitchen is the most rewarding time of the day for me,” Sandrine Barbier said. “It’s open, friendly and incredibly well-equipped.”
She relishes the kitchen’s sleek lines, voluminous size and French doors opening to the front garden. Yet a chalkboard and a simple magnetic panel affixed to the wall easily win out as her favorite details.
Scribbles on the chalkboard outlined courses guests of their frequent dinner parties could expect that evening. Drawings from their three children wallpapered the magnetic board, thoroughly concealing metal behind colorful creations.
The Barbiers and their guests often gravitated toward a great room with wood-burning fireplace, oversize windows and a retractable projection screen.
Guests found themselves on the spacious patio, admiring glinting sunset off the windows of downtown skyscrapers.
The home’s top-floor penthouse also underwent a transformation, resulting in a home office and a fully equipped spa bathroom.
“We had to redesign the whole layout of the penthouse floor. It was the most challenging aspect of the remodel,” Sandrine Barbier said. “But we are quite happy with the result.”
The effort created an office with a customized desk and built-in shelving. An overhauled master suite includes a walkout terrace with panoramic views. The stylish spa bathroom features dual floating vanities, in-floor radiant heating, soaking tub and a rain head shower with multiple body sprayers.
Visit www.429Douglass.com for more details.
Listing agent: Greg Fulford, Vanguard Properties, (415) 321-7002, greg@vanguardsf.com