A PROPER WELCOME

Five years in the making, high-design hotel opens in Mid-Market.

Whispers about San Francisco’s Proper Hotel have been circling for what seems like years. First we found out that the hotel would breathe new life into a historic flatiron-style building in the desperate-to-be-buzzy Mid-Market neighborhood. Next, news spread that Los Angeles’ Kelly Wearstler signed on as designer. Then we heard nothing … for a long time.

But good things come to those who wait. The project, now five years in the making, is finally complete. The building — nestled at Market, Seventh, Jones and McAllister streets — was completed in 1904 by local architect Albert Pissis and is now included on the National Register of Historic Places. So it’s no surprise that the restoration was approached with painstaking attention to original details.

“Our historical team used old document fragments, building plans and field measurements to meticulously restore meaningful features,” said general manager Lorenz Maurer. “No expense was spared to clean the historic facade brick by brick and renovate the existing window frames in order to retain the unique look of the flatiron.”

The building’s lavish Beaux Arts bones informed Wearstler’s

subsequent reimagining of the interiors. Taking a cue from early pre-modernist European styles, the design brings together the Old World with the new in the form of rich textures and deep hues — a wildly colorful feast for the senses. “San Francisco has an artsy, cool, intellectual West Coast vibe,” Wearstler said via email. “The city is our muse in everything from the palette and materials to contemporary art and rich European influences.” Vintage chairs and couches have been reworked, refinished and upholstered with new fabrics, giving them a modern touch. Artwork from emerging local talent ( Joe Ferriso and Jonathan Anzalone) also helps bridge the gap between past and present. The hotel feels fresh, but also as though every detail was carefully handpicked ages ago. “The challenge is making sure that the design feels inspired by the building’s history, giving it a new spirit without taking out its soul,” Wearstler said. Whether you love it or hate it, one thing is clear the moment you step through the door: San Francisco’s Proper Hotel is maximalism at its best, and Wearstler’s team has succeeded in returning the building to its former glory.

Allison McCarthy is a San Francisco freelance writer. Email: style@sfchronicle.com

Lobby as salon: Years of additions and modifications were stripped from the historic building to reveal original columns, crown moldings and a marble floor in the lobby. These restored elements are complemented with Kelly Wearstler’s updated European...

Up on the roof: Soon-to-open rooftop bar and lounge Charmaine’s will provide sweeping views of the city through floor-to-ceiling glass windows 120 feet above Market Street. Decor will nod to the Viennese Secession art movement, and fireplaces and area...

Cocktails and conversation: Visitors can choose which lobby vignette suits their mood — from an ultra feminine, rosé-hued area perfect for a postshopping cocktail to a Cubist-inspired nook for thoughtful conversation.