My Houzz: Salvage Style in San Francisco
Furniture crafted from reclaimed materials mixes with a practical approach in this two-bedroom Mission district home
Five years ago, owner of AMG Construction John Paul Coffey purchased a home in the Mission district of San Francisco and went to work on a complete remodel. Four years later, Coffey's girlfriend, designer Megan Nordin, moved in and added her expertise. "We both love living in the Mission and think of it as home," Nordin says. "We know our neighbors, we have relationships with the local merchants, and our lives and stories go back over a decade. The neighborhood is full of life, art and people that truly make it a neighborhood."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: John Paul Coffey and Megan Nordin
Location: San Francisco
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: John Paul Coffey and Megan Nordin
Location: San Francisco
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
"I find that too many pieces of art can distract from each other and lose their individual presence," Nordin says. "In contrast, I find that many pieces together can create its own look as a collection. With something like family photos, as in our office, I only like them as a big collection and would never scatter them about individually. I like the feel of them all together. It's like a family."
Much of the furniture used is created from salvaged wood or refurbished parts from vintage pieces. This slat coffee table is made from a refinished vintage top and new legs.
Coffee table: made by owner; couch: Room & Board; lamp: vintage; artwork: Danny Purtill
Coffee table: made by owner; couch: Room & Board; lamp: vintage; artwork: Danny Purtill
Nordin designed the custom shelving in the office using salvaged wood and vintage parts. She also reupholstered the midcentury Danish bench below.
Nordin designs for practicality in lived-in spaces. "I think it is important to have the things you need available in a kitchen," she says. "I need to dry bags, so I need to take up a little counter space to avoid having wet bags draped all over the place. I also need spices and oils readily available, because I cook a lot. I find that when something has a place on the countertop, it's easier to just set it there when you're done rather than having to put it away."
This dining table was also made by Nordin from salvaged materials. "I just love the way weathered wood looks, but when it's real, not made to look weathered," she says. "Most of my pieces don't have a ton of work done to the wood. I will oil if it needs it, make necessary repairs, but mostly I just like to find interesting wood and use other salvage materials to make the wood into furniture, such as a coatrack, coffee table, or even a bag dryer."
Table: made by owner; chairs: vintage
Table: made by owner; chairs: vintage
Vintage outdoor chairs were refinished and used at the dining table. "I love using outdoor furniture indoors," Nordin says. "I'm a big fan of metal, weathered wood and furniture that has a linear design of some sort — straps, slats, ropes. I find that there are so many beautifully designed pieces intended for outdoors that work wonderfully inside and add immediate visual interest."
Chairs: vintage; bench, mirrored-shelf coatrack and table: made by owner
Chairs: vintage; bench, mirrored-shelf coatrack and table: made by owner
Nordin commonly uses vintage Japanese chests (tansu) in her spaces. "Everyone has clutter, and the tansu that I use most often, the choba-dansu (merchant chest) has many different compartments of various shapes and sizes. I find these pieces very usefull in living or office spaces to keep everything from pens and scissors to mail and files," Nordin says.
Tansu: vintage
Tansu: vintage
"I believe that design should reflect one's taste and lifestyle," Nordin says. I don't believe in form versus function or the opposite. I believe good design incorporates both form and function."
Choba-dansu: vintage
Choba-dansu: vintage
For practicality in a small bathroom, Nordin suggests using a coatrack for towels.
"I don't always use color on the walls. White rooms can be an excellent backdrop for other pieces to stand out. I also tend to stay very neutral or white," says Nordin.
Bed: Scandinavian Designs; tansu: vintage; table: made by owner
Bed: Scandinavian Designs; tansu: vintage; table: made by owner
John Paul Coffey and Megan Nordin.
Artwork: Danny Purtill
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Artwork: Danny Purtill
More Houzz Tours:
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