Room of the Day: A Well-Worn Look for a Brand-New Home
Forays into antiques markets and online auctions bring old-time flavor to a sleek and soaring living-dining space
Combining modern architecture with vintage furniture and eclectic art was the winning recipe for this Italian-born homeowner, who recently moved to San Francisco’s trendy Mission District. To help find the ingredients, the homeowner turned to interior designer Antonio Martins, a fellow European native. Their frequent adventures exploring antiques markets and online auctions resulted in a living-dining space brimming with character that’s well beyond its years.
A vintage floor lamp from the 1950s features three lightbulbs that can swivel side to side and up and down. The fixture is from Europe and had to be rewired for an American outlet.
The antique neoclassical chair next to the lamp serves as both additional seating and a side table for the leather chesterfield sofa.
“We didn’t want to weigh the space down with too many tables. A chair can be a great substitute for a side table,” Martins says.
The antique neoclassical chair next to the lamp serves as both additional seating and a side table for the leather chesterfield sofa.
“We didn’t want to weigh the space down with too many tables. A chair can be a great substitute for a side table,” Martins says.
A floor-to-ceiling synthetic drape covers the two-story-high window wall. The sheer material filters the sun while allowing for uninterrupted city outlooks. Among the more eye-catching pieces in the room are the ottomans featuring faux animal legs and seats covered in Mongolian lamb’s hair. Martins says that nearly all the furniture in the living area was bought online. “If a piece showed up with a few nicks and scratches, it didn’t faze my client,” Martins says. “We could’ve had the pieces refinished, but he preferred their well-loved patina.”
While strolling through an antiques market, Martins and the homeowner came across boxes filled with old locks and keys, and the idea for a collection came together. Displayed on top of the glass and metal coffee table, it’s a fun distraction for fidgety guests during house parties.
The living and dining areas were designed to feel like one connected space. A pair of Art Deco chairs from the 1920s were reupholstered in a sage-green mohair fabric.
While a large gallery wall of art dominates the living area, a single oil portrait in a gilded frame creates ample drama in the dining area.
One of the few new pieces purchased for the space is the whimsical Birds Birds Birds chandelier, designed by Ingo Maurer.
Another highlight is the two-story-high sculpture near the corner windows. It was created by Martins and inspired by the ropes sailors would use in his native Portugal.
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One of the few new pieces purchased for the space is the whimsical Birds Birds Birds chandelier, designed by Ingo Maurer.
Another highlight is the two-story-high sculpture near the corner windows. It was created by Martins and inspired by the ropes sailors would use in his native Portugal.
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Who lives here: A single man who works in tech
Location: San Francisco
Size: About 800 square feet (74.3 square meters)
Design: Antonio Martins Interior Design
As he typically does when meeting a client for the first time, designer Antonio Martins had the homeowner flip through a portfolio of his past projects. “He kept returning to my own personal home and would say, ‘This is the type of home I want to create,’” Martins says. After informing the homeowner that the pieces in his home had been collected over 20-plus years, his client suggested that they speed up the process but strive for a similarly well-curated look. More than up for the challenge, Martins and his client embarked on an online auction and flea market frenzy to turn a new flat into a home filled with art, vintage furniture and charm.