were you wondering too?

So really, what is the color of the Golden Gate Bridge? It's that thing poking out of the fog. You were wondering. I know you were.

Well thanks in part to NPR we all now know it's called International Orange. That translates to PMS #173 or 0% cyan, 100% yellow, 69% magenta and 6% black at the paint store - just in case you want to paint an accent wall at home.

For a little background info check out:
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/26/135150942/the-golden-gate-bridges-accidental-color?ft=1&f=1001
http://goldengatebridge.org/research/factsGGBIntOrngPaint.php.

It's all about the details

If you could look inside my brain, you might see images of architectural details from my recent real estate excursions to San Francisco. It's been such a smorgasbord of details, I can hardly keep straight which details go to which house. If only I could build a montage from all the best I've seen...

You might say that the devil is in the details. What do you think? A sign?

A room with a view would be at the top of the list, of course. But I'm not all about living on top of the world. I'd be afraid to drop something for fear it would roll downhill for a couple of hills. And that thing might be me. Good thing the Pacific Heights district is a bit too pricey anyways. Where we've chosen is a bit more of a compromise.

Bet you didn't think there were houses like this in the City of San Francisco. Obviously there are.

It seems as though the bulk of the city dates back to the early 1920s which makes sense when you think that the city burnt to the ground following the The Great Earthquake of 1908. I guess it took a decade to rebuild. I wonder about New Orleans.

While most East Coasters associate San Francisco with Victorian painted ladies, you also find a lot of mid-century modern, houses like above and quite a bit of Spanish Colonial Revival with details like arches, wrought ironwork, ornate oak woodwork and plaster.

Pretty much everything I've looked at to date has had a yard of some type. Yes, a yard. Some angle upwards, others down the slope and some are flat. 

And with a moderate climate, flowers are abundant despite these particular photos. 

You might also notice a lack of fog in these snapshots. I've managed to see far more sun than fog during my trips. Judging from the amount of bougainvillea and roses, I think that generally this is the case.

Okay, not all the yards are big and bright. But this house had views to die for. You can't just have everything I guess.

Inspired ...

Last November I had a opportunity to see Elle Decor magazine's 2010 San Francisco showhouse in person. Here are the results.

Located in the upscale neighborhood of St. Francis Wood, west of Twin Peaks, the fund raiser benefited the Junior League of San Francisco and featured the works of 11 top area designers. Aside from all the eye candy, I was able to take notes on future sources for, well, just about everything.

Take note of all the fabulous mosaic tile, much of which links back to Ann Sacks and AKDO. All the lighting was courtesy of Hinkley Lighting and the paint colors came from Benjamin Moore - a favorite of mine. What appeals most to me are the colors, or lack of in some spaces. I think every countertop on the property was Silestone of some color and the cabinets were painted wood in most instances.

Lovely! What do you think?