Photography by Daniel Dent for Gardenista, except where noted.
If anyone other than my friend Amy Lindburg wanted to buy a Victorian two flat in San Francisco in almost original condition with knob and tube electrical wiring...
...and no central heat I would have pointed out that the situation could easily become the sort of costly nightmare not seen since Mr Blandings built his dream house
So when Amy said she was going to buy a house in extreme vintage condition, remodel it, and live on the top floor with her three children, I had no doubt the project would be a huge success.
A dark blue facade, accented by glossy black trim, lends the house an elegant air. It seems obvious now, this elegant paint palette.
Photograph by Amy Lindburg.
The first time Amy saw it, the house was painted beige, for want of a better word, with taupe-ish trim and a green entry stairway.
Before
The five blue paint colors that Amy considered for the facade were (from top:) Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, Evening Sky, and Polo Blue; ICI Paints’s Gabled Blue, and Benjamin Moore’s Washington Blue.
Sample cans of (from left:) Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, Evening Sky and Polo Blue; ICI Paints’s Gabled Blue, and Benjamin Moore’s Washington Blue.
Painted in bigger patches on the facade, the colors looked markedly different from one another.
Photograph by Amy Lindburg.
Photograph by Amy Lindburg.
Differences in depth, tone, and saturation revealed themselves in the sunlight. It was clear to Amy that a single dark color for body and trim would would unify the facade and give it a stronger presence.
After
“I wanted to do as little as possible, to preserve the original architectural details,” says Amy.
Depending on the time of day and the ratio of sunlight to fog (this is San Francisco, after all), Amy’s house can appear to be nearly black, navy blue, or a deep jewel tone—as on the winter afternoon when this photo was shot.
Gilded house numbers, like jewelry, dress up an entryway.
A vintage brass ceiling light fixture mounted above the entrance to the garage is a reconfigured porthole from Big Ship Salvage.
A copper downspout will develop an aged patina over time.