Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Distinctive Edwardian 'Design Lab'
Unexpected color palettes and vintage scores set this playful, elegant San Francisco home apart from the crowd
The home that designer Jay Jeffers shares with his husband, Michael Purdy, serves a dual purpose: It's part retreat and part design lab, nurturing creativity for Jeffers' interior design business and the pair's San Francisco atelier, Cavalier. "Our home has really mirrored my style evolution throughout the years," says Jeffers, whose clients are often drawn to his vibrant, playful design touches. Architecturally, the house is tucked in a row of "handsome little Edwardians," he says. But inside, it makes a bold departure from the rest of the block.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jay Jeffers and Michael Purdy
Location: Eureka Valley, San Francisco, California
Size: 2,500 square feet
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jay Jeffers and Michael Purdy
Location: Eureka Valley, San Francisco, California
Size: 2,500 square feet
A floral lampshade with metallic trim almost looks like a framed watercolor piece next to an etching by Christopher Brown.
Wheel book weight: vintage, Coup d'Etat; wall paint: Persimmon, Benjamin Moore
Wheel book weight: vintage, Coup d'Etat; wall paint: Persimmon, Benjamin Moore
Gray trim highlights the molding in the dining room and provides a neutral complement to the bolder orange tones in the upholstery, decor and wall treatments. "I absolutely love the dining room," Jeffers says. "It has a handsome, quirky look, with a gallery wall of portrait paintings."
Molding paint: Bear Creek, Benjamin Moore; wall paint: Pittsfield Buff, Benjamin Moore; dining table: vintage, Monteverdi Young; chandelier: vintage, Maitland Smith
Molding paint: Bear Creek, Benjamin Moore; wall paint: Pittsfield Buff, Benjamin Moore; dining table: vintage, Monteverdi Young; chandelier: vintage, Maitland Smith
A Forrest Williams oil painting makes an alluring conversation piece, adding the illusion of another window in this living room sitting area. The settee is a custom piece by Jeffers.
Area rug: custom by Jay Jeffers & Kelly Hohla
Area rug: custom by Jay Jeffers & Kelly Hohla
The kitchen was the only room in the house that truly needed work — but what designer stops after renovating just one room? Jeffers put in a tartan tile backsplash "à la Burberry," he says, and custom cabinets with back-painted glass.
"It's a cliché to say, but we live in our kitchen," he says. "The floor plan is circular, so you can see the kitchen from both the dining area and living room, and guests always gather there. It's the perfect place for cooking — beef bourguignon, preferably — kicking back with a cocktail and gazing out at our view of the city."
"It's a cliché to say, but we live in our kitchen," he says. "The floor plan is circular, so you can see the kitchen from both the dining area and living room, and guests always gather there. It's the perfect place for cooking — beef bourguignon, preferably — kicking back with a cocktail and gazing out at our view of the city."
Like everything in Jeffers' home, this tabletop vignette is meticulously curated.
"I’ve just launched my first store, Cavalier, with my husband, and our focus with it is on these kinds of carefully curated pieces with a masculine edge," says Jeffers.
"I’ve just launched my first store, Cavalier, with my husband, and our focus with it is on these kinds of carefully curated pieces with a masculine edge," says Jeffers.
"I really put my stamp on the house. I think the color palette alone is really what sets it apart and gives it its distinct style note," he says.
The guest room is swathed in acid green wallpaper. "I'm not sure anyone else on the block has a hot pink portrait of Abraham Lincoln," Jeffers says.
Wallpaper: Studio Printworks; Abraham Lincoln screen-print: Natalie Ammirato
Wallpaper: Studio Printworks; Abraham Lincoln screen-print: Natalie Ammirato
This bedroom vignette combines handsome pieces with quirkier items: An ornately framed mirror hangs over a vintage dresser, a sculptural bust adds gravitas to the corner and framed art provides a dash of whimsy.
"This home is my design lab," says Jeffers. "It's where I crisscrossed pink and orange grosgrain ribbon on my master bedroom walls at one point and hand-stencilled the drapes with my monogram in homage to Sir David Hicks."
Vintage tufted chairs in rich blue Holland & Sherry fabric complement the persimmon-stained walls.