Lundberg Design transformed a two-level San Francisco penthouse into a minimalist, acoustically attuned residence and entertainment venue for a pianist and multi-media executive.

All materials, furniture, and custom metalwork were selected or fabricated by Lundberg Design in this full interior rebuild. With panoramic views of San Francisco and the bay from every occupiable space, the home transitions from an open public lower level to private upstairs spaces to accommodate the client’s social gatherings and desire for private retreat. By introducing a large opening in the second floor and moving the staircase adjacent to the corridor wall, we maximized the open ground floor plan, allowing music and natural light to flood the space and revealing a striking 20’ wall spanning the unit’s full vertical height. Covered in long-format Roman-style brick from Denmark, the wall’s texture illuminates in the evening sun, showcasing its unique materiality. Set against this monumental wall, layers of visual depth are created with materials of differing transparencies: stainless steel screens, chainmail curtains, and cast glass, allowing the owners to demarcate different zones within the home depending on the gathering type and size.

Downstairs, we juxtaposed dark floors with smooth white surfaces and deep-black laminate touch-latch cabinets for a minimal aesthetic. The thickened ceiling overhead, finished in clean stretch fabric pierced only by pendant lights, houses an extensive scope of speakers, subwoofers, multimedia equipment, HVAC diffusers, and window treatments, all carefully acoustically separated from the floor above. This allows the entire lower level to function as a multimedia space while keeping the adjacent bedrooms and office quiet and private. The primary bedroom upstairs, which overlooks the grand piano below, is separated from the double-height space by an acoustical laminated glazed wall. Given the thickness of the floor and ceiling assembly between the two levels, this glazed wall can retract into the floor to guardrail height, bringing in music from downstairs. The lower-level living spaces continue out onto a 2,300 square foot terrace broken into outdoor rooms – living, dining, and even an outdoor kitchen and spa – each divided by custom-built moveable planters.

Many of the home’s accents were custom-fabricated in our shop, including the primary bedroom headboard, a dramatic Elm dining table, a perforated hood cover, and the project’s signature pieces: the sliding, stainless steel-tube entry screen and jewelry-like stair guardrail that complements a custom-cast glass panel from John Lewis Glass Studio in Oakland.