Location: San Francisco
Year: 2005
Photography: Todd Verwers

About Studio

Todd Verwers Architects was founded in 2009 and provides architectural consulting services. The firm is based in California and provides architectural and interior design services to a diverse group of European and American clients. Services provided by TVA include Architecture, Interior design, Owner representation, Development feasibility studies, Construction Management, Energy analyses, and Subconsulting.

TVA is the successor firm to Petersen+Verwers Architecture in San Francisco, which was founded in 1996 by the husband and wife team of architect Todd Verwers and textile designer Mette Krebs Petersen. Under the direction of Todd Blake Verwers, the architectural and interior design work of this firm was widely published, and his designs for Elevation Salon + Café, Folsom Street Residential Laboratory, and the Petersen/Verwers Residence are particularly noteworthy. The firm also garnered several design awards, including an Honor Award from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).

The outside of the house is visible in this street view.

This image shows the front door of a house with an all-white design.

This living space is visible upon entering the home and is connected to the outdoor garden.

White is the room's dominant hue, and the other structure is made of wood. — White is the room’s dominant hue, and the other structure is made of wood.

The dining room contains four chairs, a black table, white and black cupboards, and natural light from the window.

The kitchen is fully equipped and has cabinets in black and white.

The home's mid-century modern style lends elegance and sophistication. — The home’s mid-century modern style lends elegance and sophistication.

The house emphasizes the sense of uninterrupted spatial movement.

Retracting full height bespoke pocket doors gives the impression that spaces are defined by wall planes. — Retracting full-height bespoke pocket doors gives the impression that spaces are defined by wall planes.

The home's airiness and sense of spatial refinement are further enhanced by shadow reveals and significant handmade details. — The home’s airiness and sense of spatial refinement are further enhanced by shadow reveals and significant handmade details.

The house has a very effective layout and spatial flow.

The house's interior design unexpectedly exudes sophistication and richness. — The house’s interior design unexpectedly exudes sophistication and richness.

The house is a cozy, distinctive, and luxurious place to call home.

The bathroom is fully equipped and includes a glass door separating the shower area.

This little garden that is a part of the house gives it a more natural feel.

Mid-century modern architecture in California embodied an authenticity unencumbered by historical kitsch and evoked an optimism for the future while taking advantage of the unique light and climate of the region. This extensive remodel of a 1962 tract house in San Francisco sought to maintain the mid-century spirit of the house while adding a new level of refinement and grace.

The layout and spatial flow through the existing house was already quite efficient. Without reconfiguring the interior layout extensively, carefully articulated modifications of the existing spaces and new interventions provide an unexpected sense of sophistication and opulence to the house, enhancing the inherent poetics of the 1960s “box” and creating a very personal, unique, and elegant residence for Todd Verwers and his wife.

To accentuate the experience of uninterrupted flow of space throughout the house, doors and wall openings were removed to provide uninterrupted ceiling planes. Full-height custom pocket doors retract, providing a sensation of spaces delineated by wall planes. Shadow reveals and extensive custom detailing reinforce the feeling of lightness and spatial refinement in the house.