San Francisco-based Studio Terpeluk has renovated and expanded Redwood House in Noe Valley with redwood interiors and terraces.

The three-storey Redwood House was originally designed by American architect Albert Lanier – husband to sculptor Ruth Asawa – in a hilly  San Francisco neighbourhood characterised by Victorian and Edwardian houses.

Studio Terpeluk was selected to expand the 1976 house from 2,260 square feet (210 square metres) to 3,218 square feet (299 square metres) with a new guest room suite, home office, wet bar and media room.

The renovation "surgically modified the house in an architecturally non-aggressive manner," the studio said.

Wrapped with irregular western red cedar planks, the narrow house cascades down the hillside with exterior courtyards that mitigate the grade change.

One enters the house through an intimate courtyard off the street into an open-plan upper level with a sloping ceiling and dark-knotted Douglas fir flooring made from local reclaimed pier pilings.

Many of the walls and ceilings were updated with vintage rough-sawn redwood veneered plywood maintained from the original build.

"Redwood surfaces and structural elements complete the warm interior landscape: from the sloping roof beams to partition walls and built-in shelves," the studio said.

To the left of the entrance is the kitchen with custom-gloss cabinets and a Carrara marble backsplash. It opens to a dining room that features a Saarinen table and Hans Wegner wishbone chairs.

To the right is the library where sunlight from the large window brightens the dark panelling and sculptural furniture.

The living room is oriented around a pink sculpture by American artist Wanxin Zhang.

Padded seating wraps the corner under a large window looking out to the San Francisco skyline.

The house is centred around a staircase illuminated by a skylight.

"The sculptural blackened steel stair with vintage rough-sawn redwood plywood walls anchors the house, weaving together the three floors and their diverse spatial character," the studio continued.

The middle level features guest suites with direct access to the entry courtyard.

The primary suite is softened by light pink terrazzo tile and a micro mosaic of Indian red recycled plastic tiles.

"Color was a recurring theme in the exquisite and eclectic art collection of the owners," studio founder Brett Terpeluk said.

"This went perfectly hand in hand with my interest in mid-century Italian design and its bold use of color."

"We collaborated with our friend and designer Beatrice Santiccioli to enrich the project with a dedicated and bespoke color language," he continued.

At the lowest level, a media room, home office and kitchenette open to an abundantly landscaped garden.

The outdoor areas were designed by Terpeluk's wife and longtime consultant, Italian landscape designer Monica Viarengo.

The terraces shift from curated gardens to wild vegetation as one moves through the property, while the plantings reference California coastal landscapes with yellow roses, espaliered fruit trees and a variety of thymes.

Studio Terpeluk was founded in 2008 by Brett Terpeluk, after he finished a tenure working with Italian architect Renzo Piano.

Other Noe Valley renovations include the Gable House by Edmonds + Lee, a renovated Victorian townhouse by Fougeron Architecture and an industrial home for a tech entrepreneur by Levy Art and Architecture and Síol Studios.

Photography is by Joe Fletcher.

Project credits

Project team: Brett Terpeluk, Huy Nguyen
Landscape design: Monica Viarengo
Color consultant: Beatrice Santiccioli
Contractor: Saturn Construction
Structural engineering: Strandberg Engineering
Furniture: Santiccioli Arredamenti
Orama sliding window systems: Cooritalia
Windows: Bonelli
Wood reclaimed wood flooring: Arborica
Metal fabrication: Upper Story Design
Drapery/upholstery: Malatesta & Co
Art: Catharine Clark Gallery