Bon vivant lists S.F. ‘Magic Factory’ building — work, party, living space — for $8.9M
Celebrated interior designer Ken Fulk is selling his stunning 14,000-square-foot building in San Francisco— a work, party and living space known as “The Magic Factory” — for $8.9 million.
The bon vivant is known for creating spectacularly bold interiors with rich hues for restaurants, clubs and private homes across the city’s finest neighborhoods. He purchased the 1908 brick-and-timber building — located South of Market (SoMa) at 310 7th St. — 15 years ago as his firm rapidly expanded into directing events and other creative work.
Originally a furniture factory for decades, the property later housed Mr. S Leather Co., an S&M leather manufacturer, according to the Compass real estate firm, which holds the listing. Since 2007, the four-level building has been the headquarters of Ken Fulk Inc.
The top floor was transformed into a 4,000-square-foot loft residence with an exhibition kitchen, a luxurious full bath, fireplace and a terrace overlooking the city. The floors below the loft have been used as a studio for Fulk’s multi-disciplinary creative firm.
The designer has hosted famously over-the-top, star-studded parties at “The Magic Factory” over the years with guests including Tom Cruise, Stevie Nicks, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Mila Kunis and Andy Cohen, to name a few.
“It’s bittersweet to have outgrown the Magic Factory but commitment to San Francisco remains—our 75-plus staff members will stay here in SoMa and I’m committed to investing in some of our city’s finest cultural landmarks like Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, Tosca and Boulevard,” Fulk said in a statement.
Fulk’s design firm and creative agency has outgrown the space, he told the Wall Street Journal, so he and his husband Kurt Wootton have decided to sell.
“This was the space I had long dreamed of; where I would not only house my business, but my private life, as the two had become increasingly intertwined,” he wrote in his book “Mr. Ken Fulk’s Magical World.” “I envisioned living upstairs on the top floor with my husband, Kurt, and our three golden retrievers, and below would be the design factory—more Warhol than GM—where all sorts of talented people could gather and collaborate.”
The building design features terracotta motifs, sandblasted brick walls, rows of exposed timber and original fir flooring. Industrial steel windows let in natural light on three sides of the building. Its four levels of open space is configured for office and entertaining. There’s an 11-car surface lot, too.
The interior is eye-catching. A gallery space is vibrant with colorful furniture, statues and artwork under 14-foot ceilings. A spiral staircase leads from a work studio up to the loft and an 18th Century chandelier hangs above a wood dining table.
Compass Commercial agents Brian Leung and Jeremy Lee hold the listing.
“Ken Fulk and his team have done a masterful job of elevating an iconic landmark for future users,” Leung said.
Among Fulk’s work is the design of The Battery, a social club in San Francisco’s Jackson Square and the planning of tech mogul Sean Parker’s extravagant wedding in Big Sur.
This story was originally published September 22, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
