This restored 1884 Victorian townhouse in S.F. takes you back to Gilded Age like no other

There may not be a historic, remodeled residence in San Francisco as true to its original interior aesthetics as an 1884 Italianate Victorian home on the market for $2 million.

A “batallion of period craftspeople” over a 40-year period were brought in to restore the home at 1180 Guerrero St., a Compass real estate representative said in an email. The residence retains its original grand facade, moldings, woodwork, light fixtures and elegant decorative fireplaces.

The property listing calls the condominium a “meticulously restored, irreplaceable piece of San Francisco history (where) timeless elegance meets modern convenience, masterfully reflecting original architectural details.”

Compass listing agent Joel Luebkeman said the residence stands out among the city’s Victorian homes.

“I’ve walked into hundreds of Victorian homes in my career,” he said in an email to the Sacramento Bee. ”Every open house, every broker’s tour, you see the same thing: modern light fixtures and white walls, with whispers of the home’s former grandeur. But when I first walked through the imposing front doors of 1180 Guerrero, I was awestruck by the feeling I had been transported back in time to a Gilded Age townhouse on 5th Avenue. “

At first, seller Polly Dinkel and her husband did the restoration work themselves.

“We did the work ourselves at the beginning, and I remember a resulting trip to the emergency room,” she said in an email. “Later we found professional designers and artists specializing in Victorian decoration to advise us and undertake all the decorative painting, paperhanging and period carpet installation. It was wonderful meeting these talented people and watching them work. Some of them are friends to this day.”

Dinkel remembers the first time they stepped inside the townhouse.

“My husband and I were looking for a Victorian house in San Francisco for more than a year when we walked into 1180 Guerrero Street in 1986,” she said in an email. “We were at once taken with its Italianate façade, high ceilings, spacious yard, and proximity to transportation. Most of all, we admired its almost original condition — part of the basement still had a dirt floor.

“At the time I don’t think we had in mind restoring the house’s Victorian interior; however, as we became involved in the Victorian Alliance and what is now SF Heritage, we developed a strong interest in Victorian decorative arts. Little by little, we transformed rooms by stripping the painted woodwork, adding wallpapers reproduced from period designs and introducing authentic Victorian furniture.”

‘Intricate details of the garden’

The result was awesome.

“In my profession ‘stunning’ is a decidedly overused word, but it’s truly the only word that describes the interior of this home,” Luebkeman said. “The thought and planning put into every detail is astounding; from every light fixture, to switches to every wall covering. Anyone who’s not amazed by the interiors is captured by the intricate details of the garden.”

The home flows directly from kitchen through elegant French doors onto an expansive Ipe wood deck and deep landscaped yard with manicured boxwoods, espaliered fruit trees and flowering plants “blooming sequentially through seasons,” according to the home’s description.

There are three bedrooms with high ceilings and restored period details. The primary upper bathroom was renovated in “Victorian style,” Compass said. The lower level second full bath was thoroughly updated. It’s accessed from an exterior rear deck, a relic of Victorian era design. The basement provides a 1,000-square-foot space for a workshop, storage or expansion to the living area.

Other highlights from the restoration, according to Compass, include:

▪ Bradbury & Bradbury wall and ceiling paper with faithfully reproduced 19th-century designs;

▪ Custom-weaved Victorian inspired carpets manufactured on English 19th-century broadlooms;

▪ Plaster ceiling medallions painted by local artisan Ruby Newman (restored Golden Gate Park carousel animals);

▪ Updated kitchen integrated with the historic 19th century architecture, boasting Honduran mahogany cabinets and marble countertops;

▪ Full bathroom outside, “for convenience of guests enjoying the outdoor space”;

▪ Upper level includes three spacious bedrooms, with 11-foot ceilings, beautifully period details and restored 19th century bathroom.

Taking on the whole project

The home’s garden was the last project Dinkel took on.

“We had so much enjoyment living in this house, notably when entertaining friends during the holidays — imagine egg hunts in the garden and a ten-foot Christmas tree in the parlor,” she said. “The feeling of escaping to another century after a busy day in the 21st has always been a stress reliever for me. I’m an avid walker and have found so many interesting places to walk starting from my front door, usually with a bakery along the route. “

Dinkel said the time has come to sell.

“As I move on to a new chapter of my life, I’ll always cherish my almost 40 years at 1180 Guerrero Street,” she said. “I’ll miss the friendly neighbors, the quiet garden, and the local businesses. I hope someone else will enjoy living there as much as I did. “

This story was originally published October 18, 2024 at 5:00 AM.

David Caraccio

The Sacramento Bee

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David Caraccio is a video producer for The Sacramento Bee who was born and raised in Sacramento. He is a graduate of San Diego State University and a longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers as a reporter, editor, page designer and digital content producer.