Contemporary living at Potrero's ‘jewel on the hill’

The home at 1745 20th St. in Potrero Hill is believed to be the first one built in the neighborhood. Property records show dairy owner Charles Dow built the home in 1875. The home at 1745 20th St. in Potrero Hill is believed to be the first one built in the neighborhood. Property records show dairy owner Charles Dow built the home in 1875. Photo: Open Homes Photography Photo: Open Homes Photography Image 1 of / 34 Caption Close Contemporary living at Potrero's ‘jewel on the hill’ 1 / 34 Back to Gallery

The year was 1985.

And a corner home in Potrero Hill became a signature party house for decorator to the stars.

“It’s a jewel on the hill — an iconic piece of San Francisco history,” said Heidi Rossi of Pacific Union & Christie’s International Real Estate. “It’s glamorous, and filled with light and I love it.”

The interior is a lasting legacy of designer Larry Masnada, the prominent ’80s artisan who fashioned pads for Mel Brooks, Frank Sinatra, and Diane Sawyer. Masnada’s local pieces included the city’s Blue Fox, as well as Mumms Restaurant and Disco.

But this listing is anything from a Reagan Era relic. Its dimensions readily accommodate entertaining, and its flow complements contemporary living.

Believed to be the first home built in the neighborhood, the corner residence owes its existence to diary owner Charles Dow. Property records show Dow built the home in 1875. Fast forward 110 years and witness the collision of a world-class designer and 1980s excess.

If one room proves a testament to that time, it’s the master bathroom. There’s leather on the stainless steel vanities and a circular shower. Eighties style radiates through the residence, though not in a way that is overtly dated. The kitchen’s glossy aesthetic draws comparisons to sleek European kitchens. Dual ovens and a Sub-Zero refrigerator equip the kitchen with the appliances to host an swanky soiree of one’s own.

The home introduces itself with a grand Italian-style portico braced by handsome columns. This sits atop a curved exterior stairway that seductively weaves toward the front door. Custom doorways with rich millwork are sprinkled throughout the interior. Wide entryways shift focus from room to room. The flowing design of the public rooms ushers guests toward the pool patio in this warmer section of San Francisco.

A 780-square-foot garage level has a fireplace in its family room and includes a full bathroom and office. The main level a floor above includes a pair of bedrooms opposite the living and dining rooms. This transitions to an exhibition kitchen and adjacent heated pool.

The listing also offers some personalization and income opportunities. Drawings for transforming the attic into a full upper level offer a glimpse into further development potential. This would open up views from higher than any of the neighbors. The garage level — with its full bathroom, bedroom and own entrance — stands out as an turnkey income stream.

Indoor/outdoor living takes full display with a pool patio in the backyard. The design shows an abundance of thought into daily living as a bathroom with sliding glass doors off the patio invites a shower before coming inside from the pool.

Cavernous living and dining rooms wait off the entryway. A pair of fireplaces stand back-to-back toward the middle of the shared space. Their centralized location allows each fireplace to serve as an end point for its respective room, while the open floor plan allows the living and dining rooms to effortlessly meld together.

The kitchen stands out as a space where Masnada’s design proves most lasting. A pair of sinks complement this sleek space and pairs with the handleless cabinetry and the cooktop’s stainless steel backsplash. The far end of the eat-in kitchen features a breakfast area with a built-in office nook.

Not many homes in San Francisco bother with a pool, albeit a heated one. But here on the seemingly perpetually sunny side of Potrero Hill, a pool entices virtually every day.

Tropical plantings surround the home. Palms and subtropical trees border the side-by-side driveway as the front garden sprouts more of the same. The pool patio feature its share of orchids and exotic plantings as well.

“It’s old Miami meets old Hollywood meets San Francisco,” Rossi said. “There’s so much to love about this place.”

See more at www.174520thst.com.

Listing agent: Heidi Rossi, Pacific Union & Christie’s International Real Estate, (415) 377-7650, heidi@rossirealestate.com.

Details

Address: 1745 20th St., Potrero Hill, San Francisco.

Price: $3.495 million.

Features: The rich interior offers tall ceilings and windows. A gourmet kitchen features a built-in cooktop, dual ovens and sunroom windows. Outside, a heated pool awaits in a brick patio just beyond the kitchen. Set on a double lot, this refined three-bedroom enjoys more than 3,000 square feet of living space.