Jonathan Adler Designs A Majestic San Francisco Home

World-renowned potter, designer, and author, Jonathan Adler is no stranger to the global design industry. Today, he has retail outlets around the globe and a full slate of residential and commercial projects, with a global wholesale business. As a design brand, a Jonathan Adler interior is one with a luxe yet livable feeling. It is ‘seriously designed, but don’t take themselves too seriously’.

So understandably, he picks his decorating projects meticulously. However, it is easy to see what attracted him to this particular property. A majestic residence in San Francisco’s Nob Hill filled with rich architectural details.

Up for the challenge

Jonathan Adler usually tries to avoid the craziness of decorating, but this client and this house were so delightful, it was irresistible. The clients, Gerine Ongkeko and her husband, Jorge del Calvo, thoroughly charmed Adler with their jovial and daring mindset.

The owners had a carefree spirit. They can be described as bold, free-thinking, and self-made. And as such, they wanted something remarkable, and Jonathan Adler was certainly up for the challenge.

Ongkeko and del Calvo decided to move from their longtime home in Silicon Valley to the city where they had started their professional lives.

Three decades and several successful career moves later, the couple was ready for a new type of homecoming. So they hired Adler to transform their recently purchased 1915 property into a fun and inviting home that felt like a breath of fresh air.

A celebration of white

Adler’s first decision was to paint the entire four-story space in white. This brightened the carved-wood panels, elaborated ceiling moldings, and turned railings. Then, he filled the space with his signature brio, pairing whimsical pieces from his collection with handpicked vintage items from admired designers.

The designer curated an unconventional, eclectic, and luxurious collection of pieces. He wanted to reflect the client at her most glamorous.

In the living room, which features a stately fireplace topped by an ornately framed mirror, Adler kept a mostly alabaster palette interrupted by details of purple and fuchsia.

It all comes together in a way that’s stylish, contemporary, and just a little bit out of the box. “He does not take things too seriously but puts much thought behind it,” Ongkeko says. “He is brilliant.”