GENTRY HOME / STYLISH RENOVATION
With its beautifully sunlit rooms, welcoming front entrance, and luxurious gardens and terraces, the elegant Hillsborough house of Liz and Josh Kahn could not be more inviting. Surrounded by handsome oak and blessed by all-day sun, the residence feels us if it has stood proudly on the site for many decades.
When Liz and Josh first saw the house for sale, the 1937 Monterey Colonial-style details felt dated and the interiors were dark. “We loved the location and the beautiful setting with pine trees creating private world,” notes Liz, an interior designer. “The house had potential, with a wonderful structure. We loved it, and could immediately see how we would reshape it.
The house, with a hacienda-style upper balcony and deep overhang, had been neglected for decades. But the classic layout, with a spacious entry and direct access to the dining room and living room, was very gracious and, at first, the couple thought they would make just a few improvements. “We soon realized that it needed a lot of work.” recalls Liz. “Eventually, while keeping the integrity of the architecture, we stripped everything down to the studs. We re wired it, put in all new plumbing, and patiently created the house of our imagination.”
Liz worked closely with Greg Gambrioli of RG Developments to transform the residence. –
With the major repairs and restoration underway, the Kahns removed the front balcony, replaced small windows, and gave the small front entrance a new bold style with formal detailed framing.
The entry hall now exhibits French and modern influences. Elegant wainscoting accents the walls and is juxtaposed against the dark- stained herringbone hardwood floor. Nineteenth-century salon-stvle portraits hang in a collage over a linen-covered neo-classical settee. Vintage crystal and bronze sconces surround the vignette. Part of the grace of the foyer is the grand 1930s chandelier that extends from the ceiling, drawing the eye to modern art that hangs above the staircase.
The living rooms gray walls showcase molded details framing the French limestone fireplace by Francois & Co. Dramatic crystal and bronze sconces from the early 1900s sit on each side of the stately fireplace.
Here the family’s art collection is presented dramatically. The yellow, black, and gray piece behind the sofa is from Simon Breitbard Gallery in San Francisco. as is a striking panting filled with black and white circles over the mantle. Antique bergere chairs flank the fireplace and are upholstered it Kravet Belgian linen fabric along with the room’s custom sofa. Liz had the rug custom made to her specifications at Paterson Floor Coverings in Redwood City.
Liz enjoyed collecting antique and vintage pieces for her house. She spotted the coffee table with a zinc top and steel base at Big Daddy’s Antiques in San Francisco. The antique bronze and crystal sconces are French (circa 1910) and were sourced from Omega Lighting Design. Vintage 1930’s Louis XVI armchairs from 1stDibs are covered in Kravet fabric.
“We worked on the renovation slowly over a decade, and in phases,” says Liz, who grew up in the Hamptons and in Connecticut surrounded by beautiful interiors, antiques, and objets d’arts.
Her father, Woody Pirtle, is a renowned graphic designer. Exposed from a young age to modern art, good design, and beautiful antiques, Liz and her family spent many weekends antiquing throughout the South. She can’t remember a home she lived in that wasn’t completely gutted a remodeled.
Liz officially opened her interior design business, Liz Kahn Design, in 2015. The family’s travels and her childhood design education continue to be her inspiration and define her style – a combination of tradition with a modern edge.
In the process of renovating, the Kahns completely re-styled the appearance of the house, removing all traces of Monterey Colonial and bringing a simpler and more elegant French country villa-style to the residence.
And history repeats itself. Liz and Josh live in the house with their two daughters, who, like her, have grown up in a home under constant renovation. Now with the project complete, everyone is happy.