A San Francisco apartment in Pacific Heights has been transformed through a vintage-focused renovation led by interior designer Kate DeWitt. The project centered on upgrading a third-floor walk-up for a woman in her early thirties who had lived there for five years, transitioning her space from a twentysomething aesthetic to a more mature, curated look.
Curating Vintage Pieces Over Time
DeWitt worked without a strict deadline, prioritizing the discovery of authentic pieces over speed. She sourced items from Facebook Marketplace, 1stDibs, and Chairish, focusing on vintage furniture that would reflect the client’s evolving taste. The design drew inspiration from Sacramento Street, a historic stretch of design shops in the neighborhood.
The biggest challenge was resisting the urge to settle for placeholder items. “The priority was finding the right pieces, however long that took,” DeWitt said. This approach required significant patience, particularly in the living room, where a single coffee table took eight to nine months to source.
Color as a Catalyst
The dining room became the turning point for the entire design. Initially hesitant about color, the client adopted a deep sage green paint (Benjamin Moore’s Dry Sage) that unlocked bolder choices throughout the apartment. Her existing Spanish baroque table, found on Facebook Marketplace, was paired with custom-designed linen slipcovered chairs by Gil’s Upholstery.
“One bold color choice can unlock a whole home,” DeWitt noted. The newly confident use of color extended into the home office, where Benjamin Moore’s Sag Harbor Grey provided a calm backdrop. A desk sourced through Chairish and shipped from the UK anchored the space, alongside a silver tray that once belonged to the client’s late grandmother.
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Personal Touches and Final Details
The office also features a wall-mounted collection of vintage tennis rackets, reflecting the client’s lifelong passion for the sport. DeWitt sourced additional pieces to complete the display, giving the collection prominent placement as the room’s focal point.
In the living room, DeWitt retained the client’s existing sectional and white lounge chair, adding a carved Spanish console from 1stDibs and an antiqued floor mirror from Facebook Marketplace. The final coffee table, described as the piece DeWitt was most proud of, seamlessly blended scale and style after months of searching.
Building Confidence Through Design
By the end of the project, the client had developed a stronger trust in her own style. She requested that several corners remain intentionally bare, not wanting the process to end. “Throughout our work together, she told me she’d learned to trust her style more, to stop playing it safe and lean into what she’s actually drawn to,” DeWitt said.
The renovation emphasized creating a collected look rather than a decorated one. Every piece was chosen deliberately, allowing the client to grow into her space while preserving meaningful connections to her past.
