To Shane Reilly, decorating a house from top to bottom in four months is nothing new and well within the realm of possibility- especially for her repeat client, Peter Thiel.
When designing this 10,000 square-foot San Francisco Home for Peter Thiel, former PayPal CEO, early investor in Facebook and current president in Clarium Capital, designer Shane Reilly had to push the limits. The space was given an overhaul in just a brief four months and had be designed to fit Thiel’s exacting lifestyle—the home is his place of refuge, his headquarters and the site of private events for as many as 200 guests. For example, the new foyer, seen here, is furnished with a large ottoman, so the traffic circulates directly into the living room.
The living room was furnished to comfortably seat anywhere from eight to 14 guests, or to be reconfigured for the larger speaking events sometimes hosted at the home.
Sofa: Holly Hunt, Kneedler Frauchere, SF.The house—originally two side-by-side residences that were combined by a prior owner—has two dining rooms, which Reilly furnished in matching tables and chairs for versatile entertaining.
On the second floor, a fourth bedroom serves as Thiel’s bedroom when needed. Reilly had the existing wooden casework painted blue with red accents. Furnishings with nautical notes reference the nearby marina.
The master bedroom is painted a vibrant yellow-green. “The room is so sunny, with huge windows and Bay views. I knew this color would work, and Peter trusted me, but we had to tone it down with furnishings in white, gray and taupe,” says Reilly.
The master bedroom also has a more private office en suite to accomodate the homeowner's busy business schedule.
Sofa: Mattaliano, De Sousa Hughes, SF; Sofa fabric: Bergamo Rubelli, Donghia, SF; Coffee table: antique; Chair: “Klismos,” Donghia; Chair fabric: Peter Fasano, Sloan Miyasato, SF; Desk: Armani Casa, LA; Desk chair: Q Collection, Sloan Miyasato; Desk chair fabric: Castel, Donghia; Drapery: Rogers & Goffigon, NYC, 212-888-3242; Rug: Odegard, SF.The other bedrooms are for guests. This one is small and a riot of color and pattern, and the other is larger and more subdued but stylish. Reilly designed the room around Marcie Bronkar’s dramatic Capri wallpaper.
The top floor, which is reached by a spiral staircase, caused the most nail-biting during the remodel. The penthouse had been built out in the 1990s with outdated, 3-feet-deep media cabinets and a dramatic illuminated ceiling installation that didn’t fit with the rest of the design. The space was gutted and remodeled with a fireplace and bar before Reilly added a huge sofa and a silver leather ottoman. The versatile seating was meant to go from media room to party lounge.
Outside on the deck, the plentiful outdoor seating virtually disappears at night in the presence of the glowing Palace of Fine Arts.
The roof deck—the perfect site for a hot tub with wind-proof views of the Golden Gate Bridge—was instead made into an indoor-outdoor lounge to accommodate a crowd. But when her client is read for another invasion of contractors, Reilly says the project is ready to resume.
By: Sarah Lynch
Designed by: Shane Reilly
Photo credit: David Duncan Livingston & Kathryn MacDonald