Elle Sojourn June Issue

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DESIGNER DIGS
Barbara Turpin-Vickroy, Interior Design Director and Partner of CCS Architecture,
brings Ellie Sojourn into her remodeled San Francisco urban retreat. Set just above the
hustle of the city, with envious views, she balances an organic palette and back to nature
vibe that promotes relaxation after even the busiest of action packed days. Equally impressive are the massive gardens, coincidently designed by her husband, Norman Vickroy.
She shares her tale of many years worth of their project-in-the-making.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: PAUL DYER
LIVING ROOM ART: JENNY E BALISLE DINING ROOM ART: DANIELE CUNHALAY MASTER BEDROOM ART: PETER BOYER
As a designer, how difficult is it to design your own space verses one for a
client?
Extremely difficult! As a designer, you are so aware of everything out there, so
it’s really hard to make a decision. My husband and I wanted quality pieces, so
everything was an investment. Each decision is painful because you can’t just
change your mind, even though you see something new the next day. Not to
mention it is exhausting because you work all day doing design for a project, then
you come home and spend nights and weekends doing it for your own home.
How much of the property did you remodel?
We remodeled a significant amount of the home over the years. It was definitely
an on-going project. We lived in it during the process and have been very hands
on. We bought it 25 years ago and the house has quite a history.
It survived the 1906 Earthquake! We wanted to preserve the
spirit and essence of the house. There is a second entrance that
leads to a little cottage. We host foreign exchange students,
so the separate space is perfect for that. For that portion of
the remodel, we visited local salvage yards and built it as we
found items that would work for the space. For example, we
found metal file drawers, slabs of teak, and concrete blocks.
We interspersed the metal file cabinets together and made a
collage effect. The bunk beds are shelving units.
That’s a great story! How did you choose furnishings for
your personal space?
It’s such a mix of commercial and residential finds. I literally look
everywhere. I like a combination and I don’t tend to commit
to one style or designer. We have Flexform, Christian Liaigre,
Goloft (a metal and wood company that used to be in Seattle)
Urban Hardwoods, Vitra, and Bertoia just to name a few.
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How did you determine color selection?
Color is very intuitive for me. They’ve kind of morphed
into what they are. I love ICI colors, and through the
years have had it matched to keep it fresh. I’ve also
mixed several colors together, tried it on a wall and
ended up loving it. My preference is usually darker,
greyed out, organic palettes. I love to see white and
modern, but for us, and this house in particular, that
wouldn’t work. It’s an old home, so the walls are a
bit crooked, nothing is aligned and it’s certainly not
a modern space. .
You have some impressive art throughout the
home. Any tips on how to find unique art?
This is also an intuitive process for me. I choose
what I like, what speaks to me, and what will work
in the house. Much of it I find while walking through
the city. The piece in my dining room I found on Polk
Street in San Francisco and it’s by a young Brazilian
girl, Daniele Cunha Lay. A local artist from Oakland,
Jenny E Balisle did the piece in our living room. In
our master bedroom we have work by Peter Boyer.
I love attending the annual Shipyards Open Art
Weekend!.
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What was your most challenging design element?
At times, everything seemed to be challenging!
But for the most part, it was challenging working
within the confines of the existing architecture.
There were scale and proportion issues throughout,
particularly the ceiling and the way it pitches in the
living room. It’s very volumous. I would like to add
beams eventually. The location of the wall sconces
was difficult to determine. Eventually we had to
work with where things were just to simply finish!
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If you could choose a favorite feature of the home,
what would that be?
I adore the expansive windows and glass with the
views of our gardens. My husband (Norman Vickroy)
is a gardener and they are amazing. It’s a wonderful
indoor/outdoor experience to live in our home. It
spans over two lots, so it’s not long and narrow
like many Bay Area properties. We have fantastic
views of the city. I also really love our old gate in
the front. It’s a very private and secluded property,
even though it’s very close to the city.
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