San Francisco Victorian Houses

Painted Ladies San Francisco California 1974-1986

I recently acquired two soft back books, “Painted Ladies”  and “Painted Ladies Revisited”.

I wasn’t living in San Francisco when the first book, “Painted Ladies” came out in 1977, but a few of the houses I painted between 1980-1986 appeared in “Painted Ladies Revisited” published in 1987.

The following is an excerpt about 908 Steiner with before and after pics to the right, a couple houses I painted on the left and the pink lady across the square to the west. 

“In the last few years, the house has reverted to an understated design on the exterior.  Bill Wilson created a richly colored scheme that incorporates eight colors of blues, grays, whites, and burgundy to show off the Corinthian pillars and bracketed cornice.  With its subtlety and sophistication, 908 is now a symbol for the new generation”

There was always much more involved in a paint job than throwing up some paint.  Burning and sanding, repairing the century old redwood, hand stripping pot metal (the top of each corinthian column at 908 Steiner was made from upwards of 60 pieces of molded pot metal), gold and silver leafing, replacing missing finials and other millwork.

Painted Ladies
710 and 712 Steiner (aka “Postcard Row”)
1404 Golden Gate Painted 1985

1404 Golden Gate

1404 Golden Gate Painted 1985
Painted Ladies
908 Steiner aka “Psychedelic House”
Painted Ladies
908 Steiner after repaint
Painted Ladies
712 Scott