Of course Ken Fulk designed the most expensive home to hit the market in San Francisco's Presidio Terrace for the past 20 years.
Built from the ground up in 2010, the home's classical styling is the work of SF architect Andrew Skurman, winner of the 2020 Arthur Ross Award for Architecture; and its grand scale suited the lifestyle of its philanthropist owners just perfectly as a stage for countless posh fundraising events over the past decade. Now, for the first time, the 10,000-square-foot, six-bedroom mansion is up for grabs—and the buyer gets to keep the furniture!
That's right, if you ever dreamed of being one of those Fulk clients who just comes home from a trip to a fully and fabulously furnished new home, now is your chance; even the artwork on the walls here is negotiable.
While the homeowners' say that the Carrara marble floors and suede-upholstered walls are "subtleties" of the house that "remind us to stay grounded," let's keep this real: 17 Presidio Terrace sits in one of San Francisco's most exclusive enclaves—having been home to boldface names including Pelosi, Feinstein, and Zellerbach—and the house was designed to make a big tony statement, even if there are nice do-gooder quotes painted on the entry walls.
Skurman's plans for the structure took into account "scale, relationships, and craftsmanship" to achieve a home that looks as if it were originally built in the 1900s just like the neighbors, and one in which each and every room is truly meant to be utilized.
"Our design philosophy centers on our belief that a home should have as much character without furniture in it as it does with furniture," say the owners, who also approached the project functionally—built with steel, the house is supposedly earthquake-proof.
The first floor was intended for entertaining and family gatherings. The foyer with its 25-foot ceilings, skylight, and ornate black chandelier make for a grand first impression; then, the window-lined living room that opens onto a patio doesn't disappoint. The exhibition kitchen was designed for showing off with Calacatta Oro marble countertops, double refrigerators, and two butler pantries. When it comes time to dine, you could choose from three distinct dining areas or take your grub, er supper, by the fireplace outside.
The second floor is dedicated to private quarters with four large bedrooms each with en suite baths. The master suite has a luxurious marble-clad bathroom with a soaking tub, gracefully curving windows, and dual dressing rooms. A home office with its own fireplace and wet bar finishes off this floor.
One more story up—also accessible by elevator—you'll find another bedroom with an en-suite marble bath and a walk-in closet, as well as a terrace and 1,200 square feet of finished attic storage space.
But the party is on the lower level where a more laid-back family room, movie theater and wet bar, music room, gym, and yoga studio guarantee plenty of options for quarantine fun. Oh, there's also a 500-bottle wine and chocolate cellar! We don't know what a chocolate cellar is, but that's where we'll be if you need us.
Location: 17 Presidio Terrace (Presidio Heights)
Size: 10,040 sf
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 7.5
Asking price: $20 million
// For more information, visit compass.com.
