AD, I’m loving this Hidden Gems episode. Anna Karp is wonderful! Karp is honest about what is needed, knowledgeable, gives credit where credit is due, entertaining and doesn’t talk down to her audience. I can’t wait for her next episode. Instant fan!
This is where I grew up! Not this house but this neighborhood. My grandparents owned the home & my time was split living with them & my parents who traveled for work. I remember vividly when their neighbors began painting their homes in colorful colors. Early on my grandparents joyfully joined the movement & went with shades of blue. The inside was so colorful! They always had borders who rented the upstairs bedrooms. The main floor room with the bay window was the the living room everyone used. I don't remember a big kitchen on the 2nd floor. There was a large bathroom and a 2nd water closet (toilet) at the end. I think I remember there being 4 or 5 bedrooms on this floor and 2 on the floor above it which was my grandparents bedroom & my bedroom. The house was always filled to the brim with borders! The ground floor was my grandpa's workshop, where he parked his truck & an area for storing canned goods. The backyard was one big veggie garden & a small table & chairs set. Gosh the memories this video brought back. 50 years it's been & I'd forgotten so much about the house until I watched your video. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
Thank you for the fantastic memories. How lucky are you that your grandparents owned a home in this very neighborhood! The borders thing seems to be a thing of the past. Today homes are subdivided into individual airbnb units. A large Victorian in my town here in New England does that very thing. It's a shame as the house gets so much more wear than it would with a renter or border who was staying for a year or a season. At any rate, thank you for your post.
What a fascinating memory! (By the way, people living in the home are "boarders", not "borders". How fortunate you were to share that lovely home with your grandparents!
That’s amazing! San Francisco was my grandmother’s favorite place to go with my grandpa on the train (he worked for union) and I have tickets from 1938 that I found in her dresser. I’m sorry to see the state that it’s become recently.
I love how she leverages her indepth knowledge of construction and architecture, and couples it with her passion for the preservation of landmark properties. She educates the audience by integrating the historical context about the evolution of home, and has many creative ideas for enhancing the home!
She knows what shes talking about and I liked how she credited artisans from the area. It’s true, locals are always so valuable. Next time is SF I will check it out, hopefully it will be restored!
@@J5L5M6 really? What firm do you work for, or do you own, your own? I’m really looking forward to your videos! I’d love to have you explain what she missed and got wrong! Hoping to hear from you and become informed
I own a similar building a few blocks away in a less fortunate location. However, I would say her estimate about ceiling medallions is high even if one tries to get accurate reproductions of what is there. If one goes with one of the many period appropriate styles available from other companies, she could be quoting ten times the actual installed cost.
She did a good job highlighting things that are important to save about the house - trim pieces, old glass, medallions. So many of these type of videos are all about gutting and trashing the house to make something modern. She has a great respect for the historic beauty of the house.
I'm the kinda gal that likes to preserve things as closely to how they were originally, so my heart sank when Anna said she'd make the interior modern and open-plan.
I know , I live in a 1924 house and I havn't changed it at all except for a picket fence and garden . Is it inconvenient that some windows don't open etc ? Yes but while it's mine , I'm living the simple life that others lived 100 years ago .
LOVE that you would keep the antique glass - I love the warped and wobbly old glass. Honestly, if I could afford this house, I would want Anna to direct the renovations. So many lovely ideas.
I used to follow the current owner while she attempted to renovate. She had to cut her losses, once she determined it was too much for her. I was really looking forward to the journey of the renovation. I hope this legend is saved and restored.
What a treat to see the inside of these iconic homes and see the vision for it’s restoration! The door outside downstairs looks to have been a fix to the change in ground level, maybe from the 1906 quake. This is not uncommon to see in some older properties in San Francisco. I love the way Anna Karp explains all the details and what is important for restoration and what can be changed… It was also nice to see Lorna get a shout out, I used to have studio space right above her workshop!
I know absolutely zero about stuff like property law in the U.S. but surely these houses deserve to be included in the National Register of Historic Places?
Anna is very well informed. One small thing - the current garage never housed carriages. The ground floor space would originally have had a window to the street and have been fronted by a small garden. San Francisco Victorian houses did not have garage doors - unless there was space for a semi-detached stable building for horse & carriage, away from the house's front entrance (usually a feature of upper class corner houses).
We live in a 1910 Edwardian/Victorian home in San Francisco and this video is so interesting and inspirational to watch! I love how she talks about preserving the character while giving it a modern livability. Great video!
Abandoned is a strong word for this house. It's been sold like 3 times in the past five years and it's not in disrepair, they were doing a renovation before the pandemic hit so I'm assuming they couldn't finish.
This is in gray gardens shape- yet someone with a ton of money and taste can renovate this into a spectacular home, it’ll take time and money but it’s going to be beautiful - my question is why did that young girl think she could handle this property buying it over asking knowing , if she’s smart how much work was needed?
The house in this AD video is at 714 Steiner Street. The Full House exteriors were of 1709 Broderick Street in Pacific Heights, but the interiors were all shot at Warner Brothers' studio in Hollywood.
In the iconic photos of these properties, I never considered that they would be multi-family homes. I assumed that they were single family homes, but it's difficult to tell how many square feet they are.
If I had $100M, I would totally hire her. I've enjoyed her other walk-throughs. She seems knowledgeable, practical but also knows how to get a wow response when looking at a space.
I love seeing the details of this old house. I grew up in San Francisco and all our windows were on pulleys - I thought that was normal. One thing I love about old homes is the doors between rooms, especially kitchens. A huge open space, living/dining/cooking, that's nice, but no privacy, and when you cook, all the smells go everywhere. If you take away the garage, where is everyone in that house going to park? I know lots of people use public transport, but not everyone.
I lived a block off this house and left few months ago as the crime is getting out of hand. The house was purchased by a high tech person but she underestimated the amount of work need. I was told she listed the property few months ago as she could not afford it anymore. Happy to see someone to take over the project and give it much needed love!
@@thezuse Or the house itself kicked her out and she gave up...sometimes you have to meet these buildings on their own terms, or you're in for a world of challenge. Houses of this age have souls; don't mess with the Queen Annes!
If she wasn't the right person for the job best she got out of it before she did anymore damage. Other than questionable upgrades from the 70s on, most of what is there appears to be fully restorable, no major rot or desentigration, just needs refinishing with the old methods that built it and allowed it to last this long already.
Those homes were so well made. The detail in the woodwork on the front door alone got my attention. I love how colorful the homes are. The fact that these homes have stood the test of time impresses me.
@@carissafisher7514 there are homes in places like Belgium, France, Italy and what seems like every home in the English countryside that I personally think are so well made. They have stood the test of time. I also like how well various churches have survived for over 100 years. They were well built. I personally like stone and brick facades. They have held up over time. But I won't say this particular home was poorly made. Just to be able to remain intact after numerous earthquakes is a sign that they weren't poorly constructed.
Love this. Lived an 1860-built historic home and they are gorgeous but real money pits. You don’t just buy and renovate. You also have to commit to putting regular maintenance in annually.
To think of all of the hands and minds that contributed to creating "The Painted Ladies" or anything beautiful that humans create..the interwoven lives and stories of everyone who has touched or lived in these homes. It takes my breath away in the most wonderful way! Just amazing what we are capable of when we are hard working! God Bless:)
I appreciate Anna's slant to preserve what's worth preserving. I'm currently living a higher end neighborhood that was developed in the 50s and it's being bulldozed and replaced with McMansions. I shed a tear every time.
Wow, thank you for this, AD, and Anna Karp! Being an SF native, I've often wondered what it was like, inside one of the Painted Ladies. I'm now listening to Bob Buckter, or Dr Color! Wonderful
You see a lot of people who make a living out of remodeling old living spaces but very few sound like they have in depth knowledge and true passion for their job other than to make a quick buck. This lady sounds like she does both and I’m very impressed with her approach.
I grew up in San Francisco on Douglass Street. We had a two story home. I don't think it was Victorian but it had an interesting feature of a spiral staircase inside a closet. I remember playing in it when I was little. I would climb up the stair case and visit my cousins upstairs. LOL We also had a gigantic backyard that had as upper and lower level with a pond on the lower yard. We also had Bay windows and from the back porch there was a panoramic view of the city. Especially from the top floor. I think it was originally for one family then was divided up into two units. We also had a garage under the living room. I really miss that house. This video gave me wonderfully memories of our family home. I saw the Painted Ladies as a child and always thought they were beautiful.
My sister and I were just looking at this house online a couple months ago. We had no idea it was basically abandoned. So crazy. So cool to think what went on in this house a hundred years ago. Beautiful!
@@rbslammed6163 it hasn’t been lived in, in years and needs $5 million worth of repairs to be habitable… just because it is owned by someone doesn’t mean it’s not abandoned. How do you think it got like that in the first place? Hmmm 🤔
Hahaha, my friend was the one who last purchased this "abandoned house." She had to sell it at the onset of the pandemic bc, well, the world imploded. She has a creative eye and wanted to repair it, and had several plans drawn up for the house. But the pandemic-throttled city system was going to make all the permits a raging pain in the bum. Pretty sure the plans and current permits are still included in the overall price tag, for anyone with a spare $3.5m.
@@cherylsmith4826 Kind of you to say. Yeah, it would be cool for someone who cares about historical and architectural preservation, with the funds to do so, to inherit it next.
I thought I wouldn't watch the video till the end because it's more than 20min long, but you made it so interesting I loved it ! Great work. I love victorian homes.
My visit to San Francisco left such a big impact in my life. This video made me happy. I wish to return one day and see this beautiful landmark again. I also hope to make more friends who are from there.
The door in the basement (with the really low door knob), that leads to the garden was for the child laborers who took care of cleaning the carriage room.
I saw many San Francisco Victorians start to be painted wild colors in the 1960's. Karl Kardel in Berkeley started painting old houses in complementary colors and bringing out the intricate exterior details in the 1970's. It used to be anyone could live there. Now only the rich. So sad.
What a fantastic video! I've always been incredibly curious about the interior of the Alamo Square Painted Ladies and I wasn't disappointed. It seems almost criminal that a building this beautiful and historic can fall into such disrepair. I do understand though, the detail, craftsmanship and quality that went into the even simplest Victorian building can be quite staggering, the amount of time, effort and cost to properly, sympathetically restore a building like this must be astronomical. Unless you're seriously wealthy and up for a challenge I'd imagine an old building like this would prove to be quite the money pit.
It appears that the rear door is correct, it matches the pink salvaged door inside. The handles are lower than what we are now accustomed to, but on the rear door it appears even lower from the outside because the ground level in the garden is higher, from the inside view you can see the bottom of the door is below the external ground plane. At least that's what it loos like to me :)
It may have been simply cut down to fit a smaller doorway. The door might be original to the house, but then again it might not. Since it's an exterior door, the original probably rotted out long ago--note that there's no porch protecting it at all as in the front, and it actually doesn't look like an exterior door. That exact thing happened to my house, which is from 1914. The old basement door was replaced by a "found" door by the last owner, and he cut it down to fit, so the doorknob is low and oddly placed.
Excellent video. Love that she mentions local artisans who can bring this lady back to life. Her numbers of complete cost to restore this historical building is probably spot on. I would say after all said and done, you are looking at closer to her higher price estimate of 8.5M total cost including purchase price of 3.55M. Remember whomever buys this duplex, you will have to keep it as a duplex as SF does not allow anyone to shrink number of housing units. Obviously after inspection, you are free to rip out doors and walls as long as no one goes tattle tell on you. I want to wish the future buyer of this home best of luck as SF probably has the strictest/longest permitting process in the whole country especially when it comes to landmark homes like this one.
Yes, absolutely it's going to be a nightmare. I feel like there should be an exception to the rule about shrinking the number of housing units given that it was originally a single family home to begin with! SF has so many lovely old homes which were subdivided into apartments from the Depression era onwards.
I hope whoever renovates this doesn't totally ruin all the original character. I cringed when she said the original redwood beams would be replaced by "modern elements."
@@thejman36 Agreed. That's sheer insanity. That redwood is over 120 years old and looks to be in magnificent condition. Nothing will be better than that.
She's probably done her research on the painted ladies. The New York public library is one of the best in the country as is the California Library. She also probably did some research by way of a "little" library and archives in DC called the Library of Congress and the National Archives. I say this as a native Californian, calm down.
what a great video! I can't believe I've been in front of this house four years ago and this is what it looks like on the inside. I really liked the historic details and the tips about colour of the facade
Awesome video! Thank you Anna and the team for the tour. The insights into the past combined with suggestions for the future are fantastic. Anna is a marvelous speaker and is truly passionate about her work. I can only hope that someday I'll have a townhouse in NYC or SF being restored by her!!
I'm new to this series, but I'm completely hooked. Echoing other comments Anna was very detailed and knowledgeable in her descriptions. I'd love to have an old home of my very own someday with most of the original details. This was a bit of a reality check 😅, but it's so encouraging to know people share a similar passion! Cannot wait to see more.
What a great video. Thank you so much for such a knowledgeable tour. I hope that someone purchases it and does a correct renovation on it. It would be beautiful.
Loved this video AD. Thank you for doing this. I had the privilege of visiting the painted ladies back in 2016. It was incredible and Loved the history and architecture. I did often wonder what th interiors would looks like. This video gave the right detailed insight to the design and layout of such properties. Woud love to see the eventual transformation of this property one day!
I hope the new owners will restore rather than remodel this glorious old house! It takes time, patience, money and research, but it's best to restore to what it was meant to be. So many of the old houses are turned into modern looking "condo" things with no character of the old original house. If a person wants a new looking place, they should buy that instead of ruining these beautiful gems.
@@mohammedfaiisal "worth it" What are you getting out of a most photographed area? You can buy an incredible piece of land anywhere else with that money. Deffo not worth it.
I saw the Painted Ladies in person in 2020, a month before the pandemic. Beautiful houses, but I can’t imagine the views from their angles being very pleasant; looking onto a sloped park with tons of tourists gawking and photographing your home. My favorite house is the blue one on the corner of the street, because it’s a slightly different design without throwing the others off, and the glass entryway is so adorable.
Amazing to see this, after spending several hours last Sat online searching madly for a beautiful Victorian, on Georgia St in neighboring Vallejo. That I grew up loving, and wishing to spend my life there! Bay Area Beautiful! Wonderful video on bringing this beauty up to snuff! Thank you⚜️
What a shame the garden is so tiny! I'm lucky I have a big London garden (unusually large for London too) and I value it even more than my fairly plain cube of a house. The sense of space it gives, and the sunshine of course, it's priceless. I also think if you have pets they deserve as large an outdoor space as you can give them.
It's interesting and somewhat sad that the inhabitants of that house in the 1940's were a struggling (probably lower-middle class family) that couldn't pay their bills, to now 2022, where some multimillionaire tech worker will probably live. The face and heart of San Francisco sure has changed.
I love seeing lady contractors and I love Victorian houses. I have a smaller, simpler Victorian Queen Anne cottage in a small city just to the north, it was built as a summer cottage to escape the city fog around 1898. It has many of the features of these grander homes of the Seven Sisters in SF. I hope this home gets the TLC it needs, which means sensitive restoration and lots of cash. Great video!
People are overwhelmed by the price but you have to remember this isn’t an every day piece of property. This is a world famous row of Victorian homes that should be considered a historical landmark by the city. If you put the type of money that needs to go into this for restoration there’s absolutely no way you’re not going to get that investment back.
What fun! So much charter. I love that S. F wants to keep the beauty of the victorias. Thank you for sharing this gem and sharing all your knowledge, it was so pleasant. I was raised in S.f and played in Dolores park. I love the houses around that area. I always wanted to see inside those houses
I lived in England and saw many similar style houses. The worst thing to do is a modern open-plan interior. They have absolutely none of the effect of a great renovation. The thing that makes these houses look good is the original interior style, with one or 2 modernizations. The older interiors, even if a little in disrepair still look a million times better than a modern refit. Keep the open plan for warehouse conversions etc. This lady needs her soul back.
The street view of the Painted Ladies is perhaps the most iconic view in San Francisco (after the Golden Gate Bridge, I guess). What an amazing place to live!
Fascinating to finally see inside one of them. I'd love to take a look in a finished one. If you had Powerball money, you could fully restore this place and make the back look as ornate as the front. That might start a trend of having them all remodeled that way. Just a thought from a broke dreamer. LOL
Really great video! Thank you. There's really no mystery concerning the size of the door though @19:52. Upon observation, you can see that it's the same design as the interior doors throughout the rest of the building, and that it must have been repurposed from an interior to an exterior door at some point in the past. If you compare it to the door @21:35, you can see how much of the bottom, perhaps 20" or more, has been removed, and that the bottom rail no longer exists having been cut right up to the recessed panels. Also, the original keyhole and knob hardware (ignoring the newer boring for a modern deadbolt lock higher up on the door) is aligned with the center panel, just as it is on the shortened door. Further evidence can be seen as Anna stands erect next to the door @19:59, in that she is nearly the same height as the door. It appears to me that the door was modified some from the top as well, as it has a slightly shorter top rail compared to the uncut door.
AD, I’m loving this Hidden Gems episode. Anna Karp is wonderful! Karp is honest about what is needed, knowledgeable, gives credit where credit is due, entertaining and doesn’t talk down to her audience. I can’t wait for her next episode. Instant fan!
She is wonderful. But good gawd, she's wearing a sweater with a pleated skirt.
Why do pleated skirts exist?
Not to mention courageous and imaginative! Cheers wow
Nearly unsubscribed due to frivolous celebrity show-and-tell. This is why I still view AD.
1.5x speed is better
This is where I grew up! Not this house but this neighborhood. My grandparents owned the home & my time was split living with them & my parents who traveled for work. I remember vividly when their neighbors began painting their homes in colorful colors. Early on my grandparents joyfully joined the movement & went with shades of blue. The inside was so colorful! They always had borders who rented the upstairs bedrooms. The main floor room with the bay window was the the living room everyone used. I don't remember a big kitchen on the 2nd floor. There was a large bathroom and a 2nd water closet (toilet) at the end. I think I remember there being 4 or 5 bedrooms on this floor and 2 on the floor above it which was my grandparents bedroom & my bedroom. The house was always filled to the brim with borders! The ground floor was my grandpa's workshop, where he parked his truck & an area for storing canned goods. The backyard was one big veggie garden & a small table & chairs set. Gosh the memories this video brought back. 50 years it's been & I'd forgotten so much about the house until I watched your video. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
Thank you for the fantastic memories. How lucky are you that your grandparents owned a home in this very neighborhood! The borders thing seems to be a thing of the past. Today homes are subdivided into individual airbnb units. A large Victorian in my town here in New England does that very thing. It's a shame as the house gets so much more wear than it would with a renter or border who was staying for a year or a season. At any rate, thank you for your post.
What a fascinating memory! (By the way, people living in the home are "boarders", not "borders". How fortunate you were to share that lovely home with your grandparents!
That’s amazing! San Francisco was my grandmother’s favorite place to go with my grandpa on the train (he worked for union) and I have tickets from 1938 that I found in her dresser. I’m sorry to see the state that it’s become recently.
I love how she leverages her indepth knowledge of construction and architecture, and couples it with her passion for the preservation of landmark properties. She educates the audience by integrating the historical context about the evolution of home, and has many creative ideas for enhancing the home!
I love how its falling apart and is still 3.5mil and they wonder why people are moving and crime is every where
She knows what shes talking about and I liked how she credited artisans from the area. It’s true, locals are always so valuable. Next time is SF I will check it out, hopefully it will be restored!
Her knowledge is honestly poor for an alleged steward of architecture.
@@J5L5M6 I agree! Thank you!! Don't get all the fandom here in the comments for this person.
@@J5L5M6 really? What firm do you work for, or do you own, your own? I’m really looking forward to your videos! I’d love to have you explain what she missed and got wrong! Hoping to hear from you and become informed
If you hope to see it restored, put off your visit for 5 or 6 years. Things take time in San Francisco.
I own a similar building a few blocks away in a less fortunate location. However, I would say her estimate about ceiling medallions is high even if one tries to get accurate reproductions of what is there. If one goes with one of the many period appropriate styles available from other companies, she could be quoting ten times the actual installed cost.
She did a good job highlighting things that are important to save about the house - trim pieces, old glass, medallions. So many of these type of videos are all about gutting and trashing the house to make something modern. She has a great respect for the historic beauty of the house.
My neighbor was the guy who basically created the "Painted Ladies". He went by Dr. Color. and a whole book was written about him and these homes.
I'm the kinda gal that likes to preserve things as closely to how they were originally, so my heart sank when Anna said she'd make the interior modern and open-plan.
I know , I live in a 1924 house and I havn't changed it at all except for a picket fence and garden . Is it inconvenient that some windows don't open etc ? Yes but while it's mine , I'm living the simple life that others lived 100 years ago .
Agree. Just like the blue Painted Lady on the corner that was for sale a few months back. It was all done modern on the inside.
But it has already been gutted and changed inside.
I don’t like the open floor concept especially with the kitchen. Please don’t modernise it’s style. Just upgrade and restore.
she is absolutely one of my favorite people to watch!!! WE WANT MORE OF ANNA!!!
How did you learn of her? This is just her second video on the channel.
This is the first video I’ve seen of her and I wholeheartedly agree! More Anna, please!
I don’t. Clear English would be far better.
LOVE that you would keep the antique glass - I love the warped and wobbly old glass. Honestly, if I could afford this house, I would want Anna to direct the renovations. So many lovely ideas.
This is what I like. Someone just talking about design. No crazy dramatic music, no dramatic script. HGTV could learn something from you.
I used to follow the current owner while she attempted to renovate. She had to cut her losses, once she determined it was too much for her. I was really looking forward to the journey of the renovation. I hope this legend is saved and restored.
Me too, I followed her on Instagram and was sorry she was unable to see it through. I hope she’s well.
What a treat to see the inside of these iconic homes and see the vision for it’s restoration! The door outside downstairs looks to have been a fix to the change in ground level, maybe from the 1906 quake. This is not uncommon to see in some older properties in San Francisco. I love the way Anna Karp explains all the details and what is important for restoration and what can be changed… It was also nice to see Lorna get a shout out, I used to have studio space right above her workshop!
I know absolutely zero about stuff like property law in the U.S. but surely these houses deserve to be included in the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes I would say that door was cut on the bottom
I love that you include a graphic of the floor plan in these videos. Hope this home finds someone to love it!
Yeah, a subtle reminder that the video host can't lend context to design.
Yes! It helped orient me in the space and gave me a better appreciation for the place as a whole.
Anna is very well informed. One small thing - the current garage never housed carriages. The ground floor space would originally have had a window to the street and have been fronted by a small garden. San Francisco Victorian houses did not have garage doors - unless there was space for a semi-detached stable building for horse & carriage, away from the house's front entrance (usually a feature of upper class corner houses).
Anna Karp is brilliant, engaging, poetic, and smart - would love to see her on this channel more! "Light is also an architectural detail."
We live in a 1910 Edwardian/Victorian home in San Francisco and this video is so interesting and inspirational to watch! I love how she talks about preserving the character while giving it a modern livability. Great video!
Good for you. If something goes wrong, then you can always sell the house to get some money.
I’m sooooo jelly!!!!😩😍but in a good way! Lol
@@StrangerHappened not exactly, the cost that comes with it deters many
Abandoned is a strong word for this house. It's been sold like 3 times in the past five years and it's not in disrepair, they were doing a renovation before the pandemic hit so I'm assuming they couldn't finish.
yeah this isn't abandoned, these houses are "investments" that are bought, sold and traded. it's sad, but it's the result of our crazy housing market
If no one lives in it...
@@JasonBoyce No house is an investment. Some are just more money pits than others.
So nobody lived in this house in the past five years? If so, why?
This is in gray gardens shape- yet someone with a ton of money and taste can renovate this into a spectacular home, it’ll take time and money but it’s going to be beautiful - my question is why did that young girl think she could handle this property buying it over asking knowing , if she’s smart how much work was needed?
Immediately a fan of Anna! Bring her back in the future please!!!!
Full House made these houses look a whole lot bigger on the inside.
I dont think that was actually filmed inside of these, the houses were perhaps just the outward facade
@@ot7stan207 That was his point.
IIRC, they also used it as the outdoor location for Too Close For Comfort in the 80's.
The house in this AD video is at 714 Steiner Street. The Full House exteriors were of 1709 Broderick Street in Pacific Heights, but the interiors were all shot at Warner Brothers' studio in Hollywood.
In the iconic photos of these properties, I never considered that they would be multi-family homes. I assumed that they were single family homes, but it's difficult to tell how many square feet they are.
In 1950 my grandparents lived at 722. Right on the corner. There were two other families living there as well.
If I had $100M, I would totally hire her. I've enjoyed her other walk-throughs. She seems knowledgeable, practical but also knows how to get a wow response when looking at a space.
I love seeing the details of this old house. I grew up in San Francisco and all our windows were on pulleys - I thought that was normal. One thing I love about old homes is the doors between rooms, especially kitchens. A huge open space, living/dining/cooking, that's nice, but no privacy, and when you cook, all the smells go everywhere. If you take away the garage, where is everyone in that house going to park? I know lots of people use public transport, but not everyone.
I’m currently renovating a heritage Victorian … I feel every single of these “headaches” and the sweetness that comes with them.
I lived a block off this house and left few months ago as the crime is getting out of hand. The house was purchased by a high tech person but she underestimated the amount of work need. I was told she listed the property few months ago as she could not afford it anymore. Happy to see someone to take over the project and give it much needed love!
Yes. She had a Facebook and Instagram page for it showing progress and demo. Pink Painted Lady. Then she gave up.
@@thezuse Or the house itself kicked her out and she gave up...sometimes you have to meet these buildings on their own terms, or you're in for a world of challenge. Houses of this age have souls; don't mess with the Queen Annes!
Thank you for that interesting information!
If she wasn't the right person for the job best she got out of it before she did anymore damage. Other than questionable upgrades from the 70s on, most of what is there appears to be fully restorable, no major rot or desentigration, just needs refinishing with the old methods that built it and allowed it to last this long already.
@@hendo337 good comment!
I love Anna Karp. She’s so passionate and knowledgeable! Love the other episode with her. She makes it exciting!
Anna Karp is absolute 💎 in her details!! Love it when she is on! Thank you.
Those homes were so well made. The detail in the woodwork on the front door alone got my attention. I love how colorful the homes are. The fact that these homes have stood the test of time impresses me.
These are made with low quality. Look at other countries....these homes aren’t that old in contrast, to Europe for example
@@carissafisher7514 there are homes in places like Belgium, France, Italy and what seems like every home in the English countryside that I personally think are so well made. They have stood the test of time. I also like how well various churches have survived for over 100 years. They were well built. I personally like stone and brick facades. They have held up over time. But I won't say this particular home was poorly made. Just to be able to remain intact after numerous earthquakes is a sign that they weren't poorly constructed.
Hardwood is a fantastic building material. It gets harder and stronger with time and won't rot if above ground and can dry out fully if it gets wet.
@@carissafisher7514 The test will be in several hundred years' time. Will these houses still be standing? No reason why not.
Love this. Lived an 1860-built historic home and they are gorgeous but real money pits. You don’t just buy and renovate. You also have to commit to putting regular maintenance in annually.
To think of all of the hands and minds that contributed to creating "The Painted Ladies" or anything beautiful that humans create..the interwoven lives and stories of everyone who has touched or lived in these homes. It takes my breath away in the most wonderful way! Just amazing what we are capable of when we are hard working! God Bless:)
LOVE!!! Please do a follow up. I’d love to see an update of the property after full renovation.
I appreciate Anna's slant to preserve what's worth preserving. I'm currently living a higher end neighborhood that was developed in the 50s and it's being bulldozed and replaced with McMansions. I shed a tear every time.
Wow, thank you for this, AD, and Anna Karp! Being an SF native, I've often wondered what it was like, inside one of the Painted Ladies. I'm now listening to Bob Buckter, or Dr Color! Wonderful
Really?? Are you Ohlone, Chochenyo, Karkin, Ramaytush, Yokuts, Mawekma, or another tribe I am frogetting? 🤔
I've always been intrigued by that row of houses ever since seeing them in the intro of "Too Close for Comfort".
I love watching Anna Karp's episodes, she has so many interesting information and facts to add to the properties, it's a joy to watch!
this host's enthusiasm is contagious
You see a lot of people who make a living out of remodeling old living spaces but very few sound like they have in depth knowledge and true passion for their job other than to make a quick buck. This lady sounds like she does both and I’m very impressed with her approach.
AD is at its best when they don’t talk about celeb houses ❤❤
I grew up in San Francisco on Douglass Street. We had a two story home. I don't think it was Victorian but it had an interesting feature of a spiral staircase inside a closet. I remember playing in it when I was little. I would climb up the stair case and visit my cousins upstairs. LOL We also had a gigantic backyard that had as upper and lower level with a pond on the lower yard. We also had Bay windows and from the back porch there was a panoramic view of the city. Especially from the top floor. I think it was originally for one family then was divided up into two units. We also had a garage under the living room. I really miss that house. This video gave me wonderfully memories of our family home. I saw the Painted Ladies as a child and always thought they were beautiful.
My sister and I were just looking at this house online a couple months ago. We had no idea it was basically abandoned. So crazy. So cool to think what went on in this house a hundred years ago. Beautiful!
That’s because it’s not, basically or otherwise.
@@rbslammed6163 it hasn’t been lived in, in years and needs $5 million worth of repairs to be habitable… just because it is owned by someone doesn’t mean it’s not abandoned. How do you think it got like that in the first place? Hmmm 🤔
Hahaha, my friend was the one who last purchased this "abandoned house." She had to sell it at the onset of the pandemic bc, well, the world imploded. She has a creative eye and wanted to repair it, and had several plans drawn up for the house. But the pandemic-throttled city system was going to make all the permits a raging pain in the bum. Pretty sure the plans and current permits are still included in the overall price tag, for anyone with a spare $3.5m.
So sorry her dream was dashed
@@cherylsmith4826 Kind of you to say. Yeah, it would be cool for someone who cares about historical and architectural preservation, with the funds to do so, to inherit it next.
I thought I wouldn't watch the video till the end because it's more than 20min long, but you made it so interesting I loved it ! Great work. I love victorian homes.
My visit to San Francisco left such a big impact in my life. This video made me happy. I wish to return one day and see this beautiful landmark again. I also hope to make more friends who are from there.
The door in the basement (with the really low door knob), that leads to the garden was for the child laborers who took care of cleaning the carriage room.
I saw many San Francisco Victorians start to be painted wild colors in the 1960's. Karl Kardel in Berkeley started painting old houses in complementary colors and bringing out the intricate exterior details in the 1970's. It used to be anyone could live there. Now only the rich. So sad.
Happy to see her again. She knows her stuff and it shows in her passion when talking about the house. Thank you for sharing your knowledge
I just finished a Ravensburger Puzzle of the "Painted Ladies". Thank you for making these homes come alive. What a wonderful tour of this history.
What a fantastic video! I've always been incredibly curious about the interior of the Alamo Square Painted Ladies and I wasn't disappointed. It seems almost criminal that a building this beautiful and historic can fall into such disrepair. I do understand though, the detail, craftsmanship and quality that went into the even simplest Victorian building can be quite staggering, the amount of time, effort and cost to properly, sympathetically restore a building like this must be astronomical. Unless you're seriously wealthy and up for a challenge I'd imagine an old building like this would prove to be quite the money pit.
Would love to see the finished project!
it would be great to see a follow up video of this home restored
I have _always_ loved the sight of fog draping over the GGB.. it's just so beautiful & calming.
It appears that the rear door is correct, it matches the pink salvaged door inside. The handles are lower than what we are now accustomed to, but on the rear door it appears even lower from the outside because the ground level in the garden is higher, from the inside view you can see the bottom of the door is below the external ground plane. At least that's what it loos like to me :)
Agree. Looks like there were probably steps down into that doorway at one time. Hope the bottom of the door isn't ruined from being buried…
It may have been simply cut down to fit a smaller doorway. The door might be original to the house, but then again it might not. Since it's an exterior door, the original probably rotted out long ago--note that there's no porch protecting it at all as in the front, and it actually doesn't look like an exterior door. That exact thing happened to my house, which is from 1914. The old basement door was replaced by a "found" door by the last owner, and he cut it down to fit, so the doorknob is low and oddly placed.
Yep, I think there were steps down into the basement, which was probably lower to accommodate the height of carriages.
Excellent video. Love that she mentions local artisans who can bring this lady back to life. Her numbers of complete cost to restore this historical building is probably spot on. I would say after all said and done, you are looking at closer to her higher price estimate of 8.5M total cost including purchase price of 3.55M. Remember whomever buys this duplex, you will have to keep it as a duplex as SF does not allow anyone to shrink number of housing units. Obviously after inspection, you are free to rip out doors and walls as long as no one goes tattle tell on you. I want to wish the future buyer of this home best of luck as SF probably has the strictest/longest permitting process in the whole country especially when it comes to landmark homes like this one.
Yes, absolutely it's going to be a nightmare. I feel like there should be an exception to the rule about shrinking the number of housing units given that it was originally a single family home to begin with! SF has so many lovely old homes which were subdivided into apartments from the Depression era onwards.
As a native SF’n I have conflicted feelings about an “open concept” Victorian. But I appreciated her logic and approach. Good luck to the next owner!
I hope whoever renovates this doesn't totally ruin all the original character. I cringed when she said the original redwood beams would be replaced by "modern elements."
I growled out loud when she said that. Architectural heresy, absolutely dreadful. Open planning a San Francisco Victorian, WHAT.
@@thejman36 Agreed. That's sheer insanity. That redwood is over 120 years old and looks to be in magnificent condition. Nothing will be better than that.
@@denverdubois5835 Right? She's from New York! What does she know about our architecture and materials?? Ridiculous.
She's probably done her research on the painted ladies. The New York public library is one of the best in the country as is the California Library. She also probably did some research by way of a "little" library and archives in DC called the Library of Congress and the National Archives. I say this as a native Californian, calm down.
what a great video! I can't believe I've been in front of this house four years ago and this is what it looks like on the inside. I really liked the historic details and the tips about colour of the facade
She is wonderful. Keep bringing her back, AD!
I would die to be part of the team that is going to do the renovation!!! How fun!!
Awesome video! Thank you Anna and the team for the tour. The insights into the past combined with suggestions for the future are fantastic. Anna is a marvelous speaker and is truly passionate about her work. I can only hope that someday I'll have a townhouse in NYC or SF being restored by her!!
The only thing more impressive than the property itself is this woman who hosts the walkthrough. No wonder they brought her in all the way from NYC.
I'm new to this series, but I'm completely hooked. Echoing other comments Anna was very detailed and knowledgeable in her descriptions. I'd love to have an old home of my very own someday with most of the original details. This was a bit of a reality check 😅, but it's so encouraging to know people share a similar passion! Cannot wait to see more.
Slightly difficult to understand
What a great video. Thank you so much for such a knowledgeable tour. I hope that someone purchases it and does a correct renovation on it. It would be beautiful.
What a sweet treat to see this home from the inside out❣️Beautiful home
I always wanted to see inside one of these homes. You filming it, i finally got to see one. Thank you.
Loved this video AD. Thank you for doing this. I had the privilege of visiting the painted ladies back in 2016. It was incredible and Loved the history and architecture. I did often wonder what th interiors would looks like. This video gave the right detailed insight to the design and layout of such properties. Woud love to see the eventual transformation of this property one day!
Wow she had amazing researched information. I’m leaving this video with something I learned.
Very professional 🙌
I hope the new owners will restore rather than remodel this glorious old house! It takes time, patience, money and research, but it's best to restore to what it was meant to be. So many of the old houses are turned into modern looking "condo" things with no character of the old original house. If a person wants a new looking place, they should buy that instead of ruining these beautiful gems.
The back door mystery is completely obvious. There used to be a set of steps outside, but they filled them in.
8.5 million total cost for this? SF is wild 💀
Wild and beautiful 😅
It's worth it. One of the most photographed spot on the whole of San Francisco alongside the golden gate bridge
This would airBNB for $2k/night. Someone will bring it back
@@mohammedfaiisal "worth it" What are you getting out of a most photographed area? You can buy an incredible piece of land anywhere else with that money. Deffo not worth it.
wild price and crime
Wow, loved this woman, Anna Karp. Please bring her back, so knowledgeable and engaging!
I saw the Painted Ladies in person in 2020, a month before the pandemic. Beautiful houses, but I can’t imagine the views from their angles being very pleasant; looking onto a sloped park with tons of tourists gawking and photographing your home. My favorite house is the blue one on the corner of the street, because it’s a slightly different design without throwing the others off, and the glass entryway is so adorable.
I used to live in San Fran for years. She doesn't get that having or keeping as much on the inside is important
she did a fantastic job of walking us through this home
Such a wonderful expose on a painted lady. Thank you!
Wonderful tour of these homes which I visited 2 times over the years. I love the plans she suggested and I'd love to see who buys and restores it.
Anna Karp is a very impressive person. I hope she does more videos!
Love her!! Great energy, info, ideas. More from her!!
OMG! You are here! Anna Karp is so inspiring!
Amazing to see this, after spending several hours last Sat online searching madly for a beautiful Victorian, on Georgia St in neighboring Vallejo. That I grew up loving, and wishing to spend my life there! Bay Area Beautiful! Wonderful video on bringing this beauty up to snuff! Thank you⚜️
shes so knowledgeable! I hope this beautiful building comes back to life someday
What a shame the garden is so tiny! I'm lucky I have a big London garden (unusually large for London too) and I value it even more than my fairly plain cube of a house. The sense of space it gives, and the sunshine of course, it's priceless. I also think if you have pets they deserve as large an outdoor space as you can give them.
It's interesting and somewhat sad that the inhabitants of that house in the 1940's were a struggling (probably lower-middle class family) that couldn't pay their bills, to now 2022, where some multimillionaire tech worker will probably live. The face and heart of San Francisco sure has changed.
SHOUT OUT TO HANNA! SHE REALLY MAKES THESE VIDEOS INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE💪💪💪💪
I love seeing lady contractors and I love Victorian houses. I have a smaller, simpler Victorian Queen Anne cottage in a small city just to the north, it was built as a summer cottage to escape the city fog around 1898. It has many of the features of these grander homes of the Seven Sisters in SF. I hope this home gets the TLC it needs, which means sensitive restoration and lots of cash. Great video!
yeah, truckloads💰
Insightful and informative video. Thank you Anna for sharing this abandoned gem with us.
Gonna add my voice to the choir here. Anna truly is such a gem to watch! What a wonderful and insightful video.
lol at the idea you could easilyexpand the deck without complaints from the neighbors or get all these things past the planning department
People are overwhelmed by the price but you have to remember this isn’t an every day piece of property. This is a world famous row of Victorian homes that should be considered a historical landmark by the city. If you put the type of money that needs to go into this for restoration there’s absolutely no way you’re not going to get that investment back.
What fun! So much charter. I love that S. F wants to keep the beauty of the victorias. Thank you for sharing this gem and sharing all your knowledge, it was so pleasant. I was raised in S.f and played in Dolores park. I love the houses around that area. I always wanted to see inside those houses
Fascinating documentary of that painted lady! Thank you for sharing.
Very interesting. I would love to see this house after renovation.
Native San Franciscan who at one point lived on Scott St., right across the park from this house. Your tour and descriptions were perfect.
It's hard to believe that one of the Painted Ladies would be abandoned! Hard times indeed to let that happen.
I would love to see the final product. This is my favorite of my favorite series!
I used to go into these very homes. It's great to see what they look like from the inside in a raw version.
Love Anna Karp's analysis of the renovation, from both an architectural and economic perspective. Looking forward to more of this.
I lived in England and saw many similar style houses. The worst thing to do is a modern open-plan interior. They have absolutely none of the effect of a great renovation. The thing that makes these houses look good is the original interior style, with one or 2 modernizations. The older interiors, even if a little in disrepair still look a million times better than a modern refit. Keep the open plan for warehouse conversions etc. This lady needs her soul back.
WOW, this was a wonderful program by a delightful, knowledgeable and articulate host! 👍 NICELY DONE!
The street view of the Painted Ladies is perhaps the most iconic view in San Francisco (after the Golden Gate Bridge, I guess). What an amazing place to live!
I live on Between Steiner and Pierce,I have gone pass these home for years, Wow!!
Fascinating to finally see inside one of them. I'd love to take a look in a finished one. If you had Powerball money, you could fully restore this place and make the back look as ornate as the front. That might start a trend of having them all remodeled that way. Just a thought from a broke dreamer. LOL
I was thinking the same while I watched the video.
Really great video! Thank you. There's really no mystery concerning the size of the door though @19:52. Upon observation, you can see that it's the same design as the interior doors throughout the rest of the building, and that it must have been repurposed from an interior to an exterior door at some point in the past. If you compare it to the door @21:35, you can see how much of the bottom, perhaps 20" or more, has been removed, and that the bottom rail no longer exists having been cut right up to the recessed panels. Also, the original keyhole and knob hardware (ignoring the newer boring for a modern deadbolt lock higher up on the door) is aligned with the center panel, just as it is on the shortened door. Further evidence can be seen as Anna stands erect next to the door @19:59, in that she is nearly the same height as the door. It appears to me that the door was modified some from the top as well, as it has a slightly shorter top rail compared to the uncut door.
Thank you! I’d been looking for the answer to her question about the back door doorknob!!!