6 min read
In my adopted home of San Francisco, where architecture is as much a part of the cultural fabric as the fog and steep hills, few annual events capture the city’s creative pulse quite like the San Francisco Decorator Showcase. For 2026, the celebrated design tradition returns for its 47th year, transforming a storied Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion in Pacific Heights into an immersive, room-by-room exploration of contemporary interior design, historical reverence, and Bay Area artistry. Set at 2315 Broadway, the nearly 10,000-square-foot residence—originally built in 1897—becomes both muse and canvas for a roster of some of the region’s most influential designers, each invited to reinterpret a space in their own signature style.
I find this year’s Showcase especially compelling for the way it leans into contrast; the ornate architectural bones of a late-19th-century home are layered with decidedly modern ideas about how we live now. Designers have embraced a spectrum of influences, from English country-house references and Victorian revivalism to globally inspired pattern play and contemporary minimalism. Saturated colors, impactful lighting, and bold wall treatments blur the line between art and interior architecture. As one passes from room to room, you are transported through a procession of active styles in our city, representing a larger visual narrative of the design landscape in San Francisco’s eccentric DNA.
Working as an interior stylist in San Francisco has offered me a behind-the-scenes look at the process of a handful of this year’s participating Showcase designers, as I was hired by Andrea Halkovich of Sonoma Interiors to style her Birds of a Feather bedroom and En Suite spaces. A fellow stylist described the Queen Anne mansion during those final install days as a beehive, buzzing with designers, artisans, florists, painters, carpenters, landscapers, and photographers, each on site fulfilling a necessary and specific purpose, leading up to the Showcase opening on Saturday, April 25.
Between 12,000 and 15,000 visitors are projected to visit the 2026 Showcase, and those in attendance will witness the finest examples of interior design being created in the San Francisco Bay Area today. While that is true, my exposure to the behind-the-scenes magic (or madness, depending on who you ask) has motivated me to dive into the processes of designers whose rooms made me wonder how these awe-inspiring spaces actually came together, before those storied doors opened to the public.
Read along as I peel back the curtain on what it takes to design a Showcase room from start to finish – from designers making their showcase debuts and industry stalwarts. I’m excited to share a peek into the inspirations and motivations of five of this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase stars.
L’Arrivée, by Kendall Wilkinson
Paul Dyer
San Francisco design darling, Kendall Wilkinson, is responsible for this year’s entryway, eloquently stating, “An entry is never just a room. It’s a promise.” And in this case, it acts as a promise to thousands as they cross the threshold of the 47th annual San Francisco Decorators Showcase, setting the tone for the entire visitor experience to follow. “The room is rooted in how historic San Francisco homes were traditionally experienced, moving from intimacy at the entry into something more open and expansive,” she explains.
A study in old and new, Wilkinson’s Ainsley chandelier from her collection with Iatesta Studio is available at Hewn in San Francisco. This design brings a sculptural modernity to the space that feels very much of this moment. “It is European elegance with a distinctly San Francisco soul,” says the native San Franciscan.
The Bakehouse, by Tineke Triggs
Jose Manuel Alorda
One of my favorite, good-vibes-only Bay Area designers, Tineke Triggs, happens to be an 8-year veteran of the San Francisco Decorators Showcase. Triggs’ rooms inspire and delight year over year, so I asked the designer how she keeps succeeding in this high-pressure, high-exposure environment. “Showcase is like putting on a play. You never repeat yourself, and each year you aim to deliver your very best performance. Every ‘stage’ is different, and with it comes a new story to tell. That is what keeps the process fresh and creatively energizing,” she adds.
Triggs says she casts a character for her spaces each time. “I begin by imagining a persona, a character who lives there. From that starting point, I build and refine their world, layering in details, editing thoughtfully, and evolving the narrative all the way through to opening day.” Lastly, acknowledging the high stakes at play, Triggs confides that Showcase is one of the rare opportunities where design has no bounds. “You’re creating at the highest level, alongside some of the most talented designers, so the expectation is not just to design a beautiful room, but to create one that truly stands apart.”
Birds of a Feather, by Andrea Halkovich of Sonoma Interiors
Tim D. Coy Photography
For Andrea Halkovich of Sonoma Interiors, the 2026 San Francisco Decorators Showcase is her showhouse debut, an honor she has not taken lightly. Looking to her community in Sonoma County, many of the artisans and brands featured in Halkovich’s Birds of a Feather bedroom and En Suite bath are located in Sonoma. Particularly, the collaboration between Sonoma Interiors and Sandra Jordan Prima Alpaca, located in Healdsburg, makes the room sing—Jordan’s sumptuous Prima Alpaca fringed curtain panels puddle perfectly on the room’s wooden floors.
Halkovich’s jumping off point was just that—a focus on highlighting community. “This experience has felt like a modern-day Bauhaus: collaborative, energizing, and deeply inspiring,” she says. “I’ve been especially moved by how people have shown up. New relationships have formed, and old ones have grown stronger through the experience.”
Double Standard, by Jeffrey Neve
R. Brad Knipstein Photography
Stepping into Jeffrey Neve’sDouble Standard “kid’s room” felt like a page out of some chic, French parenting book that wisely suggests you’re better off not “babying your children.” Twin beds painted a mysterious blue, a rich DaVinci marble fireplace, and one-of-a-kinds from Garden Court Antiques are topped off with a fully-upholstered madras ceiling by Kravet. This winning combination begged me to question the designer: “How did you come up with this great mix, and where did you even begin?”
Neve firmly states that he “always starts on 1stDibs, my go-to for unique pieces that already exist, rather than buying everything new. I sourced the twin beds there and reworked them with paint and upholstery.” After establishing his must-haves– a patterned ceiling, beds, antiques, etc.—Neve layered in the modern game table from Ironies and the side table from Tuell and Reynolds. It’s this trending juxtaposition of new and old that is carried from room to room within the home.
La Chambre Bleue by Jeanne Renee
Christopher Stark
Be sure to climb your way to the top floor, where the mother-daughter duo behind Jeanne Renee unveiled their stunning Showcase debut, Le Chambre Bleu. Intrigued by the limitless boundaries a showhouse affords, I asked Kristine Renee and Debra Costa about the ins and outs of working as a mom and daughter on this demanding and potentially overwhelming project. Daughter Kristine expressed, “Designing as a mother-daughter team is all about trust and instinct—we challenge each other, but we always land in the same place. The room is a reflection of that balance: classic at its core, but layered with personality and unexpected moments.” I, for one, am a huge fan of the quilted bed-hangings by Pierre Frey, a style reminiscent of the 1970s and an ode to Bay Area bohemia.
The San Francisco Decorator Showcase is open through May 25 and benefits the financial aid program at San Francisco University High School. Tickets are available www.DecoratorShowcase.org and will also be sold at the door.
New for 2026, the Showcase expands beyond the traditional home tour with a lineup of immersive programming that brings the Bay Area’s leading creative voices directly into the space. The series features collaborations with standout locals—from culinary experiences with celebrated chefs Dominique Crenn and Michael Mina to retail and lifestyle activations with brands like Levi’s, Harwell Godfrey Fine Jewelry, and Oso & Me. Blending design, dining, fashion, and culture, these thoughtfully curated events not only elevate the visitor experience but also support San Francisco University High School’s Financial Aid Program and its commitment to a diverse and inclusive student body. Tickets to the experiential events are available at www.DecoratorShowcase.org/events.