I leave my heart in San Francisco from time to time

Though I have loved Chapel Hill since I arrived here in 1972, a part of my heart belongs to the San Francisco  Bay Area, and our luxury custom homes are blessed by the inspiration it provides. Drawn by its progressive values and Mediterranean climate, and by the companionship of long-time dear friends, I have spent varying periods of time there since 1990. I now own a small second home in bucolic Marin County, and from there I enjoy exploring the many nearby areas.

From my perch in Marin County, I have easy access to Berkeley, to Oakland and to San Francisco. My little Marin nest, an easy 5-minute drive to the Ferry terminal in Larkspur, allows me to shuttle effortlessly to SF and back.

When my son Omar joined me there recently, we traveled to the city by ferry, and we disembarked at the historically significant Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street.

Later in the day, we experienced the novelty of a driverless car called Waymo to journey to another part of the city! San Francisco leads the way!
The Ferry Building itself, an easily recognizable SFO landmark which opened in 1898, features dramatic architecture and an iconic clocktower, and at its peak it was used by as many as 50,000 ferry travelers per day.
Cars eventually became the primary mode of transportation, and then bridges into the city were built, diminishing the use of ferries, and in the 1950s the then-little-used Ferry Building was converted into offices. After the 1989 earthquake damaged the waterfront area, the Ferry Building was redeveloped to attract locals and visitors alike. The original historic 660-foot-long Grand Hall with overhead skylights and repeating interior arches was recreated, and it is now considered one of the most dramatic interior public spaces in San Francisco. Today, it is filled with charming cafes and boutique store offshoots.
A second restoration project, this time focused on the exterior of the Ferry Building, was completed in 2024. The gray exterior paint used in the 2003 project had faded to a very blue tone and no longer matched the original Colusa sandstone material. The restoration team worked closely with Sherwin-Williams to create a custom paint color – a warm and welcoming gray-green called “Ferry Building Gray”.

Before settling on this color, it was tested on each side of the building to see what it would look like in different light conditions and at different times of the day. I, too, deeply focus on color characteristics when selecting paint colors for the homes I build. Often, I request that our painter apply samples, enabling both me and our clients to pinpoint the exact color and tone wanted.

Closer to my Marin County home, I hike, I bike, and for a pleasant kayak paddle, I launch my boat into the nearby salt water creek that flows into San Francisco Bay. Some of my paddling brings into view the rear docks and yards of unique waterfront homes, again providing inspiration for some of the luxury homes I create in Chapel Hill.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I am enamored of ceramic tile and stone, and I credit San Francisco, one of the country’s most cosmopolitan cities, and the surrounding Bay Area for exposing me to a larger variety of materials than what is available in North Carolina.

One of my favorite sources is Artistic Tile as well as Ceramic Tile Design in San Rafael.
When I know the aesthetic direction of our clients’ homes, I often personalize the details to make the entire space feel like their home.
Looking forward to more luxury Zinn Design Build projects!

Carol Ann Zinn

Zinn Design Build

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