Before & After ~ This lovely house in the Italianate style is located at 3514 21st Street in San Francisco. Its façade was stripped of ornament and “modernized” with a severe stucco treatment in the 1950s. The remarkable restoration was done in the 1970s. It is a great example of what can be done with determination and care.
The before photo from the 1970s is on the OpenSFHistory.org website. It was taken by writer, researcher, and educator Judith Lynch, who took thousands of color slides of San Francisco architecture in the 1970s. The recent photo was taken by Tom Leach, who lives on the street and does amazing restorations, although this is not one of his projects. Check out his work at handdrawnsanfrancisco on Instagram.
This project, done 50 years ago, was an early restoration of a Victorian-era building. Preservationists in San Francisco were leaders in advocating an appreciation for Victorian architecture at a time when both Modernists and lovers of colonial-era buildings disparaged it. Advocates of Mid-Century Modern are in a similar place today.
“Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” was written to help people who want to restore a house with sensitivity to its character-defining features – whatever era it comes from.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online bookshop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors.
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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