Built in 1926 atop of Nob Hill in San Francisco, the Mark Hopkins Hotel is a landmark property on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by the architecture firm Weeks and Day, the hotel has become an iconic social gathering place for many Bay Area residents. The historic ballrooms are booked throughout the year.


Commissioned by the Lurie Company for a renovation of the hotel’s two historic ballrooms (the Peacock Court and Room of the Dons) prior to placing the property up for sale, scheduling work was difficult due to the popularity of these spaces.


As is often the case for work implemented prior to a sale, the project budget was a modest five hundred thousand dollars for the two ballrooms amounting to six thousand six hundred square feet. Working with modest budgets necessitates a pragmatic approach utilizing the inherent features of a space to achieve a successful outcome.


The photo at the center below is of the Peacock Court prior to the renovation. Both of these ballrooms had a top heavy, dated appearance and were quite dark. The Room of the Dons featured lavish color saturated murals painted by Maynard Dixon prior to the hotel’s grand opening.


Color matching to the murals, we developed a custom carpet pattern featuring design elements of the millwork imparting the carpet with Maynard Dixon’s rich palette. Utilizing early photographic scenes taken during functions, we recreated the original drapery treatments adding motorized shades behind them for trade show functions. Custom designed and fabricated egg and dart wall sconces replaced the existing sconces to mimic the millwork above on perimeter walls. Both ballrooms also received a fresh coat of paint.


Now under the ownership of Woodridge Capital Partners, the hotel continues to be a social hub for residents. It recently earned a Gold Key Award and is a proud member of Historic Hotels of America.