Restoration of The McMullen House wins Plath the NARI San Francisco Bay Area Chapter1999 Merit Award

A designated San Francisco landmark, The McMullen House was originally built in 1881 as a simple Victorian cottage for John McMullen. It has been enlarged several times, with the addition of a tower and front entry porch. The residence was purchased by the current owners about 20 years ago. In the 1990s, the home was severely damaged by fire, which destroyed the top floor and caused extensive damage to the lower formal areas of the home. Decorative plaster ceilings collapsed, parquet hardwood floors buckled, elaborate wallpaper was stained, and oak and mahogany wood doors and paneling were warped and coming apart.

Plath & Company began an elaborate restoration. The work was highly detailed and required the expertise of fine craftsmanship, and the result is spectacular. All the interior finishes were restored. Decorative ceilings were pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle and reinstalled, wood paneling and doors were reassembled and refinished, and floors were dismantled and replaced. The owners have furnished their restored home with antiques and artwork they have collected over the past two decades. The home won a California Preservation Foundation award for its craftsmanship.