Pacific Heights

Looking Back at 2800 Pacific's Drastic Before and After Photos

By Sally Kuchar Dec 30, 2013, 3:00pm PST

<a href="http://www.catherinekwong.com/">Catherine Kwong Design</a> got the highly coveted living room, which is the first room you see when you enter the home. Catherine's design was inspired by "Mick and Bianca Jagger—the early years." From — Catherine Kwong Design got the highly coveted living room, which is the first room you see when you enter the home. Catherine's design was inspired by "Mick and Bianca Jagger—the early years." From

In October of 2011, the home of late San Francisco society dame Lee Herbst Gruhn came onto the market asking $12.5M. The 5-bed, 4.5-bath, 8,120-square-foot abode sits on a prime corner lot in Pacific Heights. It was built in 1899 by San Francisco starchitect Ernest Coxhead, so it comes with a bit of pedigree. The home, dubbed "Mini Versailles" because of the abundance of mirrors and gold trim, sat on the market for months before it was delisted and then relisted with a lower asking price, eventually settling on $9.75M. Then it was chosen to play host to the 2013 San Francisco Decorator Showcase, where 27 of the West Coast's best design firms were invited to each reinvent a room. The Georgian mansion was then transformed with mostly interior design finishes, though some small cosmetic remodeling was done as well. The home, of course, was off the market during this time, though we're positively sure that an offer would be accepted if a tycoon were to swoop in and offer up a pile of cash. The showcase was a hit, so the home was put back on the market. Perhaps because it was still basking in the glow of the spotlight, the abode actually was listed higher for $11.995M, or $2.245M up from its previously listed price of $9.75M. Unfortunately its new duds didn't entice a buyer, because the home then took several price chops, and now sits at $8.9M. There's also a rumor of a restored 1962 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II being thrown into the sale if an offer's made by December 31.