Intensely Wallpapered Hayes Valley Victorian Wants $2.875M

The intricate exterior of the Victorian at 630 Page Street in Hayes Valley gives only a few hints about what is behind the home's doors. The house has lots of visible stained glass and an entryway flanked by finely carved pillars, but that's nothing compared with the overwhelming mishmash of patterns and period details within. Normally we would love the moldings, light fixtures, and fireplaces, but it all kind of gets lost in a sea of oriental rugs and dark carved furniture. The slightly madhouse five-bedroom, two-bath home hit the market this week asking $2.875 million, and while it's kind of crazy, at least it is interesting.

The backyard is just as over the top as the rest of the home, with a four-level fountain, a huge arched shrub, and colorful carvings across the back wall of the house. The brokerbabble calls the place "a Gump's Collectors Edition catalog, a hacienda in San Miguel Allende, & a Victorian Style Book all in one." It also advertises some of the former occupants. The home hasn't actually ever been inhabited by anyone truly famous, but it has been owned by people who have done interesting things. Its first owner was Michael O'Shaughnessy, who was a surveyor who laid out Mill Valley and Sausalito and was an engineer of Hetch Hetchy. Then, in the 1960s, Rex May, who designed the 49-Mile Scenic Drive sign, owned the house.

We just hope that whoever takes this place over next tones it down a bit without taking out the Victorian charm that hides within.

· 630 Page Street [Zephyr SF]