No surface left untouched inside Russian Hill home asking $7.2 million

With exterior cartouches that once caused an uproar

By Brock Keeling@BrockKeeling Aug 31, 2017, 3:09pm PDT

Here’s a Russian Hill home with decor that takes the neighborhood name literally.

Coming in at three beds, three and a half baths, and roughly 4,000 square feet, 1742 Jones is a very special home for a very special buyer. Look at the interiors to see for yourself.

Curtain print wallpaper. Window treatments with volume to spare. Roman columns. Moldings overload. You might turn their nose up at this balls-out beauty, sure. But plot twist: This is one cohesive home. Everything goes together, whether you like it or not. And in these neo-minimalism times, how refreshing it is to see something so overwrought, so overdone.

A few years ago, 1742 Jones ruffled more than obscene amounts of satin and velvet. Owners Michael and Marilyn Cabak were cited by the city in 2011 for applying a non-permitted cartouche to the home's exterior without first completing an environmental and historic review.

"This is heartbreaking, when I work five days a week to make this city a better place and someone wants to come and destroy the whole front of my home," said Marilyn Cabak. "Every time I walk out of our garage I am told how beautiful our home is.”

Fortunately, after then supervisor Scott Wiener introduced legislation to exempt painting, paper, cartouches, and similar finish work from permit requirements, the exterior accents stayed. Phew.

Asking for this priceless home is $7,250,000.