While a number of plugged-in readers have collectively made a pretty good case for who they believe was behind the masked purchase of 2600 Pacific for $15,500,000 last month, another provides the “inside” scoop:
I don’t know who purchased the house but I do know who sold it – the estate of a very odd, ill-tempered Alabaman spinster named Nina Ireland who inherited her massive wealth from her father. She purchased the house in the early 90’s and died in late 2010.
The house was designed in 1936 by the renowned Bay Area architect William Wurster and it was beautifully updated and re-decorated in the mid-90’s by The Wiseman Group who also does all the design work for the Schwab’s houses. It’s a fantastic house, beautifully laid out and simply detailed – perfectly scaled and not pretentious at all which is typical of Wurster.
The living room has tall picture windows that overlook both the Bay and the walled front garden; the south and east facing dining room – with more floor to ceiling windows – overlooks the private walled front garden. There’s a beautiful curved staircase in entry foyer that leads up to the bedrooms and there’s a large lower floor “studio” – just below the living room – with windows that also overlook the Bay.
You’d never guess from the unassuming exterior how lovely, simple and refined the house is on the inside.
Cheers and all comments on our original post.