The 1910s to 1930s offered a mish-mash of styles and architectural ideas, with Art Deco being perhaps the most notable. In San Francisco, the 1920s also gave rise to the barrel-front Marina-style home, sometimes with Art Deco flourishes and sometimes without. The 1940s were all about World War II, and WWII’s contribution to SF housing stock was the “in-law” or “granny” flat, with the creation of lots of these homes during this period to accommodate the influx of wartime workers to SF.

The pent-up demand of the 1940s was met with the glorious optimism of the post-war 1950s, and California was at the forefront of that modern glow with our mid-century modern homes defining the suburban dream where every (white) family could afford a single-family detached home with a garage and their own car. Mid-century modern homes built in the 1950s and 1960s are known for their single-story layouts with garages featuring direct interior home access, open interior plans with bedrooms clustered together and hallways kept to a minimum, minimalist materials like brick and concrete, and extensive use of glass and sliding doors to create indoor-outdoor living experiences.

While Palm Springs, California, may have some of the most well-known mid-century homes, San Francisco neighborhoods have plenty to offer when it comes to mid-century modern homes. You can find mid-century modern homes in San Francisco neighborhoods built entirely or in part during these years such as Midtown Terrace, Miraloma Park, Twin Peaks, Noe Valley, Glen Park, and Bernal Heights. As with any era, an owner may have built or developed a home in this style in a neighborhood or area not traditionally associated with the style.

We hope you’ll enjoy this curated collection of homes in the mid-century modern style.