....the SUTRO BATHS of san francisco....THEN + NOW...!

When my mom came up a few weeks ago for Mother's Day (remember THIS?), I took the opportunity to take her on a little field trip to the Sutro Bath ruins here in San Francisco.  I had never really traipsed around them and this seemed like the perfect opportunity because my mom appreciates a visual + historical traipse as much as I do!

Completed and opened in 1896 the Sutro Baths were the world's largest indoor swimming facilities.  There were seven different swimming pools with six of the seven being salt water.  An elaborate and expensive recycling and pump system would fill the baths directly from the Pacific Ocean it was built directly on.

Eventually the Sutro Baths became an ice skating rink until it burned down during demo in the later 1960's.  I wonder what the facilities would be like today if they were still standing?  I love that SF's mayor at the time - Adolph Sutro - had this vision which probably seemed so outlandish at the time, and made it happen.

a photo from 1943

in its final ice rink days

Today the former baths site is open to the public and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

my mom voguing 

And here are a couple design related items I sourced in a pinch based on the beautiful, illustrated poster depicting the baths when they first opened:

1. industrial pendants made in the USA with white enamel shades

2. vintage inspired swim cap

3. large, arched mirror with antiqued mirror inset

4. framed, 1930's wool bathing suits

5. turquoise bistro bottles - set of 6

6. Grotto style shell-encrusted plaster urns on pedestals 

7. scooped rattan vine chair 

8. giant resin clam shell - love this look planted with succulents! 

(background color = Benjamin Moore's "Green Essence" #853)

all present photos by janel holiday interior design. all other photos from the world wide web.

I'll leave you with this classic Esther William's trailer from "Million Dollar Mermaid":