Converted loft hits Sacramento downtown market with ‘artistic flair.’ See the chic home
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Pamela Skinner possesses a great eye for beauty and art.
She is also creative and can be tenacious.
When the Sacramento art dealer and consultant purchased a former auto repair shop building near downtown Sacramento in 2005, all those characteristics came together.
Six years later, she had finished renovating the commercial space on D Street, transforming it into a jaw-dropping residence.
The spectacular, comfortable, modern industrial-style loft conversion just hit the market for $1.6 million.
The residence combines functionality and art in a unique living space, according to Ryan Lundquist, a Sacramento appraiser and housing market analyst.
"This is one of the most unique listings on the market right now," Lundquist said. "The conversion from commercial to residential is evident here with high ceilings and a somewhat modern industrial feel. Yet, it feels like a piece of art rather than the old auto repair shop it used to be."
The home spans 3,360 square feet with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The sophisticated living space is awash in natural light coming through expansive windows and skylights. A private front patio and bright interior courtyard enhance the home's indoor-outdoor connection. Large gallery walls are perfect for showcasing fine art — and Skinner expertly displays her numerous paintings and sculptures from the front to the back of the house.
"These types of large commercial-to-residential conversions aren't all that common, but they do happen," Lundquist said. "My observation is these conversions sometimes end up feeling like technical residential properties that awkwardly fill a commercial shell. But this unit does not feel like that as it was tastefully converted with artistic flair and high quality."
Paloma Begin of Compass is the listing agent. Asked to list her features of the property, she doesn't hesitate: "Its uniqueness, its sense of space and its high style."
Skinner and her late husband had been renting a loft at 14th and R streets for a home and art gallery before the R Street corridor became a vibrant shopping and dining hub. When their R Street building was sold, she moved her gallery to Seventh and S streets, where Beatnik Studios is now located, and started looking for a place to buy.
"Because I'm not very conventional, I was looking for some sort of loft," she said.
In 2005, they purchased the building that formerly housed Tony's European Auto Repair in the Mansion Flats neighborhood from a group of owners who had already done the environmental cleanup work for the property, saving the couple a lot of time and headaches.
She describes the former auto shop as a "dank, long, narrow, ugly building" before the extensive rehabilitation. While dealing with city bureaucracy and building and zoning codes, Skinner got down to planning the space, often "lying awake at night, spinning wheels."
She said she was essentially the project's main designer, although she collaborated with an architect to translate their ideas into workable drawings.
Skinner estimated the renovation cost $200,000 to $300,000.
"It was definitely worth it in the end," she said.
The open-concept space with skylights overhead is inviting and specifically designed for hosting gatherings and invite-only artist receptions. Two rooms are dedicated to showing the work of artists and there's an additional gallery in the back. The living, dining and kitchen areas are seamlessly connected, and Skinner's large and impressive art collection is on display throughout the residence. A climate-controlled wine room can hold 1,000 bottles.
The ceilings are 15 feet high. Overhead, duct work and original wood beams remain exposed as part of the industrial-style design. Some of the original internal cinderblock walls remain uncovered and painted gray, even though the city's energy codes required installing drywall over much of them for insulation.
"What attracted (me) to this space is that I really like contemporary and industrial design. We were looking for a warehouse space that would accommodate my aesthetics. The idea was to not make it perfect, because I enjoy the imperfections and the cracks in the concrete floors, and we sanded them and had them sealed. But I didn't want it to be brand new. I just wanted to leave part of the old building in its natural state," Skinner said.
At the front of the gated property, a relaxing and private courtyard with chairs, sculptures and plants sits behind a tall stucco wall and serves as a buffer zone between the house and the street. This peaceful retreat is entered through a painted steel door.
"The courtyard was going to act as a barrier because we wanted to do the glass roll-up doors, so we needed privacy," Skinner explained. "It's a nice surprise when you walk in (through the steel door), because you don't expect that."
There are two other glass roll-up doors inside which give access to the interior courtyard. None of the overhead doors, however, were part of the former auto shop, as one might expect.
The primary ensuite bedroom sits at the back of the house. If the bedroom doors are open, a pleasing view extends to the front of the home.
The sun's movement can provide a dynamic light show when it shines inside and touches Skinner's artwork.
"At different times of the year, and in different times of the day, the sun will move around, and it'll highlight a piece of art," she said. "That's pretty interesting because it's like having an unexpected spotlight. It's fun to be in the space and to enjoy how it changes."
Finding parking in the city's core is a luxury. Skinner's loft has a secure, attached garage of 960 square feet, large enough for two vehicles with plenty of storage. The space doubles as an additional studio. It could also be used as a home gym.
A home office overlooks the private courtyard.
"This property is one of a kind, seamlessly blending contemporary design with practical features," the property listing states . "Whether you're entertaining guests or enjoying a quiet evening at home, this loft offers the perfect balance of comfort and style."
Lundquist noted the stunning home is "a challenging property to appraise too since there isn't much like it."
But the price may be right.
The D Street property is much larger than the Sacramento neighborhood's typical residential size, he said. Since 1998, only 3.4% of all residential sales on MLS in midtown and downtown measure more than 3,000 square feet, he said. Since 2020, 5.1% of all residential sales in the neighborhood have closed at more than $1 million, and 31% of those million-plus deals have topped $1.5 million.
Skinner plans to move to the Sonoma area, where the weather is a bit cooler, but she'll miss the home she created.
"It's all very livable because I love the art and pieces are throughout the house and I enjoy them when I'm in different areas," Skinner said. "I'm over the top with it. I's a lot to keep up, but it's well worth it. I just feel like it's my special, special place, and I will miss it."
