Then Now and Forever Collection® Highlight: Haas-Lilienthal House

Color And History

To honor the human connection to color, and the history it brings to life, we created our Then, Now and Forever® Collection. The collection consists of a curated line of 142 historically-accurate paint colors inspired by historic architecture of the American West and 158 trending paint colors, all of which tell a story of styles and trends from architectural eras ranging the 1600s to the present day. Color carries with it symbolism and meaning by virtue of this, particular colors have helped define eras, as well as distinct architectural styles. Our Then, Now and Forever® Collection is a great way to bring a historic era or style to life.

In order to ensure the accuracy of each of the 142 historic colors in our Then, Now & Forever® Collection, Dunn-Edwards worked with Architectural Resources Group (ARG). ARG is a collective of architects, planners, and conservators who believe in the value that history adds to modern life, and work specifically in preserving historic structures. Each of these 142 colors were carefully matched to actual samples from historic buildings and sites across the American West, including the Haas-Lilienthal House, located in San Francisco, California.

Photo Credit: Dale Cruse

About The Haas-Lilienthal House

Designed by architect Peter R. Schmidt, the Haas-Lilienthal house was originally built in 1886 in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The home was commissioned by William and Bertha Haas and constructed in the Queen Anne Victorian style. Due to its architectural and cultural significance, the house was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and in 2012,  the National Trust For Historic Preservation named the home a National Treasure. At an astounding 11,500-square-feet, the home is a grand statement of Queen Anne style architecture. 

Photo Credit: Julien Chatelain

Photo Credit: Julien Chatela

Popular from approximately 1880 to 1910, Queen Anne architecture often possesses trademark architectural features such as asymmetrical facades, a large amount of decorative elements, round towers, detailed spindle work, large front porches, and more.

Photo Credit: l’interdit

Today the home serves as a museum and headquarters for the architectural preservation organization, SF Heritage. It was placed under the organization's care by the children of Alice Haas-Lilienthal, William and Bertha Hass’ youngest child. The home is maintained complete with authentic furniture and artifacts for its period.

Photo Credit: Dale Cruse

Who Were William And Bertha Haas?

William Haas was originally born in Bavaria in 1849 to a Jewish family. At around 20 years old and to escape religious persecution of the time, William emigrated to America, where he found work at a grocer run by his cousin in San Francisco where he worked his way up the ranks. William would go on to find tremendous success as a businessman. At the age of 31 William married Bertha Greenebaum, who was also an active member of San Francisco’s Jewish society, serving as a member or director of a number of Jewish women’s organizations, such as Mt. Zion Hospital and Temple Emanu-El.

Historic Victorian Paint Colors Of The Haas-Lilienthal House

When Architectural Resources Group conservators first evaluated the house, they found an original palette of two colors—a bright, distinct green and a serene white hue that included a cool shade of blue and green, as well neutrals. Victorian Greenhouse (DET532), a bold accent found within the home was a color influenced by the fascination with exotic locales. Historic White (DET653) is a softer white paint color that possesses a  more aged appearance given its yellow undertones. 

Want to see what other historic resources serve as the basis for our historically-accurate collection? Take a look at our other architectural resources, also located in San Francisco such as the Bell House and San Francisco’s Maritime Museum.