| Frances Adler Elkins was one of those legendary | | | | cornice and fluted door casings being added to the |
| decorators of the early 20th century and was | | | | plastered wall and plank ceilings of the residence. Elkins |
| renowned for her inspired designs. Elkins was born in | | | | had her own design principles which she tried first in |
| 1888 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is the younger sister | | | | the dwelling itself by arranging various English, French |
| of the celebrated Chicago architect David Adler | | | | and Chinese furnishings on the polished redwood |
| (1882-1949). David Adler was an architect specialized in | | | | floors. She had a special affection for white, blue and |
| the French architecture movement know as The | | | | yellow colors. |
| Beaux Arts, and both Adler and Elkins worked | | | | Elkin's creativity was enhanced by her friends who |
| together in Chicago and the Bay Area from the 1920s | | | | often urged her to decorate their homes. Her initial |
| to 1930s. Some of her works in the Bay Area includes | | | | masterpieces include the clubhouse of Cypress Point |
| interior designing of Yerba Buena Club at the Golden | | | | Club which she designed in 1930. The same period |
| Gate International Exposition and the 1939 fair at | | | | saw her reputation spreading to San Francisco where |
| Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Her designs | | | | she was the chosen interior designer for the city's |
| integrate the prevailing style of various places with | | | | famous families such as the Haases and the |
| changing timeline in history, and ranges from country | | | | Zellerbachs. The Zellerbach mansion in Broadway |
| French to Chinoiserie to art deco. | | | | contains some of Elkin's original designs. She was one |
| In the beginning she was influenced by the works of | | | | of the architects among the trio who was elected by |
| Jean-Michel Frank who is a French interior and furniture | | | | the San Francisco society. Her interior design works |
| designer, and Alberto Giacometti, a sculptor who | | | | have influenced designers such as Michael Taylor. |
| designed fixtures. She promoted these designers | | | | Her usage of colors within her interior design schemes |
| through her California-based interior design business | | | | were accepted with great enthusiasm during the early |
| established in 1918. | | | | periods of the twentieth century, due to the unique |
| Elkin's career started when she and her husband | | | | style and fineness she had incorporated into her |
| Felton moved to Monterey, California where they | | | | works. Her contemporary furnishings have the |
| purchased the historic abode Casa Amesti and | | | | combination of fine antiques blended into them and the |
| transformed it into a masterpiece in architecture with | | | | combination set a trend in the 'eclectic' style which had |
| their diverse architectural styles and periodic | | | | become popular ever since. Her designs stood ahead |
| transformations. She showed exceptional talent in | | | | of the time they were designed and attract art lovers |
| interior designs with classical details such as a dentil | | | | even today. |