Ken Fulk is a designer and tastemaker whose work has shaped the way his clients live, gather, and celebrate for more than 25 years. From private homes and jets to restaurants, hotels, and immersive experiences, his approach blurs the line between design and theater. Based in San Francisco, Fulk draws constant inspiration from the city’s layered history and creative energy. His influence is visible everywhere—from the restoration of the Romanesque Revival landmark Saint Joseph’s Arts Society to The Magic Factory, his ground-floor shop and cabinet of curiosities housed within his design headquarters. For Ken Fulk, San Francisco moves at a pace that allows ideas to breathe: vibrant, expressive, and deeply personal—a city where imagination is given room to unfold.
Ken Fulk Portait. Courtesy of subject. Photography by Brendan Mainini.
Saint Josephs Art’s Society, courtesy of Ken Fulk.
WHITEWALL: Where to find inspiration?
KEN FULK: Home and away. I am often on the go for work so much of my inspiration comes from traveling—visiting new places, meeting new people, and quite often an idea is sparked by digging into the history behind new projects. But when I’m home and relaxing, that’s when all the inspiration from being on the coalesces, like a pastiche of references, into some of my favorite original concepts.
WW: Favorite place to see art?
KF: Saint Joseph’s Arts Society. In 2018 I founded a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing art back to the forefront of our daily lives. We had just completed the painstaking restoration of a national historic landmark Romanesque Revival church in San Francisco. I couldn’t imagine filling the newly renovated space with anything but the sacred shared experience of appreciating art in all disciplines. From performances to exhibitions, parties and community programming, the goal is to give this cathedral back to the community as a place to gather around beauty, ideas and learning.
Ken Fulk Inc office, courtesy of Ken Fulk.
“This gallery is a personalized curation of my private collection; featuring one-of-a-kind vintage.”
Ken Fulk
WW: Best neighborhood vibe?
KF: Jackson Square has the best mix of history and high fashion – two of my favorite things. The neighborhood is known for its Gold Rush-era Barbary Coast legacy as the red-light district ship yard, but now it’s filled with luxury shops, some of the City’s best restaurants and one of our proudest projects, The BatterySF, a modern day social club that we designed and have remained on board as creative directors.
WW: Best-kept secret?
KF: Our shop at The Magic Factory, located on the ground floor of my beloved design headquarters. This gallery is a personalized curation of my private collection; featuring one-of-a-kind vintage and bespoke furnishings, fine art, exclusive decorative accessories, design books, and my exclusive scent collection. Come stop by, see and shop for yourself!
WW: Best meal?
KF: My favorite restaurant in the city is Zuni Café. My go-to order would have to include: Oysters to start, followed by the roasted chicken for two, accompanied by a margarita.
24 Hours in San Francisco With Ken Fulk
MORNING: The morning of my best day in San Francisco would start by walking my dogs with Kurt around Twin Peaks, followed by a spirited pickleball match.
NOON: Next, I’d have lunch and shop around Jackson Square. Essential stops include Cotogna and Thom Browne!
NIGHT: My evening would take me to the Huntington Hotel (which will reopen this spring after a full overhaul) for dinner at the Big Four, polished off by a nightcap at a very exciting new bar there we have lovingly designed. I’d end this perfect day at home, gazing upon the lights of the city and the Bay.
The Best of San Francisco According to Ken Fulk
1. Saint Joseph’s Arts Society
Courtesy of Saint Joseph’s Arts Society.
Saint Josephs Art’s Society, courtesy of Ken Fulk.
“Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, founded by visionary designer Ken Fulk in 2018, was established to celebrate arts, design, and culture in all forms in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Located inside St. Joseph’s, a revitalized National Historic Landmark former church, the Arts Society is a cultural hub and creative haven offering inspiring multi-disciplinary programming, engaging art and design exhibitions, innovative immersive events, and curated retail experiences. Through the cultivation of art and design, conversation and creativity, the Arts Society is dedicated to elevating our shared human experience.” -Saint Joseph’s Arts Society.
2. The Magic Factory
Courtesy of The Magic Factory and Ken Fulk.
“Ken Fulk Inc is housed in the historic four-story brick and timber structure, originally built as a furniture factory, and most notoriously occupied by a S&M leather shop-a perfect pairing for KFI’s original home. Located in San Francisco’s SOMA district, “The Magic Factory” houses Peep Show (Fulk’s shop and rotating gallery space), workspaces and a design library, a floral design studio, multiple resident artists, and his famed over-the-top loft.” -The Magic Factory.
3. Zuni Café
Courtesy of Zuni Café.
“Zuni Café was founded in 1979, by Billy West – “with a huge heart and exactly ten thousand dollars.” In its early days, the restaurant occupied only one narrow storefront of the triangular 1913 building it fills today. The dramatic corner storefront was home to the eye-catching Red Desert cactus store, with giant saguaros in the twelve-foot windows and sand on the floor. Billy appropriated the southwestern theme: He plastered his interior to look like adobe and named the new café after the Zuni, one of the indigenous Pueblo peoples of Arizona and New Mexico. Zuni Café’s earliest menus were inspired by the cookbooks of Billy’s culinary idols, Diana Kennedy and Elizabeth David; but they were limited by a kitchen that consisted of little more than a toaster oven, an espresso machine that doubled as an egg-cooker, and a kettle grill in the back alley.” -Zuni Café.
