4145 Eastlake Avenue is my favorite house from Monday's Broker's Tour. (Broker's Tour is a scheduled tour of homes open to Realtors.) Eastlake Avenue located on the border of Laurel Heights and Redwood Heights is one of my favorite streets. This street features views, a cul de sac and is a tucked away street off of the beaten path. This house has random plank hardwood floors in the living room, views, rounded corners, (a feature seen in the 1930's and 1940's) an eat-in kitchen and a large downstairs which includes a living area, an extra bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. The master bedroom upstairs has a small balcony, a great place to catch a few rays of sun and glimpse Downtown Oakland and the Bay. This property shows pride of ownership, is super clean, appears to be well maintained and is move-in ready. Homes are rarely for sale on this street making this a property to see. This house is currently listed with Vicky Faulk of Coldwell Banker for $725,000, Thanks Vicky!
The best of everything! Mid-Century Home on the Piedmont Side Of Montclair, Oakland
Yesterday as I compiled the homes to view that were open on broker's tour, I was urged by a colleague to put 45 Lane Court on my list. (This home is currently listed with Nancy Rothman of Pacific Union.) My colleague had heard that this property was a piece of art, and boy the rumors were right! Set back from the street, this house immediately grabbed my heart, as I spotted the copper garage door perfectly patina-ed. This home has the vault ceiling and floor to ceiling windows that mid-century modern homes boast, but it has artistic and modern enhancements that are breath-taking. The master bathroom has a stainless steel soaking tub and steam room, the downstairs family-rumpus room has a custom kitchen for seamless entertaining and every aspect of this home looks as if it has been enhanced or over-hauled to pristine perfection. (really!) For enthusiast like myself I notice the details, the silky smooth walls, the clean hinges and door hardware, the custom scones to showcase the stunning artwork, the solid Douglas fir doors, and I could go on and on. This was my favorite Oakland property of today's broker's tour. (By the way, this property is blocks to Montclair Village, making it a great walking neighborhood in Oakland.)
Here are a few photos to drool over.
1950's Style Lives On In Oakland
With World War II over, America was optimistic about a new beginning. When you view 1950's houses, (that have not been renovated) you will often see cheery colors such as pink bathrooms and yellow accents.
If you are looking to paint your rooms to mirror the 50's authentically, here is your inspiration. This aqua blue mid-century home in the Redwood Heights district of Oakland is now pending, (listed by Judith Cain of Grubb Co. there were two offers.) I like how the owner embraced this home's mid-century roots and painted the exterior in a tasteful color shade of turquoise, a nod to classic mid-century Americana.
The sunny yellow kitchen below is a Montclair, (Oakland, CA.) mid-century home. (Currently listed with Glass-Sabine with Grubb Co.) Compare this current photo of a mid-century kitchen with the vintage photo at the bottom, and you can see all of the in-tact 50's details. Classic chrome cabinet pulls, Formica with aluminum edging countertops, vibrant colors and linoleum floors.
1950s-colors
Good Properties For Sale in Oakland, CA
This photo was taken off of the balcony of 2281 Chelsea in Montclair.
Today was such a beautiful and clear day in Oakland. Last night the wind raged all night providing us a cloudless day with San Francisco and Downtown Oakland views to be seen all around town. Today, I am showcasing two new listings that I viewed on Broker's Tour. The first one is freshly renovated by the sellers daughter who is a designer in Santa Rosa. 2881 Chelsea, listed by Dian Hymer of Coldwell Banker boasts raised wood beamed ceilings, two decks with spectacular views of Downtown Oakland and San Francisco, two tasteful bathrooms and a handsome kitchen. The sellers are in there 80's and it is time for them to move on. Lucky you! Offered at $678,000.
The second house 5529 Balboa, listed by Terry Anthony of Coldwell Banker is a 1956 mid century home with stunning views of San Francisco. Unfortunately I am not satisfied with the photos that I took today. This home is a cosmetic fixer complete with vintage wall paper and organic shaped slate tile entry. Listed at $709,000.
Mid-Century Modern Waiting For a Facelift
If you are looking for a mid-century home with lots of space this could be a candidate. This home on Coolidge Terrace has great possibilities. Floor to ceiling windows, a great view, a kitchen with a door to the back patio and a spacious rumpus room with bar. The kitchen looks to be remodeled in the 1980's, but is large and functional. The bathrooms look to be remodeled within the last 10 years. There is carpet on the living room floor, but there might be hardwood under the carpet. I saw hardwood in the upstairs closets.
This home is currently listed with New Spring Real Estate and is ready for you to make your mark on it.
Mid-Century Modern in the Oakland Hills
My good friend Leka purchased a tiny mid-century home about a decade ago and completely renovated it to fit her family. She has promised me a photo shoot so I can feature her home on my blog, but in the meanwhile here is a quick outdoor shot from this evening.
Notice the great floor to ceiling windows and comfortable patio for easy indoor-outdoor living. Inside you see the glow from the original George Nelson lights.
This Mid-Century Home in Oakland, CA Has Life!
The keys are exchanged and the torch is passed.
I have had the great opportunity to work with many clients over the years and match them with houses that fit their personalities. Recently, my client Jorg came to me with a few items on his property wish list:
- A home walking distance to shops
- A property with a spectacular view
- An older home with character
- An Oakland home
Shortly into our home search we found the perfect house in the Upper Rockridge District of Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Dondero purchased this piece of land in the early 1940's, but because of World War II they were unable to break ground for sometime. After 20 oak trees were removed from the lot, the Dondero's discovered that the house had a panoramic view. After discovering the breath taking San Francisco, Berkeley and downtown Oakland views, the house was designed to bring the view into almost every room. Being a prominent stone builder in San Francisco, Mr. Dondero integrated a variety of stone from various prestigious San Francisco buildings into his home. The walls are Venetian plaster, (Venetian plaster is a mixture of gypsum, sand and lime or mix of aged slaked lime, ground marble dust, and pigment. This mixture is usually tinted or colored before it is applied with a spatula or trowel.) Because the color is in the mixture, one can simply sand the walls when they are dirty or scuffed instead of painting them. After 59 years the walls are in fantastic condition.
This Oakland home has a distinct mid-century modern flare, on a level lot with courtyard and terraced backyard, immense rooms, floor to ceiling windows, stacked flagstone fireplace and more.
Well designed and constructed, most of the features and finishes are original and in pristine condition. Over the years there were a few enhancements, the stove that needed replacement was replaced with a Jenn-Air range complete with an oversized stainless steel hood, and the old absestos roof that saved this home from destruction during the Oakland Hills fire of 1991 was replaced with a composite tile roof, then topped with solar panels. At the close of escrow Jorg and I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Dondero as he gave us the guided tour of his masterpiece. Mr. Dondero remembered every nuance, every step and it was with pride and honor that he handed Jorg the keys.
Espaller is a horticultural technique of training trees, by pruning and grafting them to grow into this flat angular design. Popular in Europe fruit trees can grow in courtyards or against fences, yield fruit without taking up much space. I think this old world technique is stunning. Mr. Dondero says this lemon tree has been here for years.
The wooden cut-out panels that cover the windows that flank the front door have hinges and locks and open easily to clean the windows. The wooden angles remind me of a Greek key pattern.
Mr. Dondero is telling Jorg all of his secrets to maintaining the backyard and drains
Mid-Century Doors Made in USA!
If you are restoring a mid-century home don't forget the front door. Crestview Doors designs and manufactures mid-century doors inspired by 1950's and 1960's design. Check out Crestview Doors online, click here. The doors above are from Crestview Doors website.
Mid-Century Modern Rancher in the Oakland Hills
Three years ago, my dear friend purchased a 1963 ranch home in the Oakland Hills. The house was structurally sound, had plenty of room for her expanding family and was a cosmetic "fixer".
There is so much to like about this home, the built-in dressers in the master bedroom, the wall hung vintage toilets, the floor to ceiling windows and the courtyard in the center of the house. (The house is shaped like a U).
Almost immediately after her family moved in, plans were drawn to transform this rancher. Walls were taken down so the kitchen and family rooms formed a great room. An extra door was cut into the family room to bring more indoor-outdoor access. The carpet was removed and hardwood floors were installed. (This home was built without hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and family room.) Texture and depth was added with a slate fireplace surround in the family room, maple and cherry wood cabinetry in the kitchen and warm and earthy paint colors warmed the walls.
This California rancher is full of life! I call this an artistic, cozy, mid-century modern.
Mid Century Modern Remix
2 Marsh Place located on the Piedmont Side of Montclair, (Montclair west of highway 13) is a stunning 1962 show stopper. With floor to ceiling windows, views of San Francisco and level play areas, this is truly a special property. The home has been extensively updated with modern finishes, but the mid-century character still shines through. A home that boasts pride and perfection, there are no tacky shortcuts. As I toured this house, I said to myself, "I would live here!" What is the cost of this Montclair Mid-Century Modern? This home is listed at $1,595,000. Photos are courtesy of Hugh Robertson of Maison Nouveau, (Thanks Hugh!)
Mid-Century in North Berkeley
This 1952 ranch house in North Berkeley was my favorite home from last Thursday's Broker's Tour. (Broker's Tour for the East Bay is every Monday and Thursday; the tour is for Brokers and Realtors view new listings for their clients.) This home is sunny with spacious rooms and great outdoors spaces. The kitchen is clean and cheery, I can almost imagine a homemaker preparing banana and vanilla wafer pudding on the counter while a school girl completes her homework in the breakfast nook during the 1950's.
This mid-century home is located in one Berkeley's best neighborhoods on Virginia Street. A few blocks about Shattuck on a tree lined street, walking or biking distance to Chez Pannise, Peet's Coffee, Andronico's Grocery and Elephant Pharmacy and more. This 1600+ square foot 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom home is listed by Pacific Union for $775,000. Photos are courtesy of Jack McPhail.
I am happy to schedule an appointment for a private showing of this property.
Mid- Century Treehouse in Berkeley
Labor Day is over, school is in; look for more new listings to hit the real estate market this September and October.
This was my favorite house from last week's broker's tour. Being that my children are older and a big backyard is not necessary for me now, I really like the idea of having a private deck in the front of the house and a deck with views off of the living room. This Reece Clark house was well designed, as the kitchen is very close to the extra large front deck, making entertaining and barbecuing easy. The living room has a beautiful raised ceiling with beams and there are fantastic views from almost every room. This house made me feel like I was in a luxurious tree house! Built in 1962, this mid-century home in Berkeley is in an ideal location; if you lived here you could walk to Peet's Coffee, Rick and Ann's restaurant, Red Bird boutique and Vessel boutique. This home is 148 Stonewall Road in Berkeley and it is currently listed with Grubb Co. Photos are courtesy of Carolyn Jones.
Mid-Century Party Home in Berkeley
Are you yearning for a swanky mid-century home, with expansive panoramic views, perfect for a shindig? This home on Keith Avenue in Berkeley is just perfect for a cool new owner. This is my favorite home from last Thursday's Broker's Tour.
I LOVE the original turquoise pedestal sink and hung toilet, and lemon yellow kitchen appliances. Have you ever seen hanging refrigerators? ...and you have to love the floor to ceiling windows.
If you would like a private showing of this piece of art property, send me an email.
Cheers!
Preserved Mid-Century Home in Lincoln Heights, Oakland
Every Monday I go on Broker's tour to see the new listings in Oakland, (excluding the Montclair district of Oakland, Montclair is on Broker's tour on Thursdays.) Realtor's who have listings that they want to promote within the real estate community have a special open house especially for Realtors, called Broker's Tour. These homes are advertised through a company named Ad Review and every Monday and Thursday, I review the long list of homes that are open and determine which homes I will tour. In addition to viewing homes that fit my active clients needs and budgets, I look for homes in neighborhoods that I specialize in so I can keep abreast of the neighborhoods. Since, I have a fondness for mid-century homes, I also seek out homes built between 1945 and 1965.
Besides mid-century homes, I REALLY like homes that have been preserved. Meaning homes that boast some of the original features of the era. Whether it is gum wood built-in cabinetry that is in pristine condition, vintage doorknobs or 1950's pull down light fixtures, I love seeing the details and finishes that the builder intended. Remodeled doesn't necessarily mean better.
Today I went goo-goo over this 1962 home in Lincoln Heights, behind the Mormon Temple in Oakland. Mid-century homes are known for being spacious and this home is no exception. There are rows and rows of custom cabinetry with smart details such as a built-in adjustable cookbook holder in the kitchen, and a cut-out in the kitchen cabinetry for the person in the kitchen to view the entertainment in the dining room and living room area. One of the bedrooms downstairs must have been designed for two children, as there are two built-in desks and dressers, with views of the outdoors from the desks, how smart! The backyard has a mixture of a low maintenance garden and patio with basketball hoop, and the deck has view of the City. This home could use some updating especially in the bathrooms, but from what I could see, (without view inspection reports) this home is livable. When buying a preserved mid-century home, you have the ability to buy vintage finishes and incorporate them into your renovation, as well as stay consistent with the period of the home.
Oh, I forgot to mention, this home is listed by Wells and Bennett and I was told this is the first time it has been on the market!
The 1950's, Architecture, Design and Furnishings
1954 photo of Dave Brubeck's home in the Oakland Hills Courtesy of ChronicleBooks.com
Click on this YouTube clip to view more things mid-century modern! With the end of the 1930's Depression and World War II, America is ready for new energy and fantastic design in the 50's. Influenced by television, Rock and Roll, Nate King Cole, Miles Davis, and I Love Lucy, the 1950's prove to be a memorable decade.
Cliff May, Mid Century Architect built homes in Oakland!
Photo from the Multiple Listings of the Cliff May home in Oakland
Photo of Sunset Magazines Headquarters, found online @www.terragalleria.com/pictures
Cliff May was known as the father of the California Ranch Home. In the 1930's he began building furniture and homes without any formal training. May wanted his homes to be about informal living with a great deal sunshine. His homes were typically U or L shaped had to be accessible to private outdoors spaces. May modernized the California ranch house by using low-cost materials that would appeal to the masses. Building over 1000 residential and commerical properties, May was known for designing celebrity homes. He created Sunset Magazine's headquarters in Menlo Park and the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley. Last year one of Cliff May's home sold in Oakland, on Jordan Road! (The Redwood Heights District of Oakland.) May's plans were used in construction of more than 18,000 houses world-wide, including Switzerland, Australia and Ireland. Cliff May said, "If you can't walk out of the living room or bedroom or kitchen onto the ground, if you have to go down steps, you're not living like a real Californian lives."
Eichler For Sale in Oakland Hills!
Ultra Chic Atrium
My broker's tour find of the day is 8100 Phaeton listed by Red Oak Realty. With only 49 Eichler's in Oakland, this home is a rare treasure. For those of you who adore indoor-outdoor all level living, this mid-century modern home is worth a look. Some of the best attributes about Eichler homes are the floor to ceiling windows, the angles of the ceilings and roof and the easy to maintain yards.
Chic Mid Century in North Berkeley
Last Thursday I fell in love for this mid-century home in North Berkeley on LeRoy Street. This home is currently listed with Grubb Co. and I thought I would give you a glimpse. This house is in one of Berkeley's Best Neighborhoods and has great mid-century features such as a beautiful courtyard and spacious rooms. I personally like the nostalgic laminate red kitchen counters with aluminum edging.
Almost Mid-Century with Views in Oakland
Yesterday, I took my client to this almost mid-century,(circa 1939 -not modern) home in the Lincoln Heights district of Oakland. I really enjoyed this home as it had an amazing park-like backyard with a well, spectacular bay and city views and a charming, sunny kitchen with impeccable original kitchen cabinets. According to the listing agent, this home had been in one family for 47 years! The main level has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a kitchen, living room/dining room area. Downstairs there are several plus rooms and a huge rumpus room with original knotty pine walls. I really appreciate homes that have been lovingly cared for over the decades, with the original details intact. I can almost picture how this home looked 50 years ago while this family raised their 2 children. This home is currently on the market with Coldwell Banker.
