CALIFORNIA CRAFTSMAN HOME

This 5,548 sq. ft. home was inspired by the architectural masterpieces of Greene & Greene, in particular the Gamble house and the Duncan-Irwin house in Pasadena, California. It has two stories, plus a daylighted basement with a sunken patio facing southeast for maximum natural light to the basement playroom. The basement also includes an acoustically sealed movie theater and an adjacent wine cellar. On the second floor is an open loft area — additional play space for the kids. The first floor has an open layout for the kitchen, dining, and family room, with exterior pocket doors opening to the backyard. The master bedroom on the second floor has its own rear-facing balcony and an interior door overlooking the two-story family room below. The front reading nook for the two front bedrooms has access to a front balcony, over the first-floor covered porch. All designed for ease of flow between interior and exterior, with windows placed for natural light throughout the day.

This project required a considerable number of custom construction details, both for the exterior millwork and the interior, to fully capture the character and pay homage to the Greene & Greene aesthetic.  This involved the integration of current structural requirements with these early 20th-century characteristics.  The historical research, both regarding the detailing and finish materials, was extensive, including archival research, several visits to the Greene & Greene homes, both in Pasadena and Berkeley, and correspondence with the head docent at the Gamble House.