| A combination of redwood lap siding, brick and pre-cast stone give this 6700-square-foot custom residence in northern California a traditional exterior style.
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"A traditional American design" is how architect Greg Munn describes this custom California residence that he created for a family with older children. Nevertheless, this 6700-square-foot home is decidedly untraditional in some of the features that distinguish it from neighbors in its high-end development near Oakland.
One real attention-getter is the $4.2 million homeÆs two-story wine cellar, complete with a formal tasting room on one level and a clear glass floor that permits a view down into the climate-controlled wine storage area directly beneath.
The lower portion of the wine cellar is actually located on the homeÆs walkout basement. This level also includes a state-of-the art home theater that opens out to a glass solarium and subterranean garden.
| Hand-applied faux finishes on the custom maple cabinetry and walls and a charming bead board ceiling in the kitchen reflect the home's traditional style.
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"Having a basement is very unusual for homes in this area," says architect Munn. "It is very expensive square footage to add." It was a necessary in this case, he says, because the client wanted to enlarge the original plan and this provided them with the most reasonable option. "We really made every effort to maximize the use of available space provided by the site.
"There was no real structural challenge to giving the home a walkout basement," says builder Pucci, taking into account the sloped site the home was built on. "We just had to make sure that we were very, very careful about the drainage."
The home is both elegant and family-friendly at the same time, according to Munn. The well-thought-out floor plan orientates the formal entertaining areas towards the front, directly off the central foyer.
The master suite literally occupies its own wing on the main floor and includes both a sitting area and a spacious bath/dressing area. A private porch extends this retreat space to the outdoors.
| This home was designed to be lived in and enjoyed according to builder Pucci, who says the client added the billiards room to the original floor plan.
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It is the rear of the home that is designed for the familyÆs enjoyment and relaxation. Here views from the kitchen, family room, and billiards room are directed towards the sloped backyard. A second staircase leads directly to the second floor where the childrenÆs bedrooms and playroom are located.
In addition to its high-tech theater, the rest of the home also features the latest in home automation. According to Pucci, the home has 16 HVAC zones on three levels.
The home was completed in May 2000.
Builder | Joe Pucci, Trademark Homes, Danville, Calif.
Architect | Greg Munn, Design Tech, Pleasanton, Calif.
Interior Design | Kristy Hunt, A.K. Hunt, Danville, Calif.
Major Products Used | Appliances: Sub Zero, Marvel, Viking, Fisher Pikel | Cabinetry: Custom maple, cherry | Countertops: Honed marble, granite | Doors: Custom | Exterior Finish: Redwood, precast stone, salvaged brick | Fireplaces: Masonry | Flooring: Hardwood, Carpet | Home Controls/Automation: Vantage, Questron | HVAC: Enerzone | Lighting: Schonbeck, Mica, Cable-Lighting, Kalco | Plumbing Fixtures: Kohler, Grohe, Bassini | Roofing: Composition 40-year Elk | Windows: Pella.
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