Green, smart home emerges in Oakland
Real estate types routinely toss the word “marathon” around when reflecting on a laborious project. That’s not exactly the case for 4266 Balfour Ave. in Oakland’s Lakeshore-Upper Grand neighborhood, a revived Craftsman boasting energy-efficient infrastructure and smart home inclusions coveted throughout the Bay Area.
“This one was a relay race,” said Anne Catherine Bowcutt, a Realtor/investor who purchased the home, developed architectural plans and wrangled permits from the city, ultimately selling to a up-andcoming developer Chris Porto of Smart Growth, Inc.
With paperwork firmly in hand and Tariel Gusseinov of TTG Builders at his side, Porto pressed forward with Bowcutt’s blueprint, gutting the dilapidated three-bedroom, one-bathroom blighting the neighborhood. In its stead rests an expanded four-bedroom with vintage finishes in every room. A smartphone or tablet operates lights, locks, ventilation, security and other systems inside the reimagined home listed for $1.395 million.
Advanced insulation and plumbing helped earn the home GreenPoint certification from Build It Green, an independent entity rating California homes for their sustainability and efficiency.
Porto insisted on environmentally conscious construction and tech conveniences while knowing the interior
needed to make a statement. Enter Marlene Wharmby, a designer who thoroughly embraced the home’s Craftsman heritage.
“Each room has continuity of design in a Craftsman motif, even down to the most minute detail,” said Wharmby.
Frosted nickel hardware, crown molding, brushed iron fixtures and grid windows with flat casings are among the period-appropriate finishes reintroduced to the home.
One original detail that survived the comprehensive remodel was the dining room’s built-in buffet and china cabinet.
A farmhouse sink, subway tiles and classically styled cabinetry offer the kitchen a vintage aesthetic, though the professional range, marble counters and stainless steel appliances appeal to modern tastes.
The hillside home’s master suite resides on the lower level and includes a spa bathroom with a freestanding tub and a marble shower beneath a skylight. French doors off the master suite lead to the deck off the main level, as well as the terraced gardens with planter boxes, raised patio and drought-tolerant plantings.
Visit www.4266Balfour Ave.com for more details.