Grand Historic Los Altos Estate Brilliantly Updated To Perfection

The past and the present flawlessly blend in this prominent Los Altos estate property.

A meticulous, two-year, $1.7 million restoration and addition completed in 2016 is a feast for the eyes. No detail was overlooked to brilliantly retain the integrity of its rich, historically significant past while adding sophisticated amenities desired by today’s most discerning home buyer. The result is a timeless style in which future generations will no doubt thrive.

Down the street from the exclusive Los Altos Country Club, this estate at 796 Terrace Drive showcases almost 5,000 square feet of spectacular living space. Majestically set on three-quarters of an acre, its park-like property borders Permanente Creek and offers an ultra-private setting.

This home’s design is masterfully crafted with five bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, family room, and dining room, in addition to its magnificent great room, the original structure on the property.

Joseph Catton, a prominent San Francisco psychiatrist, and notable legal expert, built this summer retreat in 1926. Faded black and white photos capture workers sorting through piles of used brick on the property. Reclaimed from the streets of San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake, the brick is used extensively throughout the home, including in the 13-inch thick walls of the great room. In another photo, workers guide massive redwood beams salvaged from a 1930 Navy Frigate ship to create the great room’s cathedral ceiling beams. It was said to be modeled after a church in Normandy. A pair of leaded glass clerestory at the ceiling’s peak provide another wink of natural light into this amazing room.

An enormous fireplace featuring tile from a 13th-century German church anchors this generous space. Wide-plank hardwood flooring, antique iron sconces, and a pair of chandeliers illuminate the room. Vintage and colorful tiles collected from San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium building site decorate several window sills, including a bay window overlooking the backyard and two built-in window seats.

Custom walnut cabinetry was added respecting the original architecture and includes a complete wet bar with a marble countertop, wine storage, wine refrigerator, and a buffet with two warming drawers. Leaded glass French doors provide access to the back terrace.

To appreciate the more than 1,260 square feet in this room, envision a grand piano at one end and a grand dining table for ten at the opposite end with plenty of room for a living room arrangement in front of the centered fireplace.

Just off the great room is a bedroom suite that retains its original brick walls and wainscot, a copper-faced gas fireplace, and tongue and groove ceiling. A fully renovated bathroom features marble finishes, a radiant heated floor, dual vanities, an oversized bathtub, shower, and furniture-style built-ins. There is also private access to the backyard. An ideal guest suite, this private retreat is also a perfect executive office or au pair residence.

A leaded-glass pocket door separates the great room from an open, mainlevel floor plan that features quarter-sawn, wide-planked oak floors, crown molding,

hand-stenciled accent walls, a Lutron lighting system, indoor speakers, and a staircase with antique newel posts.

The dining area, a room of understated elegance, is designed with a pair of custom built-in cabinets and a buffet with a honed Poonazzetto marble counter and a vintage glass-inspired backsplash. A fireplace with an antique tile surround anchors this space that also features a high beam ceiling and French door access to the terrace.

A gourmet kitchen is wellappointed with fine finishes and amenities that will delight cooks of all levels. Statuario marble counters, a to-ceiling backsplash of handmade subway tiles, and glazed cabinetry with glass-faced doors create a fresh and classic design.

Additional features include a tongue and groove ceiling, two walk-in pantries, a workstation, and a polished nickel Waterworks faucet. An oversized island/breakfast bar also has a statuary marble top and a walnut butcher-block section. Appliances include Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawers, Miele dishwasher, Subzero refrigerator plus two refrigerator drawers, a built-in Dacor microwave and warming drawer, and a Viking dual oven range with six burners and a grill. A bay window over the sink frames a scenic view of the garden.

The adjacent family room features an exposed beam ceiling and an Isokern fireplace with a carved mantel. Built-in cabinetry and open shelving flank the fireplace. French doors open to the side yard.

Just off the great room is a bedroom suite that retains its original brick walls and wainscot, a copper-faced gas fireplace, and tongue and groove ceiling. A fully renovated bathroom features a heated travertine floor, dual vanities with custom fireclay tile backsplashes, an air-jet bathtub, an oversized shower, and furniture-style built-ins. There is also private access to the backyard. An ideal guest suite, this private retreat is also a perfect executive office or au pair residence.

Retreat upstairs to three additional bedrooms at the first level, including one with an en suite bathroom and two that share a Jack and Jill bathroom with a dual sink vanity.

At the top of the stairs is the sumptuous and lightfilled master suite featuring a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams, a fireplace with a leathered limestone surround, a sitting room area, and an alcove ideal for a writing desk. Two walk-in closets include custom built-ins.

A radiant heated Calacatta Gold marble basketweave mosaic tiled floor is featured in the master bath that includes a dual-sink vanity with Calacatta marble counter, a free-standing bathtub, and a walk-in shower with a matching marble surround.

Additional features include a powder room with Venetian plaster walls, a vessel sink, and a decorative cement tile floor. There are solid interior doors with Rocky Mountain hardware in a rich patina and an upper-level laundry room with a sink, cabinetry, and a decorative tiled accent wall. There are multiple, multi-zoned HVAC, a two-car detached garage with carriage-style doors, a security alarm system, and off-street parking for eight vehicles.

Fabulous Outdoor Space

The impressive park-like setting offers an ultra-private environment designed by Deke Rowell Landscape Group Inc. Mature trees, and lush gardens border this generous space. An expansive brick terrace with a built-in linear fire pit creates an ideal outdoor dining and living room overlooking the sprawling turf. Step down to another brick patio and pathway to the hot tub or perfect your putt on the five-hole putting green under the canopy of majestic oaks.

About Los Altos

Los Altos was founded as a stop along the Southern Pacific Railroad line on land purchased from Sarah Winchester, the widow of the Winchester rifle’s inventor. The railroad ceased operation in 1964, but the exclusive community of Los Altos remains a desirable home ideally located about 37 miles south of San Francisco. Los Altos is located on less than 10 square miles in the southern part of Silicon Valley, with convenient access to tech giants in Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale. Los Altos is also home to the almost century-old and private Los Altos Country Club, an 18-hole, par 72 course.

Top-rated schools are within two miles and include Los Altos Elementary, Blach Intermediate, and Mountain View High School. Downtown shops and restaurants are less than three miles away, with convenient access to Highways 280 and 101 nearby.

Price: $7,999,000

Where: 796 Terrace Drive, Los Altos

Website: www.796terrace. com

Shown by appointment only

Listing Agent: Sereno Group, Ed Graziani, DRE # 01081556, 650-947-2992, ed@sereno group.com. Jessica Nemire, DRE # 01973791, 650-3364996, jess@serenogroup.com. Edandjess-realestate.com