Annette Kelty, photographer

Resident since 2011

While the popularity of Eichlers has risen dramatically over the last decade, they’ve long been a part of photographer Annette Kelty’s family heritage — her husband, Will, grew up in an Eichler development in Thousand Oaks (Ventura County). “The cachet is there, but the house made sense to us in spite of that,” says Kelty. After sizing up other Eichler neighborhoods in Northern California (there are 28 in the Bay Area alone), the South Africa native was sold on the Upper Lucas Valley enclave during a home tour. “Every home we visited had an abundance of art, photography and books,” she says. “I knew then that I was among friends.” Besides the strong sense of community, Kelty appreciated having four bedrooms in her 1,900-square-foot house, one of which she transformed into her studio, even though, she says, “you can’t swing a dead cat in there.” (She’s convinced that Joseph Eichler purposely pocket-sized the sleeping quarters to force togetherness in the common areas.) The architecture’s unique ability to harness natural light also resonated deeply with the lenswoman, whose flat-roof model auspiciously faces east, coming to life with the sunrise. “The vibe in my house feels very optimistic,” says Kelty.

Annette Kelty Photographer Annette Kelty’s dog, Turtle, in the living room of the Upper Lucas Valley home Kelty shares with her husband, Will, who grew up in an Eichler in Southern California.