Nestled in a forest landscape
Berkeley Arts and Crafts features modern aesthetics
What could be considered the quintessential Thousand Oaks home stands secluded amid the neighborhood’s heritage trees and jagged stone outcroppings. Set on a double lot, 1864 Yosemite Blvd. was personally selected in the early 1900s by a civil engineer who went on to help develop some of California’s most celebrated communities.
More than a century later, the landscape remains both a placid, picturesque retreat and a living monument to original owner Mark Roy Daniels — a civil engineer who helped plan visual jewels, including Sea Cliff, Pebble Beach and Bel-Air.
As for the home, the timberclad four-bedroom with bay views received a preservation award from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association in 2007.
“It’s a bright, European-inspired country home in a veritable forest of ancient oaks. The home sits on about a half acre with multiple patios, gardens and winding paths,” said Helene Barkin of the Grubb Co., who is listing the property for $4.25 million. “It’s elegant and intimate ... with a one-of-a-kind romantic quality.”
Built in 1910, the Arts and Crafts home is anything but a relic. Though original elements like stained glass, hardwood wainscoting and the redwoodpaneled library remain intact, the home has been lovingly kept relevant to current tastes. An open kitchen equipped with high-end appliances and an abundance of indoor-outdoor living opportunities emphasize the home’s modern aesthetics.
Sunken beneath and attached to both the living and family rooms, the formal dining room enjoys a suite of traditional design details. Multipane windows, waist-high wainscoting and hardwood moldings accessorize a room that steps out to a tiled terrace.
Directly beside the dining room is a handsome wet bar swaddled in coffered wall paneling. Display shelves and custom cabinetry provide space for storing tumblers, snifters, stemware and an assortment of spirits. A butler’s pantry with floorto-ceiling storage stands opposite the wet bar.
Retract the wet bar’s pocket door to reach a dramatic open kitchen with a restaurant-caliber range and ample counter space. Both a breakfast bar and a circular table attached to the end of the stone countertop offer room for casual dining.
Adding to the kitchen’s appeal is a sunny breakfast alcove flanked by windows on three sides. Like so many other spaces inside the home, the breakfast nook looks out at the majesty of Thousand Oaks.
Daniels, a civil engineer, national park superintendent and architect, was the home’s original owner. Daniels selected the lot shortly after developer John Hopkins Spring created the Thousand Oaks community.
Architect A.W. Smith designed the shingled two-story as Daniels maximized the natural beauty of the landscape defined by its rolling hills and twisting valleys. Private gardens Daniels tucked amid the clusters of massive boulders remains intact, a testament to his vision and foresight.
Go to www.berkeleycraftsman.com to schedule a showing.
Listing agent: Helene Barkin, (510) 331-1122, helene@helenebarkin.com.