MH: Gary/Kensington
The timeless design and landscaping feels just as fresh today as it did in 1956. The previous owner did not have a car so there was no need for a driveway or garage. Instead, the front landscaping consists of varieties of manzanitas, inspired by the environment on the upper slopes of Mt. Tamalpais and the High Sierras.
A table now sits where the bookshelves were located, providing the perfect spot to enjoy the spectacular view of the neighborhood, the San Francisco Bay and Berkeley. “It was foggy when I first walked into the house so I couldn’t see the view,” says the homeowner, “but I could imagine what it looked like.”
The fireplace remains a focal point today. The home’s new owner also kept the color of the beams in the house, which were stained violet. “At first I thought this was a bit gaudy, but quickly grew to love it,” Garbutt says. When the stain needed to be updated he used a coat of Benjamin Moore Aura acrylic paint matched to the original. “The original oil stains are banned now,” he adds, “but the paint did an amazing job.”Stressless Diplomat chair and ottoman: Ekornes
Garbutt, pictured at right, and his friend Mindy Mull, left, enjoy breakfast together with a view of Berkeley and the San Francisco Bay.My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.Browse more homes by style:Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes |Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes |Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses |Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes |Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses |Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes |Vacation Homes...
Houzz at a GlanceWho lives here: Gerard Garbutt Location: Kensington, CaliforniaSize: 630 square feet (58 square meters); 1 bedroom, 1 bathroomYear built: 1956A photograph from the 1959 Sunset magazine article shows the home as it looked right after it was built.© Sunset, 1959
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