With $3.3M, You Could Own Your Own Mountainside Retreat That Comes Complete With a Cable Car
A recently listed property in the Bay Area town of Alamo, California, contrasts an earthy, natural exterior with a modernist interior. Built by architect John Nance in the early 1980s, the award-winning design follows the contours of a steep hillside with multiple stilted and cantilevered sections. Yet it's the contemporary-style interior that surprises the most, featuring dominant geometric shapes, colorfully painted and exposed HVAC ducts, and extensive glasswork framing views of the Diablo Foothills.
From the base of the hillside, a cable car and staircase lead up the multi-level residence.
A contrasting modernist style prevails throughout the interior, accentuated by clean lines, geometric patterns, and eccentric details.
The current owners commissioned Nance to build the home after spending several years finalizing a design that could maintain the natural topography without grading. Inspired by the building typology of Sea Ranch—the distinctive coastal community located further north in California—Nance incorporated elements such as the wood-clad facade and sloping roofs to allow the home to blend into its rugged surroundings.
A formal dining area sits at one end of the central living space. The atrium-like space is enclosed by wall-to-wall windows on two sides.
On the opposite side of the dining area, in the middle of the home, a section of terra cotta tile surrounds a suspended circular fireplace. Skylights top the double-height space.
Inside, the three-story structure offers large public areas illuminated by numerous skylights, clerestory windows, and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. Three bedrooms and three full bathrooms are spread out within the 2,750-square-foot home, which also offers imported Italian cabinetry in the kitchen and numerous other custom features. Nance received an "Excellence in Design" award shortly after the home's completion in 1981.
A large living area sits opposite the fireplace, the two spaces divided by exposed trusses and beams overhead. Large windows overlook distant views of the rolling landscape.
A closer look at the views of Diablo Foothills Regional Park from the front of the home.
At the base of the double lot sits an original barn and a detached garage/office building. A sports court and adjacent patio area, along with a pool and spa, are also located at the bottom of the hill. In total, the property offers just over two-and-a-half acres of land in Alamo’s Westside neighborhood, with less than a 10-minute walk into town and within commuting distance of downtown San Francisco. Scroll further to see more of this unique property, currently listed for $3,295,000.
A keyhole doorway separates the main space and several smaller sitting areas.
A sunken reading area is one of a few spaces in this wing of the home.
Back out in the main living area, the kitchen offers Italian cabinetry, Sub-Zero appliances, and a large central island. A long stretch of windows illuminate butcher block countertops.
A private deck is accessible from the kitchen, with a small section extending to meet one of the many oak trees that stud the hillside.
Upstairs, one of three bedrooms is located in a loft area. This sunny space features a midcentury-style fireplace and a sunken bed system.
The master bathroom features a vanity along one wall with a sunken tub on the opposite side.
Another bedroom on the lower level is defined by circular walls clad in cedar shake siding.
Another bathroom features colorful fixtures, as well as a skylight and porthole window.
The rear of the home is nestled into the hillside. A restored barn at the bottom of the hill features a hay loft and circular stained glass window.
A side profile of the home shows the many levels and cantilevered sections.
A waterfall trickles down the hillside to meet a pool at the base of the lot. Rocks surrounding the pool were brought in from nearby Healdsburg, California.
The current owners purchased an adjacent lot in 1984, tearing down the original structure and building a detached, five-car garage with a studio space above. The second level is currently set up as a large home office with multiple desks and a half bathroom.
An aerial view of the property shows the sports court, barn, and main residence.
1642 Las Trampas Road is currently listed for $3,295,000 by Ana O'Byrne and Andy Read of Caldecott Properties.
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