5678 Ocean View, Oakland

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The ubiquitous East Bay bungalow is typically a single story affair with public spaces on one side and bedrooms on the other, but occasionally one runs into the less common 1-1/2 story bungalow such as the home we visit today. This Rockridge home takes full advantage of its large dormers and high gable by moving all of the bedrooms upstairs into the half story. This makes for great separation between the public and private rooms of the house and leaves more room downstairs for lots of great original woodwork and built-ins.

7 Veteran, Oakland

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Today we have another nice Glenview home to share – this one in the storybook style. Veteran Way is a short street with an interesting cluster of homes which were obviously built by the same developer. It is not clear whether they were built by Dixon and Hillen who were responsible for most of the storybook tracts in the East Bay or by JC Scammell who built the interesting Spanish Colonial homes a couple of blocks away on Elston, but either way the result is impressive.

This particular home has a façade dominated by a great turret staircase and clinker brick chimney. Inside, the wrought iron and rough-hewn wood elements are used pretty sparingly, but all of the ceiling framing in the public rooms is left exposed, giving lie to the many applied box beams out there aspiring to create the same rustic appearance.

1346 El Centro, Oakland

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The home du jour is a lovely Glenview shingle-style that boasts almost completely intact public spaces. Divided lights, pocket doors, paneling, built-ins, and even great period light fixtures – everything is in its place and in nice original condition. And with its well-appointed modern kitchen, this home has a little something for everyone.

241 Sequoia, Walnut Creek

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This unusual Walnut Creek postmodern home was the personal residence of Jim Simmons, owner of Tassajara Development. Though much of Tassajara’s more recent residential work has leaned toward a suburban mini-mansion aesthetic, this early home shows a more considered design. The exterior has a massing that is decidedly postmodern with its stacked volumes jutting out at all angles, but some of the detailing owes quite heavily to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian work. Inside, the home is very representative of the period in which it was built, but the spaces are nicely arranged and well finished.

424 60th, Oakland

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Today we feature an expanded Rockridge bungalow with an unusual stacked wood porch gable. The fireplace has been painted, but almost all of the rest of the original woodwork appears to have survived in the public rooms including some nice divided light windows and built-ins. And for those who prefer their period details to come with a few modern amenities the home includes recently updated baths and kitchen.

5 La Noria, Orinda

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This woodsy Orinda mid-century is at heart a large custom ranch. But designer William Kirk has made the spaces inside much more compelling than those typically found in this ubiquitous form by opening entire walls with floor to ceiling glazing. Kirk is not a designer that we are otherwise familiar with, but this particular structure is quite thoughtful without being too radical. It is a home that could potentially appeal to both traditionalists and progressives alike which is as difficult a middle ground to find in architecture as it is in any other discipline.

80 Selkirk, Oakland

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Today we feature an interesting Redwood Heights home with some particularly unusual hybrid detailing. At first glance, the home is decidedly prairie with its prominent masonry chimney and horizontal massing with windows tucked up high under the eaves. Upon approaching the entrance, however, one is struck by the entrance portico which looks remarkably postmodern and the art deco door hardware. Inside, the details are mostly deco with a great curved built-in sideboard and period bathroom.