MCM Looker in Livermore

An unaltered home is a rare find these days.

Rich with color, texture, and history, the beauty of purchasing an original home is that it reflects the purity of the concepts of the original architect or designer.

In contrast, much of the today's residential real estate is lost to passing trends that often change the character of a home, such as applying a blizzard of white paint to interiors. Living spaces are often so drastically remodeled that natural woods are covered over, and original features removed, erased by the layers of time.

Happily, out in Livermore, in the far reaches of the East Bay, we recently came across a real find, a one-owner home that's priced just under a mil.

Located at 2347 Chateau Way, the custom mid-century home is listed at $998,000 by Mary Evans of Coldwell Banker Realty.

"This is the first time this home has ever been for sale since it was built in 1961," says Evans.

As visitors enter, they are greeted by a beautiful vista of the backyard framed by the home's wide window walls.

"The moment you walk in the door you feel the warmth and beauty of the architectural design," she says, pointing out that every room has windows, and all the glass and beamed ceilings are "quite magnificent."

The property is situated so that the backyard abuts the Arroyo Mocho Trail, with private access for hikers and cyclists.

"Twice a year you have goats back there eating the grass," Evans says, painting a pleasant picture of the area.

According to Evans, 2347 Chateau Way was custom built and designed by an industrial designer friend of the family. Not much is known about this talented gentleman, Ulf Helgesson.