On a Street Named Shangrila - Page 2

Climbing up the wooden steps to the front door, the visitor finds a welcoming atrium that opens to the sky and sets the tone, filling the home with natural light and a relaxing, rustic feel that is skillfully combined with the purest of ‘70s-modern design.

Sparks, who is well known for his use of dramatic, natural lighting and earthy woods, clearly outdid himself designing the Shangrila home.

"It's the uniqueness of the house, and people just love Carter Sparks," Reno adds. "The owners have lived there since 1987 and haven't changed anything."

The Shangrila home presents a setting that could be straight out of a mid-century Sunset magazine. The living room looks out into the open-air atrium and is ideal for entertaining, incorporating elegance with practical features (another characteristic Sparks is known for). The space is warmed by a dramatic, two-sided fireplace with a cantilevered hearth that opens onto the kitchen/dining area fitted with sleek woodwork and built-ins that feature expansive floating seating, cabinetry, and lighting.

Continuing the modern layout is a step-down, spacious kitchen with original wood cabinetry, tile countertops, and elegant hanging fixtures that mirror the living room lighting. A window wall above the sink looks out towards the adjoining areas, with the open-beam ceilings visible above the cabinetry.

A pass-thru, from the kitchen into the adjacent dining room, makes for convenient dinner service, with a built-in buffet and sliding doors opening from the dining area onto an outdoor patio and garden complete with built-in wooden slat benches.

This home is the definition of a well-appointed architectural family home, and does not disappoint; the architect's hand and quirky nuances extend to the baths, as well as to the bedrooms, one of which was previously converted into a studio/office.

At the rear of the home a private deck looks beyond to lush plantings and trees, perhaps in need of trimming or even a new landscape plan.

If you've been searching for a Carter Sparks home, you won't want to miss this opportunity to, as Reno's listing says, "Come see what life could be like on Shangrila."

This one won't last long.