Young Architect’s Last Work - Page 2

"What I liked about the Orinda house was that perfect balance where there are people there so I wasn't isolated," she says. "But there are gardens with a pathway, and a small backyard, but bumped up against 50 acres with a river, so no one could build on it. Sometimes goats would even come back there!"

According to online sources, architect Donald Grier Hannum served in World War II, returning home to establish an architectural practice in Palo Alto with William Arthur Whifler, a high school classmate. Sadly, Hannum passed away at just 33 years of age, during the same year the Orinda home was completed. His partner went on to design a number of notable projects, including the Burlingame City Hall.

On .36 acres, the two-story, 1,917-square-foot home has three bedrooms and three baths. Connecting seamlessly to nature, the open living room area features tongue-and-groove redwood paneling, vaulted ceilings, walls of glass, and a sculptural two-sided fireplace. The living room flows into the dining room, and into a well-designed kitchen.

A skylit hallway, lined with clerestory windows and built-in storage, leads to two bedrooms, a full bath, and a master with an en suite bath.

Downstairs, the lower level holds a spacious den with a built-in wet bar, a full bath, and a separate entrance to the outdoors. It's ideal for overnight guests, home office, media room, or play area.

Nature is all around you at this home, where you can admire the majestic oaks, whether indoors or out, and see birds, deer, rabbits.

An attached two-car garage is well lit with a skylight, and features high ceilings and redwood paneling. The current owners used it as a home gym and studio/workshop.

In 2020, the home was upgraded with an engineered seismic retrofit. Three years earlier, electrical updates were made, including a 200-amp panel and service.

"I've been to multiple parties at this house over the years," Weinstein says. "One of the things you feel when you're inside is that it was built to host and to hold community.

"At the same time, it's an incredible place to sit and connect with nature. There's this rare quality, a friendliness and warmth to it, in a Lake Tahoe retreat kind of way."