Ann Newton Cane

Nestled between Piedmont and Montclair, this home rests on a quiet hillside street. Architectural engineers Bob and Mary Hart built the home as their own. It offers 3 bedrooms and 21⁄2 bathrooms and intimate seating areas amidst nature. From a wood deck and brick patio, enter past lemon trees to a foyer that leads on every side to the home’s living areas. To the right is the spacious dining room,

A rare architectural masterpiece by Henry Hill, a founder of the Second Bay Tradition. Privately sited on one of Orinda’s most coveted streets, this landmark estate blends timeless modernist design with nature. Invisible from the road, the home is nestled among majestic oaks and reached by a gated private drive. Enter the home under a sloping beamed ceiling. The formal dining room seats 8-10,

The Del Rey area is a beehive of family activity, with couples walking the flat neighborhood with their dogs, or with children to school. This home, on a quiet cul-de-sac, is just a 4-minute walk to Del Rey Elementary, and less than a mile to Orinda Intermediate and Miramonte High. Enter the home to a foyer; the open-concept living area lies ahead, over Brazilian cherry hardwoods. The dining

This Mediterranean estate is up a shady lane in Upper Happy Valley, removed from traffic and noise and yet with easy freeway access. The formal entertainment areas lie on each side of the foyer: a living room (with fireplace), and the dining room (seating 10 or more). Ceilings are 15-24 feet overhead, and hardwoods lie underneath. The oversized kitchen sits adjacent, featuring elite appliances,

Tucked away near the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, this home offers elegant indoor-outdoor living just minutes from charming downtown Danville. Enter past twin water features into a foyer with 15-ft ceiling. The chef’s kitchen features marble counters, Miele and Wolf appliances, dual refrigerator-freezers, and a breakfast nook with garden views. The adjacent family/living room offers vaulted

A circular driveway leads to a portico with Doric columns. Enter into a foyer with 20-foot ceilings overhead and walnut floors underneath. Entertain in the formal living room with a large wood fireplace. Recessed lighting sets the mood. The formal dining room accommodates a table of any size. The deck alongside offers garden views. The sunroom features floor-to-ceiling windows on 3 sides. In the

This family-friendly home is in an exceptionally family-friendly neighborhood, just a 3-minute walk to Burton Valley Elementary. The welcoming exterior beckons residents and guests from the street. Enter to a grand living room under skylights and a 25-foot ceiling. The living room leads seamlessly to the open-concept kitchen, with elite appliances, a wine refrigerator, garden views, a walk-in

This Mediterranean-style home sits on a quiet street, well removed from traffic, halfway between downtown Orinda and Miramonte High. Enter past a manicured garden. A short flight of stairs, in distinctive Brazilian cherry, invites one upward to the main floor. Large windows draw in cheery morning sun. The living/family room covers 520 square feet under a coffered ceiling, with a wet bar and

A landscape architect/urban planner built this home on a 1⁄2+ acre lot in the Berkeley Claremont Hills, overlooking the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge. The living room, with a peaked ceiling above and hardwoods below, is the center for social gatherings. Families may dine in the formal dining room, or casually in the open floorplan kitchen/family room. French doors everywhere provide garden and pool