A Midcentury With Japanese-Style Gardens Lists for $1.4M in the San Francisco Bay Area
In 1962, San Francisco Bay Area architect Hal Thiederman and his wife, artist Elivia Thiederman, bought a two-bedroom home built in 1949 in the Berkeley Hills community of Kensington, California. Two years later, Hal and Elivia—both graduates of the University of California, Berkeley—remodeled and expanded the original residence, infusing the midcentury structure with a Japanese-influenced design.
Noted Bay Area architect Hal Thiederman and his wife, artist Elivia Thiederman, remodeled and expanded the residence at 205 Lake Drive in Kensington, California, in 1964. The longtime homeowners, now passed, updated the structure with Japanese-influenced indoor and outdoor spaces. Vintage clay lanterns hang at the entry near the golden-yellow front door.
The late owners of the dwelling, which is now on the market for $1,395,000, updated the layout to include 2,240 square feet of interior space with two bedrooms and three bathrooms spread across two floors. During the 1964 remodel and expansion, Elivia—who was a passionate gardener—also created the contemplative gardens that surround the residence, filled with azaleas, rhododendrons, ferns, succulents, and orchids.
A spherical stone path evoking lily pads on a river leads to the front entrance.
A landscaped path with spherical stones evoking lily pads on a river leads to the golden-yellow front door, where a vintage clay lantern hangs at the entry, matching another in the nearby living room. Walls of glass and a beamed ceiling with a rectangular clerestory let in a flood of natural light and frame views of the forested landscape. Wood-paneled walls, built-in bookshelves, and a brick fireplace infuse the main living area with warmth.
A vintage clay lantern hangs from the rectangular clerestory in the living room.
A window-lined reading alcove in the living room receives plenty of natural light.
Built-in bookshelves and a brick fireplace complement the living room’s wood-paneled walls.
The main living area opens to a large, wraparound balcony that overlooks the rear garden and the canyon beyond. A spacious roof deck on the far end of the structure connects to the compact dining room with built-in china cabinets and sliding glass doors.
The dining room connects to a large roof deck via sliding glass doors. "There was originally an observatory tower for gazing at the night sky," says listing agent Todd Hodson of the TTL Team at Red Oak Realty. "Although the dome is no longer there and the tower is now roofed, you can still climb the spiral stairs hidden behind a door from the dining room up to the viewing space."
The narrow kitchen offers plenty of storage with built-in wooden cabinets and long countertops.
A spiral staircase that connects the home’s two levels offers access to the principal bedroom, which includes its own wood-burning fireplace and an en suite bathroom. On one side of the principal suite, a wall of windows overlooks the serene garden. In the opposite wing on the lower level, a large office space with a built-in desk designed by the late architect and former homeowner is separated by sliding wall panels from another bedroom with floor-to-ceiling shelving and glass doors that open to the rear courtyard.
On the lower level, one of the bedrooms includes floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and sliding glass doors that open to the garden. A spacious office with a built-in desk designed by the late architect and longtime homeowner is separated from the sleeping area by sliding wall panels.
"This unique property is imbued throughout with a sense of artistry and calm, and an appreciation of space and beauty," says listing agent Todd Hodson, who represents the residence with Tania Balazs and Lisa Robesch of the TTL Team at Red Oak Realty. "It has the classic elements of the midcentury style that flows into the beautiful Japanese-style gardens." Scroll ahead to see more of the peaceful San Francisco Bay Area home, which is currently listed for $1,395,000.
As part of the 1964 remodel, Elivia—who was a passionate gardener—created the lush courtyards that surround the residence, filled with azaleas, rhododendrons, ferns, succulents, and orchids. Among the elements influenced by traditional Japanese garden design are the spherical stone pavers that form walkways.
A wraparound balcony overlooks the Japanese-inspired backyard.
The residence at 205 Lake Drive in Kensington, California, overlooks Wildcat Canyon and Tilden Park in the Berkeley Hills of the San Francisco Bay Area.
205 Lake Drive in Kensington, California, is currently listed for $1,395,000 by Todd Hodson, Tania Balazs, and Lisa Robesch of the TTL Team at Red Oak Realty.
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