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A Gutterson Colonial classic
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(Courtesy photo)
The well-preserved St. Francis Woods home sits on over 16,000 square feet of lush grounds. Among St. Francis Wood’s stately homes, perhaps none deserves the label “grand” more than the white colonial sitting at 1625 Monterey Blvd. One of a row of homes built on oversized lots, it seems a window to a different time, when the high-end of real estate was based more on lifestyle than cutting-edge design. The home, which has approximately 4,000 square feet, was designed in 1923 by notable Bay Area architect Henry Gutterson. Gutterson, who worked alongside Willis Polk and Bernard Maybeck during his career, is known more for his arts-and-crafts-inspired works. With this home — as with his other St. Francis Wood projects — he sidestepped those influences, creating instead a classic Colonial with large rooms and a simple layout whose interior design is inseparable from the land on which it sits. “[Gutterson] was known for the settings of his homes,” explains realtor Barbara Callan, listing agent for 1625 Monterey Blvd. “He felt you had to see all the greenery and light from inside the house.” This home, continues Callan, is special because it has been owned by the same family, a physician, his wife and their two children, since 1947. “They raised their children in this home,” she says. “[The wife] just died, one month short of her 98th birthday,” she says. The family kept the home in pristine, original condition and the grounds surrounding the house are immaculate. So instead of ill-advised dated remodels, 1625 Monterey Blvd. boasts original details — molding, floors, windows — as elegant now as when they were new. Each of the 3½ bathrooms is also original. Today, it seems, “high-end” means cutting-edge design, unusual materials, execution that might appeal more to designers than actual homeowners. In this context, the well-preserved and familiar style of 1625 Monterey Blvd. is appealing —and a great relief. Even in trendy San Francisco, a bit of tradition endures. WHERE: San Francisco ASKING PRICE: $3,295,000 PROPERTY TAX: $42,835* THE PROPERTY: 1923 St. Francis Wood Colonial with five bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms, ocean view, 16,000-plus square feet of landscaped grounds. NOTABLE: Designed by renowned architect Henry Gutterson; in same family for 61 years. AGENT: Barbara Callan, McGuire Real Estate, (415) 351-4688. www.streetsofsanfrancisco.com |
