Siteline | An Interior Designer’s Provençal Compound

Noteworthy new listings….

The charm is way off the charts at 1721 East Valley Road ($10 million), interior designer Penelope Bianchi’s much-published Provençal compound at the south end of East Valley Lane. Every inch of the place, inside and out, has been embellished to delectable effect. The bones are solid even if you were to start fresh: two-bedroom house, guest house, detached garage on 2.07 landscaped acres across from the Ennisbrook Open Space, with access to the amenities of Ennisbrook and Oprah Winfrey as a neighbor.

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1547 Shoreline Drive ($15.25 million) is a foxy contemporary on the Mesa bluff, built in 1996 and still looking sharp—I can’t imagine anyone’s eyes not popping out of their head the first time they step inside. When it sold for $16.2 million in January 2023, it included the half-acre vacant lot next door (sold soon after for $5.5 million, and a new house is in the works), as well as a bit more land at the bluff’s edge—as you can see in the last photo, erosion is gnawing at the “secret hideaway” under the deck.

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Built in 2005, 338 Toro Canyon Road ($23.5 million) is heavy on the Tuscan elements popular at the time, some of which could be smoothed away without too much trouble. And it’s big, around 8,725 square feet, with a gracious floor plan, as long as you’re fine with all four bedrooms being upstairs. (Love the hot tub located on a balcony right off the primary.) The land is a huge draw: 10-plus flat acres with vineyards and equestrian facilities, including a swanky barn, hot walker, and riding arena. The sellers are willing buy the grapes from whoever buys the property, although I could see the temptation to sacrifice some of the vineyards for a dedicated guest house.

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There’s an argument to be made that 815 Hot Springs Road ($16.5 million) is worth the investment, even though the 1999 house is ripe for an update—namely, two acres in an A+ location, with much of the flag lot on the south side of the house, and the pool down and off to the side but still easily accessible.

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The sweet 1924 Spanish house at 24 W. Junipero Street ($2.995 million), at the north end of Wellington Avenue, got expanded at some point, and as a result, it’s much larger than comparable properties. The kitchen and primary bath are legitimately spacious; a family room is toward the rear, and there’s even a pool. Surfaces want updating but that shouldn’t stop someone from pouncing.

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410 N. Hope Avenue ($2.95 million) is a fascinating one. It started out as a barn, built in the early 1900s, when the surrounding area was a farm. (The original house is still next door.) To function as a house, it got carved up, with one en-suite bedroom, an en-suite apartment, and three bedrooms that share a hallway bath. The structure sits at the rear of the lot, so any kids are playing either in the front yard or, more likely, in the bright sunroom or the rad upstairs rumpus room. P.S. Despite the address, the house is actually on Lincolnwood Place, a nice cul-de-sac east of N. Hope.

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Also others worth checking out:
••• 197 Tiburon Bay Lane ($8.795 million): Flat .9 acre on a Hedgerow-adjacent gated street, but the 2001 four-bedroom feels a little undercooked.
••• 193 E. Mountain Drive ($5.995 million): Boxy 1986 compound with ocean views.
••• 485 Monarch Lane ($6.495 million): Ennisbrook casita with high ceilings and some quirky surfaces.
••• 235 Constance Lane ($3.875 million): Very livable three-bedroom on an Upper East cul-de-sac.
••• 1066 Via Los Padres ($3.625 million): Quick flip of a Park Highlands three-bedroom with views; the seller paid $3.42 million last October.
••• 955 Garcia Road ($2.795 million): 1923 Lower Riviera three-bedroom.
••• 1336 Manitou Road ($2.749 million): Bel Air Knolls three-bedroom on the east side of a hill.
••• 627 Rolling Brook Lane ($2.575 million): 1962 fixer off N. La Cumbre Road.
••• 12 Skyline Circle ($2.95 million): Adorable 1946 Alta Mesa two-bedroom with ocean views (below); the seller paid $2.05 million in April 2024.