948 Hilldale Ave, Berkeley, CA 94708

Hidden behind classic villa walls, an unexpected, expansive experience awaits: an iconic, panoramic 3-bridge view that stretches from the south bay and up over the Marin headlands to Mt. Tam. With the first step into the sun-drenched courtyard, you arrive somewhere else entirely. A sliver of light between the main house and the detached 2-story garage offers a narrow glimpse of blue water and city skyline. The kind of peek-through view you might catch between villas on a Mediterranean hillside. Inside, the foyer opens to the main staircase, and leads into the large sunken living room, where the house really begins to reveal itself. Nearly an entire wall of glass opens seamlessly onto a large viewing deck, an extraordinary setting where the term indoor-outdoor living doesn’t quite capture the moment. As dramatic as the sky tends to be on a tangerine sunset evening, the feeling of the home is relaxed, lived-in, inviting. Doors left open, something cooking in the kitchen, deciding between lounging in the sunny courtyard or any one of the multiple outdoor spaces. With a white stucco exterior, aegean blue-trimmed windows, and a signature terra-cotta tile roof, this gracious 3BR, 3BA, 2816sf home has unmistakable Mediterranean character and a gracious layout that expands over 2 structures and multiple levels. Every part of the home is designed around the view. The main house begins level-in from the courtyard and opens to a foyer, the large living room, and dining room with the main deck just through the glass doors. The charming eat-in kitchen opens through a dutch door to the courtyard for morning coffee or afternoon siestas. Up the main staircase, an en suite bedroom soaks up the views, and a second bedroom is quiet and spacious. From the main floor, you go down to the lower level where a wonderfully private primary or guest suite opens up. With a sunroom, its own deck, and an exterior entrance gives flexibility of use and separation from the rest of the home. The 2-story garage has easy access at street level, and interior access from the garage to the courtyard to the main house is almost seamless. The upper level of the detached garage has a full bathroom, a flex space, and a downstairs bonus room with separate entrance. Future expansion possibilities are endless - think ADU, gym, music room, home office, or guest house covered in blooming bougainvillea. Outside, multiple terraces and a garden cascading down the hillside await. HES 4.