Rustic Elegance - A Tuscan-style Farmhouse with Breathtaking Bay Views
by Kirsten Fairchilds
Their spectacular home is a combination of two stone buildings - one is reminiscent of an Italian country house known as a casale. While the view and open land were the initial draws for Hartmann and Danisch on their first visit to the underdeveloped property back in 1999, the pair has happily settled into a home that continues the concept of open space indoors as well.
"We wanted room because we have a lot of family - we have a lot of grandchildren," Danisch said. "Our first night we stayed here was Christmas Eve - it was just the two of us. Then we had 12 people to dinner on Christmas Day. Between Christas Day and the middle of April, we have had 63 people stay here overnight."
With a detached three-car garage and 800-square-foot studio nearby, the house has a total of four bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms. It also has an inviting game room, complete with a curved bar that can change into eight different colors at the click of a button. But the major ooh-and-ah factor of the home's interior is the great room. At 45 feet wide and 25 feet high, it is the largest single room ever built by Howerton.
Noteworthy details include two interior murals painted by Santa Cruz artist Laurel Bushman, the custom interior doors by Robin Kopit of Extraordinary Doors in Santa Cruz and the integration of native grasses and plants by landscape architect Randy Thueme Design of San Francisco.
"It really is one of the most architecturally striking homes in the county," said Howerton, who broke ground on the project in April 2009. "The juxtaposition of the old and the new - the marriage between Italian countryside and contemporary - and how well it's incorporated really makes this home unique."
The home's sleek elegance belies the amount of planning and effort involved in creating it.
"When you look at a contemporary house, everything seems to be so simple - clean lines, not a lot of trim," Howerton continued. "But to make it all look simple is an incredible amount of work. To get through a project like this where everyone is happy with the finished product, and to be able to give bob and Denise our best work and have them appreciate and love it, really is the most satisfying thing."