68 Lincoln Avenue
Majestic Estate in Central Piedmont
Renowned architect Albert Farr designed this majestic Piedmont estate in 1920. Responsible also for designing Piedmont City Hall and a handful of homes in Piedmont and San Francisco, Farr combined a variety of architectural styles, producing inventive, spatially dynamic homes. Hallmarks of Farr creations include large interior public spaces with soaring ceilings, lush and intricate details and special attention to third-floor living space.
Four floors of living and entertaining space embody the grace of a bygone era and, at the same time, embrace the essence of contemporary living. The home showcases original details while tasteful remodeling brings the kitchen, bathrooms and additional elements exquisitely up to the moment. It features six generously proportioned bedrooms, five full baths plus three half baths, as well as an abundance of amenities, including a butler?s pantry, wine cellar, a library plus two offices, and a guest suite with its own kitchen and private entrance.
This prime, spacious, level-out lot in central Piedmont affords tremendous privacy as well as an entertaining paradise. As graciously as it accommodates intimate gatherings, the estate creates an extraordinary venue for hosting extremely large groups.
Main-floor public rooms are all oriented to take advantage of their views of and connection to the grounds. All flow seamlessly out to the grand stone terrace, equipped with an outdoor fireplace, and the expansive gardens beyond. Punctuating the deep, level stretch of lawn, landscaped with elegant, mature border plantings, a regal fountain extends, arriving at a satellite stone terrace. There, a serene seating spot offers an enchanting view of the rear facade of the home, marked by trellises, stone balconies with ornate ironwork, and a multitude of period windows, including third-floor dormers. Lavishly planted garden rooms flank the park-like center lawn. An English rose and topiary garden enclosed by decorative gates creates a charming, private seating area. A dramatic walkway, edged with lavish layers of flowering plants, features gravel underfoot, a vine-covered arched pergola overhead. Beyond, a glass greenhouse gleams, adjacent to a potting shed.
The home?s interior feels as stately as it does comfortable. Light-filled and generous, the entry is spacious enough to accommodate a grand piano, among other furnishings. Meticulously maintained original details bring character and elegance to the entry and the adjacent public rooms. Overhead, ceiling perimeters are trimmed in various floral-motif plaster moldings. Underfoot, glistening oak (a guess) flooring. Adorning the walls, wood moldings lend period style. Divided-light leaded windows yield garden views and abundant light. Antique chandeliers combine with a recessed lighting scheme, providing lighting that is as elegant as it is effectual.
Adjacent to the grand living room sits a welcoming sunroom, where enduring original details prevail from top to bottom. They include a box-beam ceiling, built-in shelving and a patterned stone floor in earthy terra cotta and aubergine.
Spacious and warm, the kitchen and family room invite family and guests to congregate, gathering around the island or relaxing in front of the fireplace. In the kitchen, commercial appliances meet heavy demands. They include a Subzero refrigerator and freezer, Thermador double ovens, Viking gas burners, and two full-size dishwashers. Custom cabinets cultivate an elegant, furnished effect, and a walk-in pantry creates further storage. Hand-painted backsplash tiles tie to those surrounding the family room fireplace, both of which reflect a Provencal aesthetic.
Just off the kitchen, a mudroom provides an additional front entry. And just off the family room, an office offers a quiet workspace not far from the fray.
Sandwiched between the charming breakfast room and the kitchen entry, a butler?s pantry offers storage at the ready for entertainment accoutrements and contains a bar sink and wine refrigerator. A powder room connected to the entry graciously comprises a separate washroom and water closet and features hand-painted tiles.
On the second floor, the master suite offers privacy, views, elegant stone balconies, a fireplace, sophisticated work and contemplation spaces and dual bathrooms. An adjoined study is steeped in old-world charm. Carved dark-wood built-ins lend formality, and abundant recessed lighting lends functionality. An office that connects to the master on the opposite side receives tremendous natural light and opens to a large, private stone roof terrace. From the terrace, with its decorative trellis and mature trees, the grounds below appear spectacular, and downtown Oakland and the Bay appear in the distance.
Each of the master suite?s stylishly remodeled and well-equipped bathrooms is roomy, incorporating considerable closets, in addition to the facilities.
Two additional bedrooms on the second floor share a Jack & Jill bath. Both have generous proportions, and one has its own stone balcony.
The third floor contains two more spacious bedrooms, a full bath and a unique retreat. Contours from dormer windows and the pitched roof frame the rooms with geometric charm, creating wonderful nooks and enchanting angles.
Below the main floor, a guest suite, with secure interior and exterior access, contains a full kitchen and bath, a living room and bedroom. Additional facilities on this floor include a sauna with shower, a half bath, a capacious laundry room equipped with two sets of washers and dryers, an exercise room, and a cedar-lined wine cellar.
The estate presents a profusion of airy, open spaces, which exist in equal proportion to its quiet, intimate spaces. As grand as it is functional, it provides amenities dedicated to a multitude of daily living and entertaining purposes, beautifully designed to suit them all.
