Tucked into the hills of Marin County, a striking new residence deftly settles into its surroundings. San Francisco-based architect Andrew Mann designed the 7,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home for a local couple seeking a retreat that felt gracious, welcoming and deeply connected to its woodland setting.
The hilltop property came with steep topography, sweeping valley views — and a rambling old vacation home, built in First Bay Tradition style in the 1890s for a San Francisco family. Even though the home didn’t meet the standards for historic preservation, Mann saved the oldest part of the house, with its steep rooflines and signature gables, while completely rebuilding the inside and expanding the footprint.
“We essentially picked up the existing house, turned it and moved it to the edge of the ridge to optimize the quintessential California views and allow for additional outdoor space with a pool and pool house,” Mann says. “We kept the form and the character of the original structure, but we rebuilt it entirely to create something luxurious and elegant.”
The resulting home feels at once grounded and light-filled, blending traditional wood gables and cedar siding with sleek metal finishes and rectangular shapes for a contemporary feel. Materials like wood, stone, bronze and copper were chosen for longevity and tactility. The patinated stainless steel roof, which mimics the look of zinc, is intended to complement the surrounding metal finishes, even as they evolve over time.
Interior Designer Antonio Martins traces the idea for the metal window and door casings back to a dark bronze sculpture he once saw on his travels. “It all began with that piece, “he says, “I love the texture and the richness of the bronze — it has this timeless feel that’s so beautiful.”
Floor-to-ceiling glass also keeps the stunning natural surroundings ever-present. Even the primary bath opens to a private sun deck. “We’re interested in views through spaces to the outdoors,” Mann explains. “There’s always a visual anchor, whether it’s the garden, a sculpture or just the light coming through a specific opening.”
The house, built by San Francisco-based Oarcon, feels warm and welcoming despite its impressive scale. One of Mann’s primary goals was to design the home in such a way that it could flex between everyday family living and large-scale entertaining. The homeowners, who often host gatherings with friends and extended family, wanted spaces that could adapt, whether hosting an intimate weekend brunch or a dinner party for two dozen guests.
That balance plays out in the elongated dining room, which opens onto the trellised pool deck via expansive, multipanel sliding glass doors. Close the doors, and the room becomes a formal space framed in bronze; open them, and the space flows effortlessly into the sun-drenched courtyard and alfresco entertaining area. The spacious kitchen can also be closed off from the dining room via pocketing textured glass doors.
In the same vein, the home’s circulation plan invites both movement and moments of pause. Mann designed a central hallway that gives a sense of order to how the spaces are organized. It acts as a strong axis through the home, guiding occupants through a series of spaces — the living room, family room and dining room — that shift subtly in mood and light. The hallway ends in a quiet garden courtyard with a stone Buddha sculpture that invites stillness and reflection.
A sculptural bronze staircase inside the grand, double-height entryway is a focal point in the home — its clean linesand stunning craftsmanship set the tone for what’s to come. Constructed to look like a seamless piece of metal, it was designed by Martins and fabricated and installed by Oakland-based IronGrain.
Throughout the home, Martins curated a quiet palette that mirrors the peaceful landscape outside. “These are spaces meant to be lived in,” he says. “We avoided anything too trendy or fashionable. We focused on quality and timeless materials that would give the home longevity.”
Clean lines, natural materials and thoughtful craftsmanship are on display in every room. A bronze fireplace mantel sculpted with tropical leaves by New York-based artist Gianluca Pacchioni is the centerpiece of the living room. The family room ceiling is clad in linen panels. In the kitchen, custom cabinetry by San Francisco’s StudioBecker is complemented by the marble countertops and backsplash and a custom steel hood crafted by IronGrain in Oakland. And over the dining table, a custom-made chandelier by David Wiseman — designed to mimic a branch from one of the property’s ancient live oak trees — brings the outdoors inside, in stunning fashion. “In every room, there’s at least one piece that’s exceptional — something that could be a collector’s item in 10, 15 or 20 years,” Martins says.
Outside, the team used the architecture itself to define a series of outdoor “rooms” — spaces that feel deeply rooted in the surrounding terrain — rather than relying on fences or walls. That connection is reinforced in the landscape design by San Francisco-based Strata Landscape Architecture. The hillside was originally dotted with mature ornamental shrubs — azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias — and the team at Strata worked hard to preserve as much of the original plantings as possible, along with several significant trees, including Japanese maples, mature oaks and redwoods. “Every plant selection was made to complement the existing palette while adding seasonal color and visual interest,” says Todd Cole, a landscape architect with Strata.
A focus on sustainability informed the use of solar arrays and a battery system aimed at reducing long-term environmental impact. And, given the risk of wildfires due to the home’s North Bay location in a remote area surrounded by old redwoods, conifers and oaks, Mann integrated a subtle exterior sprinkler system designed to coat the building and nearby vegetation in a nontoxic fire retardant if activated. “It’s a technical feature, but also a design one,” he says. “That kind of resilience is part of how we adapt architecture to place now.”
In the end, what sets the home apart is the way it feels inextricably tied to its location. From the preservation of part of the property’s original structure to the integration of topography, Mann’s design feels natural and thoughtful. “To me, this house embodies what I strive for in my work,” he says. “It’s personal, and it’s connected to the landscape. It’s about craft, detail and rigor. And, it’s rooted in its place. This is a house that wouldn’t feel right anywhere else.”
