Magical hills home with Bay views, and a 1954 Nagao Sakurai-designed garden

In the historic Arlington Estates development in the El Cerrito Hills, this unique and stunning home is the perfect blend of modern sophistication and eclectic charm. It was custom-built in 1939 for Lucile and David Rynin, an esteemed professor of philosophy at U.C. Berkeley. This is the first time ever on the market. It features an impressive Japanese-style garden originally designed in 1954 by renowned landscape architect Nagao Sakurai, who was the Chief Gardener at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for twenty years, and after immigrating to the U.S. became one of the leading post-war designers of Japanese Gardens in the country. Sakurai designed Japan's entries to the 1939 New York World's Fair and the 1939 San Francisco Pan Pacific Exposition. Among his many well-known local projects are the Zen Garden at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, and the Japanese Garden in San Mateo. Now owned by the grandson of Lucile and David, every effort has been made to restore and enhance the original spirit of this special home without sacrificing its authenticity, including the revival of the garden and the spectacular waterfall.

This home has a bit of magic and romance at every turn. A central entryway invites you into the superb redwood paneled living room with its soaring beamed ceilings, majestic brick fireplace, and gorgeous views out to the Bay. Remodeled and refreshed, the home has been extensively updated with a new kitchen and three new baths, many new Marvin windows, and a new dual-level deck for enjoying the outdoors. An adjacent vacant lot below the property is included in the sale, an intriguing possibility to build another dwelling or perhaps a vineyard!

• 3+ bedrooms, including a romantic primary en-suite on the lower level with views, expansive closets, a luxury bathroom with a separate tiled shower, soaking tub, and dual-vanity
• 3 fully remodeled bathrooms (2024)
• 2,534 square feet of living space per architectural drawings
• Remodeled kitchen with quartz counters and Fireclay custom tile backsplash, large pantry closet, and new, high-end Bosch and Fisher Paykel stainless appliances (2024)
• Kitchen opens to a gorgeous redwood paneled dining room with views to the Bay and a glass door to the new expansive decks