A striking contemporary home, the sculptural construction is oriented towards distant views.
Bernard Andre for Sotheby’s International Realty
Incorporated in 1964, Portola Valley, California began as an affordable location for artists and progressive academics looking for close proximity to Stanford and Palo Alto. Today, Portola Valley maintains its simple charm, but is consistently listed among the wealthiest places to live in the U.S. With a population of fewer than 5,000, Portola Valley offers the rare combination of small-town friendliness with Silicon Valley sophistication.
As befits a wealthy and progressive town, it also offers superb examples of contemporary homes, including this 7,965 square foot masterpiece designed by Swatt / Miers Architects. The 6-bedroom estate, completed in 2014, offers dramatic architecture, luxury finishes and cinematic bay views with San Francisco visible in the distance.
“It is rare to have an architecturally significant home that’s so recently constructed come on the market,” says listing broker Michael Dreyfus of Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty. “Everything in the home is new, beautifully designed and functional.”
Listed for $33 million, the art-filled home belongs to psychologist Nicole Vidalakis, who operates a concierge practice that focuses on only a couple of clients. Her home has been extensively published, including in the 2017 book The American House: 100 Contemporary Homes. It is the culmination of several years of collaboration with Emeryville-based architect Robert Swatt after she purchased the property in 2008.
Striking interiors are composed of glass, wood and stone.
Bernard Andre
The home’s interior, which is enclosed primarily with glass walls, has six bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three partial baths. The inside-out design features terraces and patios; from the third floor, the distant San Francisco views are glorious. There are also terraces accessible from the master bedroom and the ground floor opens to patios. There is an outdoor kitchen, a garage and two separate one-bedroom guest houses. The land includes mature 100-year-old oak trees, olive trees, wisteria and Japanese maple trees. Pomegranates, limes, avocados, apples and lemons also grow there. Ms. Vidalakis said she also planted some rare fruits from Asia.
The landscaping has been carefully designed to maximize the natural beauty of the 3.7-acre semi-rural parcel and showcases the 84-foot infinity edge swimming pool with its striking, sculptural cobalt-blue sunshade.
Inside and out, art heightens the sculptural qualities of the home, much of it designed by the artists to fit specific sites. Ms. Vidalakis is willing to entertain offers for those, as well.
