House on a hill: Design of a Portola Valley home drew inspiration from views and terrain

By JANE KNOERLE

After living in 11 houses, Barbara and Chuck Harwood finally have their dream home. "I love building houses, but I never got my dream house until now," says Mrs. Harwood.

The Harwoods moved into their 3,800-square-foot, eight-room home in the Portola Valley hills a year ago. Their architect -- and son-in-law -- Mark Pearcy says: "In many ways it is the quintessential Portola Valley home. Unlike most houses in the area, this home is not based on a historical style. The land's dynamic features and the clients' lifestyle were the ... inspirations."

However you describe it, the house is a stunner.

Set atop a hill on a pie-shaped, one-acre lot, the home was designed with four floor levels, terraced to follow the site's sloping topography. The home enjoys an unobstructed view of Windy Hill and is accessible by a 200-foot-long gravel driveway, positioned to preserve the lot's mature oak trees and to minimize grading. Both the house and driveway retaining walls are supported by about 120 drilled concrete piers that penetrate 12 feet into bedrock, says Mr. Pearcy.

Spectacular scenery defines this house. "We're much more in touch with nature here," says Barbara Harwood, as a herd of seven deer stroll by the living room windows.

The Harwoods, who have built homes in Nantucket and Corning, New York, lived in a traditional ranch house in Portola Valley for 25 years before finding their dramatic property in 1996.

How did the lot remain empty all those years, one might ask? "I think people thought, 'It's a great lot but how do I get into it?'" says Mr. Harwood.

Before the Harwoods came along, potential buyers shied away from the property because of the odd configuration and sloping topography, according to Mr. Pearcy. The site did not have a level building area. A long driveway was required through an area with a steep cross-slope.

Mr. Pearcy, a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Architecture, was licensed in 1987 and founded his own firm, Mark Pearcy Architecture, in Burlingame in 1996. The Harwoods had confidence in the young architect since he had also drawn the plans for a family room and office in their previous home. "They tested me on that one," he says with a smile.

Designing his first house from scratch took Mr. Pearcy a year. Building it took another 15 months.

The Harwoods had definite ideas. They liked natural materials, stone and wood, and wanted the house to fit into the landscape. They were fond of post-and-beam construction, a feature they'd enjoyed in their Nantucket house. "It takes time for me to make up my mind," says Mrs. Harwood, "but once I do I never change."

The Harwoods interviewed six contractors before selecting the Denis Brothers of Burlingame. They had been impressed with the brothers' work in building the Noel Fenton house in Portola Valley. According to Mrs. Harwood, the building process went very smoothly.

Mr. Pearcy built several models of the house, which helped both the Harwoods and the Portola Valley Planning Commission visualize the completed project. Plans breezed through the town's application process, with no objections from the neighbors.

In addition to a carport, the house boasts an entry, gallery, study, dining room, kitchen, family room, living room, guest bedroom, master bedroom and bathrooms. "This house is a tiny bit smaller (than their previous house), but it has more living space," says Mrs. Harwood.

At the heart of the Harwood's home is the kitchen, with its ceiling that soars to 17 feet. Kitchen cabinets are white oak. Granite countertops complement a floor of Vermont-green slate.

Family room, dining room and living room all flow from this central core. "I didn't want it to be closed off," explains Mrs. Harwood. From her command post, "I can peer over into the living room," she adds.

Family room, dining room and step-down living room all have white oak floors. Built-in shelves and storage allow room for books and a flock of family photos. The formal dining room can seat 14.

Despite the contemporary design of the house, the Harwoods have furnished it with traditional furniture.

"We have our mothers' and grandmothers' furniture," says Mrs. Harwood. The guest room, known familiarly as "Chuck's mother's room," has red wallpaper, Victorian furniture and childhood portraits of family members.

As far as their bedroom goes, the Harwoods say it is like living in a tree house, since the windows overlook the treetops. "You can dive out the window into the swimming pool," Mr. Harwood says with a smile.

The two bedrooms and bath on the lower level are great for visiting children and grandchildren and can be closed off when not in use. (The Harwoods have six children and 16 grandchildren.) Kids can walk right outside to the deck and swimming pool. "The kids also love the hot tub and the trampoline," Mrs. Harwood says. The downstairs bathroom saves a lot of trailing of wet footprints through the house.

The two major portions of the house have natural gray metal roofs and smooth siding; other areas of the home have aggregate surface roofs and rough texture siding. "This gives different parts of the house their own identity," says Mr. Pearcy, "and it helps reduce the mass of the house." All exterior siding is Western red cedar.

This family home got off to a good start last March when 17 people stayed there the weekend that the Harwoods moved in. It was a celebration of Barbara Harwood's birthday. "This house is good for entertaining, except for the driveway," she says.

At an age when many couples opt for town-house or condominium living, the Harwoods are happy with their hillside house. "This is our 11th house and I knew it was going to be better than any house I've lived in," says Barbara Harwood.

"I wouldn't change a thing," adds her husband.