Published August 25, 2005

The stately Victorian ladies and Craftsman-style sweeties that characterize Sonoma's east side just got a new neighbor: a brash young thing that makes no apologies for her ultra-modern looks.

Clad in white plaster and nothing else, the eye-catching two-story house is a dramatic departure from the more traditional homes in the neighborhood where it occupies a half-acre at the corner of Denmark and Fifth Street East. Lots of glass, including windows that wrap around corners, add visual appeal to the otherwise unadorned exterior.

In 1999, when Al Hand decided to develop the one-acre property where he and his wife, Susie, have lived for 25 years, “traditional” was the last thing on his mind.
“We feel that Sonoma is sophisticated enough these days to handle different types of architecture other than Craftsman or Mediterranean,” he says. “We knew this would be something of a gamble but it adds a more eclectic feel.”

Hand, a golf pro, didn't have to look far to find architectural guidance. One of his students is Rodney Friedman, who founded his East Bay firm, Fisher Friedman Associates, in the 1960s. Friedman encouraged Hand's proclivity for Modern design as did his daughter, Alison Steppan, and her husband, Mark Steppan, who signed on as project designers.

The result of this extended-family collaboration is a three-bedroom, three-bath house that is as luxurious on the inside as it is sleek on the outside. From the top-rated Fleetwood windows to the self-closing Scardini custom cabinetry to the convenience of hot water on demand, the home features a plethora of amenities.
As soon as prospective buyers set foot inside, they enter a space that is almost Zen-like in its uncluttered serenity. A soothing color scheme of creamy white and gray, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a living room atrium that soars to 29 feet create the impression of unlimited space.

Numerous skylights provide additional illumination throughout the 2700-square-foot space, not only in the bedrooms but also on the stair landing and in the laundry room.
Hand says he wanted to incorporate features that would bring the outside in - and the inside out. Sliding glass doors provide easy outdoor access - downstairs, onto a patio purposely sheltered from the prevailing winds and upstairs, onto a master suite balcony overlooking the back yard. And two of the baths have at least one glass brick wall.
Other decorative elements, however, create warmth and provide privacy. For instance, the entire second floor -- including the his-and-hers walk-in closets in the master suite --has wall-to-wall carpeting.

Natural materials were used on the ground floor -- hard maple in the living room and fossilized travertine in the entryway, where fragments of age-old shells are clearly visible underfoot. The same material surrounds the living room fireplace, while the bar counter between the dining room and kitchen is topped with glossy granite and illuminated with tiny halogen lights.

The house may look radically different from anything else in Sonoma, but one can't always judge by appearances. For all its contemporary features and modern conveniences, this house went back to basics when it came to the floor plan: it's strictly traditional.