Living Large in a Coleman Valley Rd. Bungalow
Coleman Valley Road is one of the most beautiful roads in Sonoma County. Leaving Occidental, it winds up through a forest then opens to rolling pasture. Cruise along on one lane, over bone-rattling cattle grates, eyeing the precariously steep drops and eventually the road will end at Highway One on the coast between Jenner and Bodega Bay. This time of year you’ll see many young lambs frolicking on the verdant hills of Coleman Valley Rd. A happy lamb leaping in spring is a sight to behold. If this joyful vision of white fur against green foliage makes you hungry, then you’re a lucky brute. Occidental can’t be beat when it comes to big plate vittles. One of my favorites is the Union Hotel, the oldest family owned Italian restaurant in Sonoma County (and a great community meeting place since the mid 1800s). The whole historic logging-turned-tourist town features one good eating and drinking opportunity after another: Pignoli’s, Bistro des Copains, Howard’s Station, and Negri’s (as the 2nd oldest Italian place, it offers yet another op to get your Italian on).
Let’s salivate over this delicious, not-so-little bungalow. You could find this house on foot, because it’s right above town. But the steep and narrow road from town to green painted stoop is too challenging to navigate on foot after a plate of ravioli. Rebuilt, redecorated, and given a snappy red and white color scheme, this home is charming and yet modernized just enough. It’s also vacant with a redo that screams flip. But if this is a flip, the flippers deserve to squeeze a profit out of all that elbow grease. Solid features (like central heat, new cabinetry and butcher block wood countertops in the completely rebuilt kitchen) were added.
There is no garage, but a new little barn adds needed storage. The circa 1947 windows and handsome hardwood floors were given TLC. Old single pane windows could be a pain in the winter, but since I’m all for authenticity, I’d choose them over some cheap pop-in vinyl replacements every time. btw, insulated panels do cut the chill and now come in some hip, natural fibers and earthy colors.
The girl in the garden was taught by a teacher from a wonderful program designed to bring gardening into our schools; it is also on Coleman Valley Rd.
149050 Coleman Valley Rd., Occidental
mls# 20709159
3 bedrooms, 2 baths
1156 square feet
.13 acre
$449,000
