Dmitri Vedensky, one of the Bay Area’s most esteemed architects, is known for tucking a house into the landscape without disturbing it at all. He designs thinking of three dimensions-absorbing into consciousness the slope of the land, the vault of the sky, the reach of the horizon, and the undulations underfoot. He knows the course of the sun, the presence of the neighbors, working with the land. And he fuses elegant design sensibility with the specifics of the site.

This is very evident when you look at 657 Lovell Avenue in Mill Valley.

Vedensky studied at Cal with Eric Mendelson and William Wurster, and was an architect working with Joseph Esherick when The Sea Ranch, a planned community located along the Sonoma County coast, was created. One of the first eco-communities in California, Sea Ranch homes are noted for having simple timber-frame structures and combining modern and local architectural styles. Vedensky served on the The Sea Ranch design committee from 1986 until he died in 1997. When you drive up to 657 Lovell, you immediately feel as if you are at Sea Ranch but in the trees.

The home at 657 Lovell is bathed in sun in a clearing in the trees. The living room becomes one with nature through the use of a large picture window that lets in the soft natural light and allows you to feel as though you are outside. It is a quiet place to read with a fire and a cup of tea and watch the winter rain. The dining room is open, communicating with the living room and kitchen. During the day, there are differing kinds of light that bathe the house.

Come see this classic example of Vedensky’s work. For more information, contact judy@marindreamhome.com.

Posted by:  Judy LeMarr

One of the many reasons that Marin continues to enjoy high real estate values is due to the many county, state and national parks in our area. Marin County is dominated by 70-80% open space, which includes this network of parks, many of which are suffering due to the California budget crisis.

There is a proposed state ballot measure, sponsored by the Marin Conservation League, which would create the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010. The purpose of the measure would be to protect state parks and conserve wildlife where, by law, the funds could only be spent on state parks, urban river parkways, wildlife, natural lands and ocean conservation programs. These funds would come from an $18 annual State Park Access Pass surcharge added to the license fee on all California vehicles annually. Vehicles subject to the surcharge would receive free, year-round admission to all state parks. This fee is expected to generate $500 million a year and take the funding of the state parks out of the state general fund.

To learn more about the measure and how you can help gather signatures to ensure its place on the November 2010 ballot, log on to the California State Parks Foundation website. You can also learn more about this issue locally on the Marin Conservation League website or email subvw@yahoo.com.

Posted by:Judy LeMarr

And time has come, at least for Fairfax – to ban those ridiculous plastic bags at grocery stores!

As of Monday, April 4th, the city of Fairfax became the first Marin County city to ban the use of plastic bags in grocery stores, restaurants and retail stores! These establishments now have to provide recyclable paper or reusable bags to their customers, or they will be fined.

Did you know Bay Area residents use about 3.8 billion plastic bags every year and that on the average the bag is used for only 12 minutes? I was shopping at our local Safeway in Mill Valley yesterday, and I was amazed at how many plastic bags were used for the customers before me. I’ll bet most of these end up in the garbage as soon as they are emptied at home.

I was surprised to learn that, although California has been trying to recycle plastic bags for 15 years now, it is estimated that ONLY 5% of these bags are actually recycled! And, an astonishing million of these bags end up in the Bay each year, according to Save the Bay, a local organization committed to keeping the Bay clean.

I do hope more and more Marin cities will follow suit soon in banning the plastic bags. But what about the paper bags? There will be more trees cut down to make them, and we know most of them will not be recycled and will end up in the trash, as well.

So the best thing we can do is to go shopping with our cloth or reusable bags. If you don’t already use them, you can purchase them at your local grocery stores – Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s – or check out www.reusablebags.com for these and other environmentally friendly products.

Posted By: Judy Noyes

What defines luxury in luxury homes in Southern Marin County? Is it location, size, age, materials, views? Maybe some or all of the above.

To find a “luxury” home in Southern Marin, there are many variables and no two homes are the same.

There are young families who are willing to pay a premium to be able to walk to town in Mill Valley and stroll with the kids to the park, school or get a cup of coffee at Peet’s.

There are those who think bigger is better. And bigger is often next door to smaller homes. There are large lots (half acre by Southern Marin standards) and small which are measured by the foot.

Families seem to think that each child should have a separate room and bath. No more sharing like the kids of my generation. And then of course there is the guest room and home office and separate play room and/or home theater.

The age of the home sometimes determines the quality of the work, the layout of the floor plan or possibly, the need for current upgrades. It is possible to find a home that incorporates both the old charm and the new wants and needs of the homeowner.

Some of today’s buyers want “green” which is sometimes loosely defined by real estate agents. Finding a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified home is not that easy but many homes have green design elements either by choice for environmental reasons, West Elm contemporary esthetics or newly revised building requirements by cities such as Mill Valley who gives credits to the builder using green technology and building practices. Luxury could be defined by the large kitchen with granite counters and dual dishwashers and refrigerators or maybe it is sleek Italian cabinets or just concrete counter tops.

And then there is the view. To some that means trees and a quiet stream, a relaxing garden or a view of Mt. Tamalpais. Others want the dramatic San Francisco city view which command a premium. To see two Mill Valley homes with spectacular views of downtown San Francisco, see www.2TamalpaisAve.com and www.321SummitAvenue.com. Both of these homes define luxury in unique ways that are totally different from each other.

What is your definition of luxury? Contact me at jlemarr@fhallen.com or 415-380-4642 if you are looking for luxury homes in Marin County.

Posted By: Judy Lemarr