Highland Way

VAN DER RYN ECO-REFUGE Only one hour North of the Golden Gate Bridge, this home is a slice of paradise situated on a beautiful 5-acre parcel on a relatively flat wooded knoll overlooking Tomales Bay near the top of Inverness Ridge. The Van der Ryn Eco-Refuge, a 3-story fully furnished home, reflects the creativity and care of its architect/owner, Sim Van der Ryn, a well-known pioneer of ecological design. You enter the house through a work of art, the redwood door carved by the renowned sculptor, J.B. Blunk. The foyer, with a high vaulted ceiling painted with traditional Tibetan designs of sky and clouds by Tibetan monks, connects the two main sections of the house. From the foyer, Japanese sliding doors lead into a large open space containing a fully equipped gourmet kitchen and a dining/living room area with a cozy queen-size bed alcove. There is also a half-bathroom. A wood-burning stove and a gas heater to warm this space. The second and larger section of the house is a 3-story pole construction with double groove cedar siding. The ground floor features an octagonal-shaped bedroom (originally called the "womb room") with ensuite bathroom and its own library. The second level has a second gathering space. It is spacious, high ceilinged, and drenched in light with cozy couches and another wood-burning stove (as well as a gas heater). There is a space for an office set-up as well. The 2nd-floor bedroom and en suite bathroom feature a large bathtub and a sink shelf unit hand-carved by J.B. Blunk. Wooden spiral stairs lead up to the third level that houses the master bedroom suite and bathroom. Windows from the third level offer great views. On the ground floor is situated the two-room Roost apartment, with its own private patio and entrance. The whole estate with its landscaped grounds provides great comforts and beauty. The amenities include custom furniture and original artwork, a library with a rich variety of books, a sound system with speakers both down and upstairs, and good quality wi-fi system. The kitchen has a Bosch dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, new gas stovetop, and newly built-in wall convection oven, and two separate sinks, one specifically for washing vegetables from the garden. Outside features include two stone patios, three water features, including a pond, various fruit trees, open grassy areas, extensive vegetable gardens, a private deck with Jacuzzi, an outdoor shower, a bocce ball court, and a trampoline with surrounding oak and bishop pine trees. No wonder one guest commented in the guestbook that being at the Van der Ryn Eco-Refuge offers "a lesson in living beautifully."