943 Fresno Avenue

 creative space just steps from the house (370+/-SF).

The home's original facade and exterior have been carefully preserved by successive owners, creating wonderful curb appeal. Classic Craftsman architectural features includes a wide front sitting porch, exposed decorative rafter tails, square pillars, ceiling beams, picturesque crossbeams, and iconic Craftsman double roof lines. Set back from the street, the home sits behind a thoughtfully designed front garden filled with drought-resistant landscaping, flagstone pathways and a fruiting Fuyu persimmon tree.

Inside, the rooms have a pleasing flow that complement and enhance each other, beginning with an entrance foyer that transitions into a spacious formal living room. This lovely room is made for entertaining, and features a ~nine-foot tray ceiling, crown moulding, wainscot paneling, and built-in bookcases on either side of a McNear brick fireplace with a Jotul wood burning stove. Numerous windows provide plenty of bright, natural light and views of the porch and front garden. The newly refinished vintage oak floor continues into the dining room and the home's two main level bedrooms beyond. The sun-filled dining room includes a tray ceiling with crown moulding and the built-in china cabinet with lighted alcove, and French doors open to a Trex deck with bench seating and stairs leading to a raised planter herb garden. The kitchen, remodeled in 2024, provides a large, comfortable place for friends and family to gather. Attention to detail is everywhere, from the Thermador and Fisher & Paykel appliances, Cambria quartz counters and Hans Grohe fixtures, to custom-built kitchen cabinets, Douglas fir open shelving and well placed large skylight. The beautifully designed kitchen is open to the dining room, allowing for a seamless transition from kitchen to table and the outdoor deck and garden spaces.

Two of the home's bedrooms and a full bathroom are situated adjacent to a wide hallway that can be closed off from the home's social rooms. Both bedrooms are well sized, and feature vintage oak floors, picture rails, and views of the backyard garden and green spaces. At the end of the hall, a half flight of stairs leads up to a sunroom with Douglas fir floor and windows on three sides, making it a perfect space for a home office or playroom. The main level bathroom is easily accessible from the home's public rooms, and includes a custom vanity, Hans Grohe fixtures, Ditra radiant heat flooring, a walk-in shower with a lovely artisanal ceramic tile surround and a stacked Meile washer/dryer tucked into a laundry nook.

The home's primary bedroom suite is a second story addition built by the present owners, designed to offer privacy surrounded by elegant finishes. The suite includes a sunny bedroom with skylights and a vaulted ceiling, a walk-in closet, and a spacious bathroom with a shower, a free-standing clawfoot tub, wainscotting, and a custom-designed Douglas fir vanity.

While the home's interior is exceptional, the home's curated outdoor gardens and detached creative space are equally noteworthy. Configured into an art studio by the current owners, this versatile space features a vaulted ceiling with 3 skylights, a loft and a display wall (measuring ~10x10 feet). The surrounding gardens include several patios that help to define the various outdoor areas that include raised redwood beds and large terra cotta pots installed throughout the yard. Native plants and drought tolerant plantings include manzanita, grevillea, aloe, succulents, buckwheat, sages, lavender, Meyer lemon and persimmon tree.

943 Fresno Ave is a truly extraordinary home filled with gracious rooms and abundant charm, made all the more pleasing by the present home owners' thoughtful design choices and oversight. Lovingly preserved by a succession of owners for more than 100 years, this remarkable, turn-key home offers a rare ownership opportunity for the next steward of this Berkeley Craftsman treasure.