May 13, 2007

House and Garden Tour exhibits campus Tudors

By Janet Duca Norton / Society Writer

The third annual Stanford Historical Society's House and Garden Tour, a benefit for the Historical Society, kicked off National Preservation Month with a tour that focused on restoration and renovation.

The April 29 event featured an opportunity to tour the homes and meet the owners of four 1908 to 1909 Craftsman style double houses in the San Juan district of the campus, designed by the San Francisco architectural firm Bakewell & Brown.

Two 1920s Tudor homes in the area offered an interesting contrast. The renovations achieved two goals: they captured the spirit of the houses by using and preserving original fittings, light fixtures and architectural details, and provided a comfortable home with modern amenities, reflecting the owners' personal interests and lifestyles.

"This year's house tour seemed particularly relevant as the university and the local community consider affordable housing in its many forms," tour chair Marian Adams said. "The double houses on the tour represent an early effort on the part of Stanford to encourage faculty to live on campus. A residential community for faculty and students was a long-held vision of Governor and Mrs. Stanford for the university they founded."

Details of these double houses were presented in the Historical Society's newest book, "Historic Houses IV: Early Residential Communities of the Lower San Juan District, Stanford University." The book debuted in time for the tour and could be purchased at the venues.

These affordable houses were the audition project for the Bakewell & Brown firm, whose partners became the official architects for the university. From 1913 to 1941, the firm designed two dozen campus buildings, including the university library and Hoover Institution.

The six duplex houses, built between 1908 and 1909, featured four floor plans and cost $3,500 to construct each 2,600-square-foot house. In the early years, they were primarily rental houses, but all of these homes have seen many owners and numerous renovations. One recent sale was recorded for $1.8 million.

On April 27, DeeDee and David Schurman, whose home had been featured on the 2005 tour, hosted a preview party in their garden honoring the tour's homeowners and patrons. Stanford architectural historian Paul Turner and Tessa Baker-Degler, author of the chapters on Bakewell & Brown in "Historic Homes IV," presented interesting insights into the two design partners, who are famous for designing the San Francisco City Hall.

The double house owners, who are friends as well as faculty members, contributed historic materials for the chapters on the individual houses. Leni Hazlett and Tim Bresnahan modernized the kitchen and baths of their Model B house and emphasized many original details. Barbara and Lyman Van Slyke, owners of the Model D house, created a beautiful garden, added a bay window in the kitchen and converted a sleeping porch into a large master bath.

Sandra and David Siegmund's Model B house has retained many of its original details, but in 1971 they remodeled the original kitchen and altered the front facade to accommodate a downstairs guest room and an upstairs master suite. Sandra said that before the remodel, professors from the School of Architecture would bring their classes to see the kitchen and would say it demonstrated how not to build a kitchen.


The third annual Style 2007
Fashionistas of all ages came to shop at the third annual Style 2007, "A Magical Art-for-Wear Trunk Show," at the Palo Alto Art Center on April 28.

Once again, Diane Master, manager of the Gallery Shop at the Art Center, produced the daylong event showcasing works by 25 widely recognized artists.

"Making one-of-a-kind couture, jewelry and accessories available to 'fashionistas' that appreciate art-for-wear is our goal each year," Master said.

"The energy at this year's (Style 2007) event was amazing," she said. "This year it was great to experience the buzz and growing interest from not only the general public, but other arts organizations as well."

The show, which included an alfresco lunch catered by Palo Alto's Coupa Cafe, attracted more than 500 people and was so popular that a long line of collectors and shoppers was in place before doors opened at 10 a.m. By noon sales matched last year's totals. Proceeds benefited the center's art education programs that are supported by the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation.

Guests returning each year to view and purchase their favorite designers' latest creations, enthusiastically agreed with the event's billing as "creative today, classic tomorrow." That moto applied to textile artists Anya, Jean Caciedo, Ana Lisa Hedstrom and Mark Thomas and jewelry designer April Higasi, who have participated in all three shows.

Marla Duran, who was a "Project Runway" season two designer, returned for the second year.

Popular newcomers were Oakland-based Cari Borja, with her ruffled dresses and coats, and San Francisco-based Giselle Shepatin, who in addition to designing her mixed-fabric skirts and tops, has won the U.S. National Weight Lifting Championship eight times.
An early champagne brunch served on the patio presented a preview opportunity for attendees.

Foundation Board President Jeannie Duisenberg greeted guests with fellow board members Jan Schachter, Brigid Barton, Teri Vershel, Anne Gregor, Cornelia Pendelton, Robin Welles, Neil Goldstein and Scott Hayes, who quipped, "Where's the men's section?"
Brunch guests included Dorothy Saxe, Lucy Berman, Mary Kelly, Anne Taylor, Barbara Oshman and Ann Bowers.

Janet Duca Norton's society column appears every Sunday in the Daily News. Send event information to 324 High St., Palo Alto, CA 94301, or e-mail society@paloaltodailynews.com or call (650) 327-9090, ext. 334.