This stunning 1920s villa – $5.25 million listing – in Oakland has ties to Italy, Hollywood
A gated Italian Renaissance estate in Oakland that includes two homes, a pool and pool house and a quarter-acre of Mediterranean gardens is available for $5.25 million, according to the Compass real estate firm.
The stunning property was designed and is owned by Italian actor Mario Guariso. The combined residences at 650 and 656 Trestle Glen offer a total of eight bedrooms, seven baths and 6,000 square feet of living space.
The compound is a hidden oasis in the city.
“Take a moment to picture yourself spending afternoons between your swimming pool and spa, the sound of chirping birds and water fountains as a backdrop, and the site of hummingbirds and butterflies frolicking amongst the surrounding palm trees and white jasmine,” the official listing reads.
The history of the residence, dubbed the “Grand Lake Villa,” is replete with notable owners, according to a fact sheet provided by Compass real estate firm. It was built in the 1920s by Oakland architects William H. Corlett and Walter Reed. The home was originally commissioned by Clara and Adolph Jahnigan, parents of operetta singer and 1930s Hollywood starlet Bernice Claire, who appeared in 13 films between 1930 and 1938.
Other owners have included Steven Wilson, a lawyer and son of the city’s first Black mayor, Lionel Wilson, and author and real estate guru Albert J. Lowry, according to Compass.
Rick Richetta and Shannon Mitchell of Compass are the listing agents.
The main villa, at 650 Trestle Glen, features five bedrooms and three baths spanning 3,620 square feet. The home opens to an elegant foyer with a traditional wide center stairwell, large vintage crystal chandeliers, high ceilings and original custom crown millwork. The foyer offers a first glimpse at the owners’ modern art and furniture collection.
A large formal living room features the original stone fireplace and a custom chandelier designed by Guariso.
The mansion’s yard offers a sunny expansive living area, a separate pool house and a gate connecting to a sister villa. There’s an outdoor shower surrounded by flowers and trees and a roman-style salt water pool heated with solar and gas.
The estate’s indoor-outdoor living is seamless.
“When we moved into the home we discovered a previous owner had screwed the French doors closed,” Guariso said in a statement provided by Compass. “We had our carpenters work to ensure all of the original redwood windows and French doors could function as originally intended. Indeed, we open these doors to the balconies all throughout the year because the climate is so mild in Oakland that we get to enjoy the fragrance of white roses during the day and of white Brugmensia in the evenings.”
The smaller villa, 656 Trestle Glen, is three bedrooms, two baths and 1,985 square feet. In 2016, Guariso and his spouse Robert Millar purchased the adjacent home to host guests and relatives while expanding their own back yard.
“We moved to The Sister Villa while updates were being made to our home in 2019 and we loved being in this space,” Millar said., “The home is light-filled and all of the traditional elements give it a homey-feel, we understood why guests don’t want to leave.”
The Pool House, meanwhile, is a 395-square-foot open-space structure with high ceilings in keeping with the main house. The Pool House was designed to be used as a separate studio/office space, guest suite or simply an area to entertain poolside. The space includes kitchen and eating areas,along with a secondary room with elevated full-size bed, walk in closet and a spacious bathroom.
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 8:50 AM.
