Take a look inside modern Folsom home called ‘coolest house ever built’ in Sacramento area
Drawing a ton of attention in the neighborhood and on social media, a newly finished Folsom home with vast views of the downtown Sacramento skyline is coming to market for $2.4 million.
The futuristic looking house, which can be seen from Highway 50, has caught people’s attention for years during its multi-year construction. Now that it’s ready to sell, they’re driving by the house or jumping online to get a better glimpse. One recent five-second Instagram reel simply showing the exterior garnered 25,000 likes and 19,000 shares.
“Space luxe is here — the future is now, and this is the coolest house ever built in Sacramento,” said listing agent Kim Pacini Hauch of Re/Max Gold. “It’s very forward-thinking.”
On Tuesday, Pacini Hauch gave The Sacramento Bee the exclusive first tour of the home since completion.
The modern home spans 4,000 square feet and has four en-suite bedrooms. Two cantilevered bedrooms — the focal points of the architecture — extend beyond the main structure. The bedrooms have long decks offering views from Folsom to the valley.
Entertainment deck
The centerpiece of the property is an expansive deck in the front of the property that is partially cantilevered 40 feet above the ground. An open-concept kitchen and large great room with walls of glass lead out to the front deck, a dramatic space designed for large-scale entertaining and taking in city views at sunset. A loft, set up as an office space, above the great room has a direct view of the Sacramento Valley.
“The construction of this house is a marvel. The owner-builder of this house deliberated for many years in the design of it, and then he created his vision of something very unique and out of this world — and he succeeded,” Pacini Hauch said.
The sophisticated steel-frame home was a “labor of love” for owner and builder Doug Cummings, she said. Cummings was the “mastermind-creator” of the house, while architect Bruce Whitelam “brought his vision to life.”
“I’ve always liked contemporary architecture,” Cummings said in an interview at the property. “I don’t see many examples of contemporary architecture in Sacramento, so I said, ‘I would like to build a house, a contemporary house, my swan song, sort of, because I’ve built two houses before.
“My wife, unfortunately, of 40 years, went to heaven,” he said. “I was just destroyed, but I knew I had to do something. This was an opportunity for me to get busy, do something constructive. I just did it. The architecture and the structure took a long time, but it’s done and I think it’s gorgeous. I think it’s a beautiful house. I’m satisfied.”
The lot sits on nearly one-third of an acre on a hillside at 312 Tobrurry Way. There is a spot to build a swimming pool in the back, but the house is orientated toward the front, where the panoramic views unfold as far as the eye can see. A four-passenger elevator going from the garage to the second story is planned. In addition to the four bathrooms, there’s a powder room near the front door.
A long driveway leads to a tandem, five-car garage. From the driveway, a curving red, steel stairway leads to the entry —which is actually around the back of house.
“It’s very unique,” Pacini Hauch said about the design. “It’s all steel-frame construction, it cantilevers. It has commercial-quality glass, minimalistic on finishes, so everything is just white and bright.”
Staging matches architecture
The company Iron and Sage staged the home’s interior “on the modern side” so a potential buyer might resonate with the architecture, but in a “comfortable way,” she said.
The house has eight individual mini-splits for flexibility with heating and air conditioning. Each unit, or zone, has its own remote control. heat pumps heating and cooling trend.
The framing of the house is far from standard, Cummings said.
“The structural engineering in this house is amazing, requiring commercial-qualified engineers,” he wrote in a description of the property.
Tall, broad, crisp-white walls offer a gallery-like setting for artwork.
“An art collector is going to go nuts over this house,” Pacini Hauch said. “If you have a gallery collection, there are many art walls to display your (work).”
The listing is expected to go live this week.
“There will be a lot of interest in the property, but its very unique and specific so I’m excited to see who the buyer is,” Pacini Hauch said.
This story was originally published July 12, 2023 at 9:19 AM.
