By Carolyn Leal
Three Saratoga homes creatively decorated for the holiday season by top interior and floral designers will be open Dec. 5 and 6 during the Summit League's "Homes for the Holidays."
The holiday house tour will take place Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Proceeds from this event will benefit San Jose Repertory's new theater, under construction in downtown San Jose.
First on the tour is an old English Tudor estate, the home of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lucas. Set on park-like grounds of approximately 4.5 acres, the mature setting reflects decades of care by three owners since the 1920s, when the house was built by Birge Clark, the architect of the Hoover House on the campus of Stanford University. The vistas and detail of the Lucas home create nostalgia for more elegant and gracious times.
Next is a craftsman-style country home, the residence of Gretchen and James Mair. The house was built in the 1870s as part of a cattle ranch. Early in the century, it was purchased as a summer home. It is a good example of the craftsman style, which was popular for summer homes in that era, says Summit League spokesperson Anne Griffin. When the Mairs purchased the house in 1977, it was in disrepair. They have spent years on the restoration, as well as adding a bedroom wing and landscaping the three acres that surround the house.
The third home is a Saratoga country cottage owned by Marilyn and Bob Reid. An English gateway marks the entrance to the cottage, on property which at one time was part of the Haciendas de La Rinconada de Los Gatos Spanish land grant. The house was built in 1951 as a small cottage and enlarged over the years. It is filled with light and color and outstanding views of the Santa Clara Valley.
The property has English country gardens designed by Katsy Swan, which include a brick garden terrace and pool area surrounded by lush greenery.
Tickets for "Homes for the Holidays" may be purchased by sending a $25 check and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Summit League, 13187 Paramount Drive, Saratoga. For additional information, call Bonnie Pratt at 867-6641.
The Summit League, established in 1957, is a nonprofit organization consisting of 45 active and 58 sustaining members who are committed to raising funds in the areas of education, health, welfare and the arts.
During the past 40 years, the league has raised more than $500,000 for charitable organizations in the Santa Clara Valley.
Among Los Gatos and Saratoga designers participating are: Libby Brost of A Matter of Taste, Myrna Baldwin of Baldwin Interiors, Barbara Jacobs, Shelley Swanson Verdorn of Eclectic Treasures, Sandy Lesnewski of Emerald Sandisan Floral, Carol Parker of Floral Design, Flowers by Julie Rinehart, Gilmore's, Joella Conover and Sarah Tarrant of Interiors and Antiques, Jean Chappel Interiors, David Stonesifer of Los Gatos Porch, Claudia Mann of Maid's Quarters, Karen Ross, Bev Viguerie and Christa Colavitt of Martino's, Paul Sherry, Phyllis Shea Design, Cindy Rockwood of Rockwood Design, Joe Birdsong and Craig Shannon of Stems, Yvette Widdicombe and Coco Preaseau of Tassels, Cherie Rose of The Rose Collection, and Karyn DeBoer and Liz Barton of Toll Gate Interiors.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, November 27, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved