By Clyde Noel

Town Crier Correspondent

Los Altos home with Nantucket flair part of ‘Christmas at Our House’ fund-raiser for St. Francis

This six-month new family home in south Los Altos is a carefully crafted blend of colonial New England and California living.

Roger and Tammy Gaw’s home combines Tammy’s upbringing in Georgetown steeped in American politics and Roger’s growing up in Chicago. They worked with a designer and created a home featuring memories of their family heritage and a sense of patriotism.

Recently, Roger was transferred here from Souther California and looked for a place to call home. He swims every day and wanted a home on the water. Since that was impossible, one of his co-workers said to look in Palo Alto or Los Altos.

The Gaws purchased a small, older house on a south Los Altos street and had the original home moved to East Palo Alto where a family lives in it today. Moving the old house wasn’t easily achieved since five municipalities had to provide permits before it was split in two and hauled away in large trailers.

“I grew up in Chicago where they have basements, and with the new house, I wanted a basement for a social room,” Roger said. “I wanted room for a pool table, a workout room, a bar and a fireplace.”

“I wanted a nice country kitchen with an American decor and a family room with a bay window seat to bring back memories,” Tammy said. “I grew up on the Eastern shores where my father built yachts.”

The country kitchen has a toile curtain and Tammy’s rooster collection painted on the wall. Painted by the back door is “Mr. Ed.” The kitchen is furnished with antique table and chairs.

The office, off the family room, has an antique desk and a library full of law books. The living room is painted in “Confederate Red” and features a strong colonial East Coast tie with period furniture designed to be comfortable and relaxing.

Christmas decorations and table settings are reminiscent of a New England Christmas. The designer from Cover Story of Los Altos provided the settings before the Saint Francis High School “Christmas at Our House” tour (see details, opposite page).

At the head of the staircase on the second floor landing is an original Williamsburg desk identical to George Washington’s. The ceiling has old gas lamps completely refurbished with electricity and old style flickering lights.

Off the hall is the bedroom for Brian, ll, and Christopher, 9. The Oak School students share a unique baseball and American-theme bedroom getaway with a loft retreat. Scattered on the floor are patriotic American rugs.

The master bedroom with a balcony overlooking the pool and fountains has a rice bed and Williamsburg-period chair. Recently spaced flowers throughout the back yard and pool are reminiscent of Tammy’s childhood.

Roger is pleased with their basement because it recaptures his memories growing up in the Midwest. “If there’s anything I like in the house, it’s the basement.”

The basement has a knotty pine billiard and game room complete with a bar, exercise room, bathroom with a sauna and a guest room.

The guest room is called the “Horse” room and is loaded with Ralph Lauren prints. The window acts as the fire escape from the basement. The wall features a dimensional painting of Thomas Kinkade’s “Bridge of Faith,” which Tammy commissioned a Kinkade artist to render.

The Gaw family has now resided in the new home for six months.

“This house is overwhelming because it’s so nice. When I grew up I never lived in a house with more than one bathroom and a dishwasher,” Roger said. “What I like best? The basement, of course.”

“I don’t like having the garage in front of the house,” Tammy said. “With the narrow 11,000 square-foot lot size and Los Altos zoning codes, there wasn’t much we could do. Otherwise I am very content with our American farmhouse.”

“My friends can sleep over. We have many kids in the neighborhood, and there’s a lot of things to do in the house with my friends,” said Christopher.

The Gaw home is one of four homes on the “Christmas at Our House” tour. Extra flowers and Christmas lights were brought in for display. Once the tour is over, however, very few of the extras will be removed from the Gaws’ traditional American farmhouse.