By Clyde Noel
 Luis Yanez shows off his California Mission-style Los Altos home. The home features state-of-the-art, geo-thermal heating system, swiming pool, home theater, wine room and 156-plant vineyard. |
Situated on a hillside close to Hidden Villa is a new turnkey California mission home built by longtime Los Altos Hills resident Luis Yanez.
Yanez combined ideas drawn from his several terms on the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission and his experience in high-tech industry to build a castle fit for any king.
Envision “Old California” next to your personal 156 chardonnay vines, grown with the latest developments in viniculture.
Situated on one-plus acre and surrounded by majestic oaks and pines, the home is accessed from a gated entrance that leads to an oversized three-door garage (780 square feet). Inside the garage, an elevator, available for the disabled and anyone who wants to avoid the many sandstone steps, rises to the main level.
Good rotunda, featuring a custom marble medallion, serves as a spectacular entryway.
“I had the Contera door built in Monterrey, Mexico, and shipped here,” Yanez said. “It is similar to those in the mansions of Mexico.”
On the main level, all the floors are sandstone. Entering the elegant great room, which features a living room and an adjacent dining room, you are immediately aware of its enormous dimensions.
The kitchen is a chef’s delight. Commercial appliances from Wolf, two dishwashers by Miele and the largest available refrigerator from Sub-Zero guarantee a commercial-quality facility.
“I envision 200 people here for a party. My thinking was to put the family/living room/kitchen in one area and have them connected,” said Yanez. “It’s really an entertainment center because the main level has 2,948 square feet of living space.”
Also on the main level is an ornate powder room with a pedestal sink and a built-in cabinet.
Rooms exit onto patios and balconies which surround the house. A large balcony, accessed from the living room, offers views of the mid-Peninsula rolling hills.
Throughout, a sophisticated computer network monitors the lighting, security and sound systems. Advanced climate controls, program security systems, Lutron graphic-eye lighting control and state-of-the-art computer network wiring are built in.
Adjoining the living room, the large windows in the library accent alder wood panels that conceal computer networking wires and ample printer space.
The lower level provides 3,476 square feet of living space in addition to the garage area. The master bedroom suite includes a marble bathroom with a plasma TV over the whirlpool tub, a large closet and a fireplace area with a second TV area. It opens onto a sandstone deck.
The lower level includes a wine room, a laundry room with extra storage closets and a large exercise room with full bar, full bath and sauna. A fourth bedroom with a private entrance for guest or au pair quarters is set on this level.
The culminating feature of the lower level is a state-of-the-art theater that covers more than 350 square feet. A coffered ceiling conceals subtle lighting effects. Dolby digital and DTS processing with a 110-inch screen and hidden speakers are designed to keep family and guests entertained with current movies or HBO connections.
The huge yard is encircled by Jerusalem stone, which acts as a retaining wall. Just off the great room are a built-in barbecue, swimming pool/spa and play areas.
A geothermal system heats and cools the house. While the system is more expensive to install than alternate systems, Yanez explained that the investment can be recouped in less than 10 years.
“We save $1,000 a month with this system. Through a system of underground pipes, it transfers heat from the warmer earth to the building in winter. In summer, it takes heat from the building and discharges it into the cooler ground.”
Yanez has fulfilled his personal dream and named the house Vina Del Campo, but is undecided whether he wants to move from his present home a short distance away.
For more information, call Gary Campi at 941-4300.
