Charming, spacious and immaculate home. I'm a designer by trade and the house reflects it; vintage and modern pieces mix with original art. Nestled in a canyon above San Anselmo, we're a twenty minute walk to downtown San Anselmo to the east and downtown Fairfax to the west. Miles of world-class hiking and biking trails right outside the door.<br /><br /><b>The space</b><br />This is where rustic meets luxe. A summer cabin from the 1920's expanded into a large, comfortable, light-filled family home complete with crisp linens and vintage quilts, recessed lighting, marble-tiled bathrooms, a spacious well-equipped kitchen, and art of every kind to delight the eye.<br /><br />The house was originally owned by a railroad engineer who would hoof it down the hill to work when he heard the train coming through the valley. We've kept the original wood floors with their scars and stories but added skylights and modern amenities. Upstairs is a large living area which includes the kitchen, powder room, dining area and living-room with a charming annexed bedroom (with a bed built into the window so that it's almost like sleeping outside). Downstairs are three bedrooms and two full baths, one with a skylight over the tub, perfect for looking up into the trees while luxuriating.<br /><br />We have high-efficiency laundry on premises, killer WiFi, central heating throughout and AC on the top floor where it gets warmest in summer. Our smart tv is equipped with premium streaming apps.<br /><br />The real star of the environment is the natural beauty that surrounds the house. Watch the squirrels play tag on the branches of the arching Alianthus tree from the picture window in the living-room or step onto one of the decks to listen to the great horned owls hoot across the canyon in the evening. Or take a walk five minutes up onto the ridge and get a sweeping view of the entire San Francisco Bay.<br /><br />San Anselmo is within an hour of the wine country of Napa and Sonoma to the north, sparkling San Francisco to the south, and the wilds of West Marin just beyond Fairfax, featuring world class beaches. The sister towns of San Anselmo and Fairfax are charming and dynamic, offering great restaurants, cute shops and even our own (solar-powered) movie theater.<br /><br /><b>Other things to note</b><br />We have a roomy carport which parks three cars easily - one of the parking spaces is for us, the other two for guests. Our two-car maximum policy is strict, due to the nature of the neighborhood. There is no additional parking available up on the hill - if you have more than two cars at any time, extra cars will need to be parked down in the flats where street parking is plentiful.<br /><br />The drive up to the house is brief but on narrow curvy roads. Usually our guests have an adventure driving up the hill the first time but quickly get used to it. That said, smaller rental cars might be preferable to big SUVs for some drivers (though many of our guests rent Suburbans and the like and do fine). If you're uncomfortable with a winding road, this might not be the place for you.<br /><br />The house has partial AC. There is a mini-split unit in the kitchen on the top floor (which gets the hottest). The lower floor tends to stay cool because it's partially insulated by the hillside.<br /><br />The fifth bed is a trundle in the room with the single bed. If you'd like to use it, let me know ahead of time and I'll set it up.<br /><br />I live on the property, in a unit at the bottom of the house. I have a separate entrance and there is no noise communication between floors.<br /><br />Also, due to the quiet nature of the setting, events are prohibited and quiet hours are after 9pm - we love our neighborhood and have great respect for our neighbors.