2535 Tulare Ave 2535 Tulare Ave

Nestled in the El Cerrito hills, this lovely vintage home was built in 1931 and offers the perfect balance of historic charm and modern versatility. Just minutes from BART, I-80 and El Cerrito, Albany and north Berkeley restaurants and shopping, this single-level, turnkey home features three bedrooms, one half and one full bathroom, formal living and dining rooms, an eat-in kitchen, an attached garage, and a finished lower level with several bonus/flex spaces.

Situated on a tranquil, tree-lined street in a neighborhood of vintage homes, the house is reminiscent of a charming English cottage with multiple rooflines, an attractive front-facing gable, textured stucco walls, window shutters and a side front entrance for privacy. The property’s wonderful curb appeal is enhanced with beautifully designed drought-tolerant landscaping/hardscaping that’s both beautiful and ecologically responsible.

Inside, a formal entrance hall leads to the elegant living and dining rooms separated by an open arched doorway. Both rooms offer spectacular, panoramic views of Richmond, the SF Bay and the distant Marin hills through floor-to-ceiling windows that have the original walnut trim and provide plenty of natural light in addition to the views. Handsome vintage oak floors continue through the rest of the home, while a beautiful living room fireplace, with the original Craftsman tiles, is the room’s focal point and offers a lovely place around which to gather during cool winter nights. An Art Deco dining room chandelier is original to the house, and walnut crown moulding adds a finishing touch to both these lovely rooms.

An original glass door separates the dining room from an eat-in kitchen that was remodeled in 2014. Rich brown, Shaker-style cabinets and stainless steel appliances perfectly complement the white quartz counters that sit beneath a gray subway-tile backsplash. A spacious breakfast nook with the original built-in china cupboard opens to a large redwood deck, perfect for indoor/outdoor living and taking in the gorgeous views.

Like most homes of this era, the bedrooms are situated along a wide hallway that can be closed off from the rest of the house for privacy. All three spacious bedrooms feature vintage oak floors, crown moulding, generous closets and lots of dual-pane windows for natural light and energy efficiency. One of the bedrooms has an ensuite half bath updated with artisanal Japanese tiles and a vessel sink that rests on a quartz-topped vanity. The home’s remodeled bathroom is conveniently situated between two of the bedrooms and features a cathedral ceiling, a dual vanity with a quartz top and vessel sinks, and a large, walk-in shower with colorful Japanese ceramic tiles on the surround and a natural stone mosaic tile floor. A finished lower level offers approximately 650 sq ft of usable bonus space, including a laundry room, a workshop and an additional room for an exercise studio or storage.

A special feature of this wonderful home is the fenced and level backyard that’s been transformed into an urban garden and orchard. Bamboo was planted as a privacy green screen, and reclaimed redwood was used to build three large raised vegetable beds. The irrigated yard includes Asian pear, apple, apricot, plum, fig, pomegranate, lime, lemon and mandarin orange trees in addition to kiwi, passionfruit and grape vines and rosemary, blackberry, and blueberry bushes. All were planted and nurtured by the present owners, who used their obvious horticultural talents to create an impressive subsistence garden filled with delights!

2535 Tulare Ave. offers the opportunity to acquire a move-in-ready vintage home in a sought-after El Cerrito neighborhood with easy access to plenty of parks and open space, BART (two stations!), ACTransit and freeways. With magnificent views that seem to go on forever, this home is a true treasure!