392 49th Street 392 49th Street

Located in the heart of Oakland’s vibrant Temescal neighborhood, this delightful Craftsman bungalow is full of charm and style that starts with wonderful curb appeal and continues right through the fabulous backyard retreat! Built in 1922, this beautifully updated home offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open living room/dining room, a spacious remodeled kitchen and sunny utility and mud rooms.

The exterior is a wonderful example of Craftsman design with stucco walls and multiple broad rooflines with deeply overhanging eaves. Slate steps lead to a spacious sitting porch that offers plenty of room for relaxing and enjoying a view of the tall, blooming camellia tree next to the porch. A raised front garden bed has been thoughtfully planted with eco-friendly, drought-resistant native plants that contribute to the home’s wonderful curb appeal.

Inside, a welcoming foyer provides a lovely transition to the rest of the house. The open living room/dining room is situated on the right and is filled with bright, natural light through many energy-efficient, dual-pane windows. The two original nine-foot tray ceilings, one for the living room and one for the dining room, create a spatial demarcation between these areas and gives this spacious room vintage elegance. The impressive original Craftsman fireplace takes place of pride in this lovely room, and features a simple mantel and a handsome stone and brick surround.

The home’s kitchen is behind the dining room, and has plenty of freshly painted white, Shaker-style cabinets complemented by white quartz countertops, matte rhombus tile backsplash, a terra cotta ceramic tile floor, and a fantastic 1940s white enamel Spark gas range, all of which give the kitchen a modern feel with a hint of vintage aesthetic. A mudroom with a concealed laundry space and a full lite backdoor joins the kitchen and sits next to a sweet, sunlit utility room with built-in cabinets. This versatile space is perfect for extra storage and/or a garden room for trimming fresh flowers from the garden!

One of the home’s two bedrooms is situated next to the living room, and is presently used as a library/office by the current owners. This large, sunny room has the original oak floor, crown moulding, and a view of the front garden from a trio of oversized windows. Hanging vintage doors roll on iron hardware, separating the bedroom from the living room and adding a touch of 21st century design while respecting the age and history of the home.

The master bedroom is toward the back of the house, and has an oak floor and a nine-foot ceiling with crown moulding. A lovely ensuite bathroom addition has a dramatic dual shower, slate floor with radiant heating, a casement window for natural light, and a floating double vanity topped with calacatta quartz. A second full bathroom is conveniently located between the bedrooms, and has a slate floor, wainscoting, and a tub/shower with a subway tile surround.

A unique feature of this special home is the spectacular backyard that seems like an integral extension of the home. The present owners have created a true retreat with seating areas and landscaping that includes European laurel, Himalayan birch, red maples and a variety of colorful shrubbery. A decompressed granite fireplace seating area is at the back right of the garden, and other entertaining areas include a slate dining patio and an approx. 125-square-foot ipe-wood deck. A detached home office/studio sits under a mature shade tree and measures roughly 120 square feet, and this shaded, delightful workshop comes with a skylight, several windows, lighting, and an exhaust system.

This exceptional home is close to so much that makes this neighborhood so desirable–schools, Rockridge/Temescal cafes and shopping, the Temescal Farmers’ Market and Uptown Oakland. 392 49th Street has obviously been cherished by these owners and by the many families who came before them for nearly one hundred years, and this home is now waiting for a new, fortunate owner to continue in that tradition.