‘Boogie’ down with far-out home on Willborough Road
By: Larry Rosen
Examiner Staff Writer
September 2, 2009
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| 764 Willborough Road in Burlingame, California (Courtesy photo) |
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BURLINGAME — Every house has a story, but few wear their history as proudly — and gaudily — as the Tudor home at 764 Willborough Road.
Begin with Willborough Road itself. One block long and barely three car-widths wide, lined with mature trees and storybook cottages, it’s the essence of Burlingame, compressed to Lilliputian scale. Drivers beware: Successfully navigating Willborough Road means dodging neighbors, parked cars and kids bicycling madly. Proceed slowly, at your own risk.
Amid this Rockwellian tableau stands 764 Willborough Road, the longtime home of a local teacher and, legend has it, her former student-turned-husband. When Dolores Henning passed away, a younger couple purchased the home. Today, it’s for sale again, represented by The Gilmartin Group, a family owned Burlingame brokerage.
Despite its somber, Tudor exterior, 764 Willborough Road is anything but traditional. Tim Gilmartin says of its longtime occupants, “They had a good time.” Judging solely by their taste in interior decor, most of that “good time” must have occurred from 1970-79.
While it would be easy to dismiss the entire house as an exercise in “Boogie Nights” sensibility, there are some interesting design choices mixed in among the deep-pile mauve and pink carpeting. Where hardwood or tile would cover most entry and kitchen floors, 764 Willborough Road uses molded rubber flooring for an industrial — and very easy to clean — look.
Some other striking details include a multicolored, stained-glass window in the family room and liberal use of black in the kitchen and second bedroom.
Elsewhere are the expected Plexiglas end tables, leopard skin upholstery and Sputnik-inspired ceiling fans. In back is a grottolike pool and spa.
According to Gilmartin, the present owners “haven’t changed a thing.”
The next owners may not follow suit, finding that huge waves of mauve and pink are not to their taste. Whatever they do, they can feel secure in knowing that they’ve bought a classic home in a community-minded Burlingame neighborhood — at a very attractive price.
Hot property
764 Willborough Road
Where: Burlingame
Asking price: $885,000
Property tax: $10,620*
The property: Two-bedroom English Tudor-style home; 1,640 square feet, backyard pool
Notable: Located on unusual Burlingame block, secluded but close to downtown
Agent: Tim Gilmartin, The Gilmartin Group, (650) 348-2020
*Estimate
