A mountaintop home in Idyllwild’s gated community of Tahquitz Shadow Estates is on the market for $1.949 million.
Nestled on just under 30 acres, the multi-level contemporary retreat is one of only three homes in the community. Located in Alpen Woods but not part of the Alpen Woods Association, it spans 3,320 square feet and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms.
The sellers are retired medical professionals from Temecula who bought the property from the bank in 1997 for $179,000 after discovering it during a hike. According to the couple, the house had been framed but abandoned in 1992. They decided to complete the construction.
In doing so, they hired the home’s original architect, Dennis McGuire, known for his “Glowing Lantern” and “Falling Waters” homes, which pay homage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture.
“The architect actually sat out on this big rock behind us and watched the sun move through the sky and built the house around that,” current co-owner Ray Webb told the HGTV series “Homes Across America” when it featured the home in 2002. “The slope of the roof … is designed to take advantage of the sun. So in the winter months, you get a lot of sun in the house, which warms it up. In the summer months, it’s less sun and cooler.”
Completed in 1999, the house blends into the natural surroundings.
A redwood access bridge slices through a boulder, leading to the front door. It opens into the entry with a multi-tiered staircase and an indoor-outdoor waterfall.
On the upper level, just off the entry, an office guest room has a built-in desk and a granite boulder that protrudes through a specially cut glass wall. Another boulder extends into the glass-enclosed shower area in the primary bathroom downstairs.
Picture, clerestory and mitered windows fill the interior with natural light and frame the mountain scenery, visible from most rooms.
A custom fireplace frames the great room, featuring a wet bar. The dining room sits several steps above the living area and flows into the kitchen.
Other highlights include a climate-controlled wine cellar that can hold 1,100 bottles, a billiards room and a hot tub. The property also offers parking for four cars.
Daniel Miracle of the Cochran & Miracle Group at Compass holds the listing.
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