May 18, 2007

JCC Home Tour highlights Silver Creek homes

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

On May 10 and 11, Silver Creek Country Club opened its gates to allow residents of the South Bay access to a few homes as part of a home tour sponsored by the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center (JCC) and Windermere Silicon Valley Properties.

This year the JCC hosted its fifth annual tour overall, as well as its first in Silver Creek.

Traditionally, the tour, which is called the Homes of Vines and Roses, has been held in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Monte Sereno. This year, however, the committee chose Silver Creek. Four homes were selected and residents from all over the South Bay visited the homes that several called “absolutely incredible” and “out of this world.”

The four homes on display were provided by Sally Anderson, Doris and Rick Davis, Judy and Danny Herns, and Pam and Paul Robichaux.

Three shuttles were available at the Country Club entrance to take the visitors to the homes and docents were present in various areas throughout the homes to explain architecture, interior design and other features. The club also opened its doors, allowing non-members and was overbooked for lunch both days.

All proceeds raised through the tour’s sale of $35-40 tickets go toward programs at the JCC in Los Gatos. For the past 30 years, the JCC has worked to connect the Jewish community with its non-Jewish neighbors by providing a number of programs and classes for everyone to enter.

“The proceeds from the tour help fund the many important programs and services of the APJCC and also allow us to provide scholarships to families and individuals who need assistance in order to belong or participate,” said Chairman Ronald Cohen.

The Levy Family Campus opened in September of 2005, offering anyone social, educational and recreation needs. Among the programs it supports are aquatics for the town of Los Gatos, a home for the Los Gatos Little League during its renovation, and a venue for the San Jose Chamber Players. It also provides a special needs program for high-functioning autistic children, preschool, memberships and Maccabi scholarships as well as co-hosting an emergency preparedness week with the town of Los Gatos and the Community Hospital of Los Gatos.

Funding this year is needed for enhanced senior services programs, preschool enrichment programs, a new cardio rehab level three program, continuation of the special needs Sunday program for autistic children, new special needs classes for preschool children with autism and gifted and talented education (GATE) after-school programs.

Living in luxury
Sally Anderson’s home featured a number of architectural details starting with the driveway, which is a tiled terra cotta and verde circular drive. Pillars frame the door and set off the wide front veranda. The home offers a double spiral staircase leading to balconied windows. The living room on the first floor offers floor to ceiling windows overlooking a back yard with views of the pool, patio and the valley. Other unique features include a six-car garage, five fireplaces, a media room and a library.

The Davis home offers a free-flowing floor plan and views of Silver Creek and the rest of the valley below. It’s wide halls and high ceilings are designed to allow visitors to create visual separation between rooms. The home features an office area in the library and another office within the spacious master suite. It contains a second floor devoted solely to a ballroom with a grand piano and parquet floor.

The Herns’ Mediterranean home’s kitchen is the heart of the house. Offset with Brazilian cherry floors and custom cherry cabinets, it features granite counters and culinary amenities along with a walk-in pantry.

Little touches show off the elegance of Robichaux’ 7,500 square foot home. It features a dining room just off the foyer connected to the kitchen by a pantry-like hallway. The kitchen is large and comes with an island and is across from a den, with both looking onto the backyard swimming pool. All four bedrooms have their own baths and there is a powder room near the first floor bedroom. Three bedrooms are located upstairs and can be reached by a front or back staircase. Robichaux built the furniture in the children’s rooms. There’s also a two-story library office on the first floor and a huge laundry room.