When my son James was little, his fantasy wish list included living in a house with a huge slide coming out of the upper-story windows. In this dream home, he would be able to jump on the slide, swoosh down to the yard, and run back into the house and upstairs to do it all over again.
This long-ago fantasy popped into my head as I toured the beautiful contemporary home for sale at 4517 Vieja Drive in Hope Ranch last week. The memory may have been triggered by the awesome tree house on the hillside or the putting green in the backyard, both of which would be the fodder for many people’s dreams. The open floor plan, vertical spaces, and many balconies also made it easy to envision gazing — or even sliding — out the windows.
I was impressed with the details of this stylish home before I even stepped inside. The terraced front yard features palm trees, native grasses, and drought-tolerant plants along the front walkway. Subtle touches like colorful tiles on the risers on the steps and the circular red-brick detailing under the eaves near the front roofline were indications that something special awaited within.