5. here are many different kinds of people that choose to live “in the
woods,” as opposed to “the flats” as forest people would say, the flats
being the rest of the bay area that is not up in the woods. There are
hippies living on self-sustainable communes, there are yuppie
families that want a little more privacy and space for their children,
there are older couples who want to get away from civilization and live out their last
years in peace and quiet with nature, there are celebrities who need a hidden oasis
from the hustle and bustle of their normal lives in the spotlight, and then there are
artists, musicians, and other creative types who love the inspiration that the wild
and nature provide. The Lyons family falls into a couple of these categories, they
are now an empty nesting couple, enjoying their retirement with their animals in the
woods, away from the noise of the cities where they used to reside. The wife, Mary
Jane, is also a creative type, she used to be a children’s designer, has worked as an
interior designer, and is also an artist. They originally moved to the mountain from
LA when their kids were young so that they could be near the San Francisco where
4
T
It is around the
table that we
understand best
the warmth of
being together.
6. 5 CALIFORNIAHOMEDESIGN.COM February 2013
Relaxing Repast
“Mary envisioned a dining
space where people would
want to sit around and talk for
hours after a meal,” says her
husband, “so she designed a
large table with benches to
create a more welcoming
dining expeience.”
7. 6February 2013 CALIFORNIAHOMEDESIGN.COM
James, the husband, worked as a Lawyer, but also have space to keep their animals instead of
having to board them like they did in LA. Their children have since grown up and moved out,
so now they have the place to themselves.
A while ago they decided to remodel the whole house since they originally bought it
unfinished over twenty years ago. They did so with the help of Mary’s friends Ariel Snyders,
designer and fabricator, and his longtime partner Michelle Rein who is also a designer, as well
as a jewelry designer and stained glass fabricator, as well as the project coordinator and client
liaison for their Interior and Architectural design and fabrication company; American Artisans.
Mary’s aesthetics and personal tastes can be seen everywhere in the house, she was very proac-
tive in the creation of their new home down to every little carving and decorative detail. Their
home is now completely unique and exactly represents them and their own personal design
identities in every aspect of this wonderful, hidden sanctuary. The property itself is also a
beautifully, artistic representation of Mary. When they bought the land it was barren with no
8. 7 CALIFORNIAHOMEDESIGN.COM February 2013
with no gardens or plants on large areas of the property, but Mary
has spent years turning the property into a wonderful, gorgeous and
interesting, landscape of flowers and trees everywhere with gardens,
fountains, tree houses and other exquisite exterior details.
This is why people move up into the mountains, once you
buy your house, you can make it into your perfect home inside and
out. Mary has had many details imported from around the world like
her beautiful blue stove which is from France, and fountains and
other landscape accents like fountains and interior marble tiles from
Italy. The possibilities are endless when you have free rein on how
10. 9 CALIFORNIAHOMEDESIGN.COM February 2013
you want your home and surrounding property to look and feel, and the Lyons
estate feels like a wonderfully classic, pristine escape, where anyone would want
to stay for a weekend to away from the city. With many activities like horseback
riding on the fifteen acres of trails, picking vegetables and flowers from the
gardens to cook a lovely dinner in one of the two kitchens, or just relax on the
porch and read a book. Mary has always talked about turning their home into a
little bed and breakfast, so maybe one day you will be able to stay there and do all
those amazing things in this hidden wonderland in the forests of the Santa Cruz
Mountains.
Woodside is small town in San Mateo County. It is located on the San
Andreas fault, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and The Santa Cruz Mountains
on the San Francisco Peninsula. Much of Woodside is dominated by redwoods in
the western hills and oaks and eucalyptus in the lower areas. Before the Europeans
came to explore and settle in California, Woodside was home to the Ohlone and
Costanoan people. The area is distinguished for having been the home of some of
the first English-speaking settlers on the San Francisco Peninsula. After World War
II, San Mateo County grew rapidly, altering the mid-peninsula landscape. Today,
Woodside is among the wealthiest small towns in the United States.
There is a
blessedness
surely to be
believed, and
that is
everything
abides in
eternal
ecstasy, now
and forever.
Jack Kerouac
