Monique Lhuillier is known for her fabulous wedding gowns, interlaced and intricate. What is less commonly known is that her family - one of the wealthiest in the Philippines - had a home here in the Bay Area, in Hillsborough, where they would gather together. Whether the home had any inspirational influence on her as a designer we don't know, but she did spend time there. Since then, the Tuscan villa overlooking a wooded canyon peeking out to the Bay has gone through two owners, the second set of which renovated it entirely and it's breathtaking to see.
When Stephanie and Ray Hood first stumbled on this 6770 square foot Hillsborough home, it contained a wide range of styles, most notably Georgian and Meditteranean. Stephanie, had already managed renovations of five previous homes, so after they bought this one, she began working on her sixth. "Every surface" was redone, including floors, walls, lighting, even bannisters. The project took three months including flying in workers from Texas who the Hoods knew and trusted from their previous homes. The floors have been hand scraped, and antiques were specially purchased to fit into the rooms among other key pieces brought from their previous homes.
Stephanie explained that it was challenging for her to find good quality vendors, but they have done an incredible job. The couple was hanging up valences the evening I viewed the home as their three boys played in the spacious lower level (calling it a basement just is not appropriate - the space has archways and molding worthy of Italian palazzos). But now it's time for them to move on to their next challenge and the home is listed by Catherine Marcus and more information can be found on her site. "We've used every room," Stephanie expressed with pride - and it's easy to see why - the home, even for its large size, is very livable.
With five bedrooms, two dining areas, a balcony that rivals the one at the San Francisco War Memorial, a pool right out of Umbria, arched ceilings, light flowing throughout, and trees as far as the eye can see, the property truly is a gem.
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