683 PORTOLA ROAD, PORTOLA VALLEY

Introducing the Jelich Ranch
The Crown Jewel on Portola Valley’s Scenic Corridor

 

An extraordinary property on nearly 14 acres along Portola Valley’s most scenic corridor offering breathtaking views of iconic Windy Hill. With a storied legacy that dates back over a century, this property has been dedicated to orchard farming and today is certified organic. Owned by the Jelich family for 80 years and subsequently cherished by the current owners since 2000, the Jelich Ranch is now a harmonious blend of the past combined with 5-star luxury living. In 2007, the current owners embarked on a journey to restore and expand the original circa 1920 residence, a project masterfully executed by the renowned San Francisco firms of Walker Warner Architecture, Douglas Durkin Design and Forde Mazzola Associates.

Every detail was meticulously restored to honor the home’s original character, from the all-new push-button light switches and cord and pull windows to the cabinets with traditional saw-tooth shelving – a true labor of love that embraced authenticity. The home’s new beadboard paneled ceilings, Douglas fir floors, and interior transom windows harken back to its original glory, while a gourmet kitchen, expansive office, and luxurious primary suite with two full bathrooms bring modern comfort for today’s style of living. Storage spaces abound with numerous rooms lined with shelves, effortlessly combining form and function.

There is a spacious Accessory Dwelling Unit, masterfully restored in 2021. Embracing an industrial aesthetic with exposed ductwork, ceiling beams, and hemlock walls, this large retreat with a bedroom and office areas boasts a private driveway and a well-appointed kitchen in the inviting great room. A wellness center with an infrared sauna and meditation garden precedes it, offering tranquility and rejuvenation. Additionally, a separate two-room art studio, replete with custom cabinetry, awaits creativity or doubles as a remote office space. Car enthusiasts, or collectors of any kind, will be enamored by the expansive garage capable of housing up to 15 cars and with breathtaking views of Windy Hill. Completing this estate’s versatile offerings, and staying true to its legacy, is a spacious barn for agricultural pursuits.

The Jelich Ranch, with its rich heritage, meticulous restoration, and unparalleled setting, is a testament to a legacy that endures. Discover the serenity, charm, and boundless possibilities that await.

 

DETAILS OF THE PROPERTY

Main Residence

• Architectural details: Douglass fir floors; period-style light switches and hardware; interior transoms above doorways; custom windows with cord & weight operation; custom doors with hand-made screens; matchstick blinds on every window for privacy from the outside and diffused light inside; electronic shades on some windows; cabinets with traditional sawtooth shelving
• Elevated front door set between leaded glass side lights; traditional foyer and secondary foyer with one of two staircases to the lower level
• Formal living room has built-in display shelves, coffered ceiling with alabaster pendant, and fireplace outlined in stacked brick
• Tremendous kitchen features soapstone perimeter counters, end grain butcher block island with seating, and adjoining caterer’s kitchen
• Kitchen appliances include: Wolf gas range with 8 burners, pot filler, and stainless steel backsplash; Viking oven; 2 Viking warming drawers; Viking dishwasher; Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer; Caterer’s kitchen includes: Bosch dishwasher; 2 Sub-Zero refrigerators each with freezer drawers
• Formal dining/family room combination extends off the kitchen; walls in exterior siding and beadboard vaulted ceiling with period-style chandeliers; fireplace outlined to the ceiling in cut stone; French doors open to a large deck with Windy Hill views
• Office with fully paneled custom color walls and vaulted beadboard ceiling with chandelier; built-in cabinetry includes a partner’s desk and recessed library shelves
• Primary bedroom suite has a towering beadboard ceiling with 4 clear-glass pendant lights and fan plus French door to the deck and Windy Hill views; bathroom 1 has a walk-in closet with island, clawfoot tub, curbless shower, and private commode room; bathroom 2 has a walk-in closet, curbless shower, and private commode room
• Bedroom with built-in wardrobe storage and adjacent bath with console sink and tub with overhead shower
• Bedroom suite, ideal for guests, has a chandelier and custom wardrobe storage plus en suite bath with two console sinks and cast iron tub with overhead shower
• Lower-level carpeted bunk room and recreation room adjoin one another offering flexible space for play and media; refreshment center includes a sink and mini refrigerator; a half-bath and full bath with curbless shower serve the lower level
• Other features: main- and lower-level half-baths; laundry room with sink and Maytag washer/dryer; 2-car detached garage; 2 significant storage rooms, each lined with metal shelves; 3 under-deck, walk-in storage rooms; wine cellar with custom racking; seasonal wardrobe room; distributed sound speakers including surround sound in the recreation room; 4-zone air conditioning; partial backup generator

Accessory Dwelling Unit

• Front Dutch door with retractable screen door and keyless entry
• Screened-in front porch with outside access and laundry center
• Industrial ambiance with hemlock walls, radiant-heated oak floors, and all-wood vaulted and trussed ceiling with cupola and exposed metal ductwork
• Modern wood stove on an elevated stone platform
• Kitchen with wood-topped island, Wolf gas range, Haier dishwasher, and Frigidaire refrigerator
• Partitioned bedroom and separate office area with built-ins and outside entrance; bath with frameless-glass shower
• Full backup generator; central air conditioning; separate Internet access; security alarm
• Private driveway

Art Studio/Office

• Covered front porch entrance with views to Windy Hill
• Radiant-heated concrete floors
• Main room with fully paneled walls and ceiling encircled with built-in cabinetry, including rail-hung ladder access to upper levels
• Second room with built-in desk center and operable windows
• Half-bath with plumbing for shower, plus outdoor shower
• Air conditioning

Wellness Center

• 2-person infrared Clearlight sauna
• Sheltered deck with meditation garden

Barn and Car Collector’s Garage

• Sizeable agricultural barn with corrugated metal roof, double sliding barn doors on two sides, large walk-in cooler for storing fruit from the harvest, plus attached and sheltered tool/equipment storage area
• Separate collector’s garage with solar power, half-bath, office area lined with windows, plus spacious collector’s room with private patio and Windy Hill views; cement walls and floor with open beam paneled cathedral ceiling and industrial lighting

Ancillary Buildings & Grounds

• Refurbished tank house currently used as a playhouse
• Vintage caretaker’s cottage and wood chopper’s house
• Certified organic orchards predominantly apples, plus peach, pear, apricot, and plum
• Sizeable main- and lower-level decks including gas fire pit on lower level
• Dedicated vegetable garden and bee yard for honey operation
• Meadow with picnic benches and old-fashioned fire pit
• Seasonal pond and Sausal Creek flows through the property
• Wishing well and windmill
• Fire hydrant at the front of the property