A Sculptor’s Sanctuary Above the Canyon

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642 Beloit Avenue, Kensington

Presented by
Tracy Sichterman & Linda Van Couvering

Some homes are designed to impress. Others are designed to restore. Tucked into the lush canyons of Kensington, California, this remarkable retreat accomplishes both with rare grace. Surrounded by nature and thoughtfully reimagined by acclaimed sculptor Rob Firman, the residence feels less like a house and more like a private mountain lodge suspended among the treetops. It's a place where architecture, art, and landscape exist in perfect conversation.

Built in 1978 and encompassing approximately 2,446 square feet, the five-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home is a study in thoughtful design and emotional impact. While only minutes from the cultural, culinary, and recreational riches of the Bay Area, it feels entirely removed from the demands of daily life. Here, hawks soar at eye level beyond expansive windows, canyon breezes filter through the trees, and every room is oriented toward a view.

The home’s most dramatic gathering space is the soaring living room, where a monumental stone fireplace commands attention beneath vaulted wood ceilings. Designed by Firman himself, the sculptural hearth is a work of art as much as an architectural feature. Above, skylights flood the room with natural light, sending shifting beams across warm wood surfaces and textured stone throughout the day.

It is a room that embodies the home’s defining characteristic: drama without pretension. There is drama in the canyon setting. Drama in the cathedral-like ceilings. Drama in the ever-changing play of sunlight through the skylights. And there is profound drama in the way nature is framed from nearly every vantage point, transforming ordinary moments into cinematic experiences.

The kitchen offers a different kind of inspiration. Beautifully appointed and designed for serious cooks, it pairs luxury appliances with warm, natural materials that reinforce the home’s mountain lodge aesthetic. A Café French-door double wall oven, five-burner gas cooktop, and generous workspaces make entertaining effortless. Richly veined stone countertops echo the textures and movement of the surrounding landscape.

The home’s connection to nature is perhaps most apparent in its effortless indoor-outdoor flow. From the dining area, canyon views become part of every meal. Nearby doors open onto decks that invite alfresco dining beneath the trees. Whether enjoying morning coffee accompanied by birdsong or gathering friends for dinner against a backdrop of rolling green canyons, the outdoors always feels just steps away.

Three of the home’s five bedrooms enjoy direct access to canyon-facing decks, creating private retreats that extend beyond their walls. On the lower level, one bedroom opens to a secluded deck featuring a hot tub perfectly positioned to take in the tranquil canyon setting.

The primary suite provides yet another unforgettable experience. Its bathroom is a work of art in its own right, anchored by luminous alabaster double sinks and a spacious walk-in shower. Exquisite custom tilework culminates in a glowing alabaster medallion set into the floor and illuminated from below. Even the cabinetry reflects a sculptor’s attention to detail, featuring custom-designed rolling doors that glide away from view when opened.

Throughout the home, beauty and practicality coexist seamlessly. Abundant storage includes a dedicated storage room near the entry, while sustainable features support a modern lifestyle. Solar panels, an electric vehicle charger, and energy-efficient mini-split heat pumps provide environmentally conscious comfort, complemented by the warmth and ambiance of the living room’s gas fireplace.

A gentle ramp creates convenient level-in access, while a separate exterior entrance and side staircase leading to the lower level offer intriguing possibilities for multigenerational living, guests, or a future ADU conversion.

Firman’s influence extends far beyond the fireplace. Known nationally for public commissions including the Rosa Parks statue in the United States Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, San Francisco City Hall’s monument to Harvey Milk, and the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Memorial in Hodgenville, Kentucky, the sculptor brought his unique understanding of three-dimensional space to the home’s renovation. Walls were opened, sightlines expanded, and connections between rooms strengthened to create a flowing, light-filled environment that feels both intimate and expansive.

Nowhere is that vision more evident than in the extraordinary artist’s studio he designed as his own workspace. Among the finest creative spaces imaginable, the studio reflects both the discipline of a master artist and the romance of Nordic design traditions. Inspired by the forms of Viking architecture, the space combines soaring vaulted ceilings with an abundance of skylights, creating a luminous environment that remains remarkably functional. Full-spectrum lighting ensures accurate color representation in every season and at every hour, while expansive walls provide generous room for creating and displaying artwork. Large accordion-style doors fold completely out of sight, allowing monumental sculptures to move seamlessly between indoors and out. A practical work sink is discreetly positioned for convenience, while canyon views provide a constant source of inspiration. Through the window, a remarkable reverse sunset paints the canyon in layers of color and shadow. Even for those who have never picked up a paintbrush or chisel, the studio possesses an undeniable magic. It is a space that invites creativity simply by being in it.

This is a home where art informs architecture, where nature shapes daily life, and where the boundaries between indoors and outdoors seem to dissolve. A home that allows its residents to escape everything, while enjoying the very best of everything the Bay Area has to offer.

Floor Plans

Neighborhood

Thanks to its proximity to the University of California, Berkeley campus, Kensington may boast the largest number of Nobel Prize winners of any community in the world. But one look at this neighborhood of large homes in the hilly streets above Berkeley, its commanding views of the Bay Area, and sunny terraced yards will explain why this community is one of the most sought after in the East Bay.

Famed architect Bernard Maybeck had a home on Purdue Street. The homes he designed here at the turn of the last century have become an informal blueprint for the signature home in Berkeley. These well-proportioned homes are designed for family life and dinner parties. Shingle siding, rustic construction, and bright, expansive vistas are the hallmark of the homes in Kensington.

Children walk the nearby Old School Trail to the top-rated Kensington Hilltop Elementary. Tilden Park provides the boundary to the east. Miles of biking and hiking trails, a miniature steam train, an exhibition farm, a merry-go-round, and the naturally landscaped swimming hole at Lake Anza make Tilden a popular destination for families.
Transportation via Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is convenient. Heading on Colusa Avenue leads to the El Cerrito Plaza BART station, and a short drive down Arlington Avenue takes you to North Berkeley BART and North Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood. There are two distinct shopping districts in Kensington.