The Voice of East Bay Living

One of my favorite streets in Rockridge is 63rd street which runs off of College Ave. This street is really close to wonderful edibles on College Ave. such as Wood Tavern, La Farine, and much more. In the midst of these urban delights ,328 63rd. St. stands out as a wonderful example of an eco-friendly home. It's proud owner, David Gottfield, put his philosophy into realty. Every inch of this charming craftsman home is totally green-water heater that is solar operated, nine fifty gallon water storage tanks that encircle the house used to flush toilets, water gardens, etc.. ,recycled wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council,cellulose insulation blown into the walls and a solar shed in his back yard. David founded and sits on the board of the World Green Building Council,one of the world's fastest growing non-profit organizations. He will be giving a tour of his home this Saturday from 2-4. Don't miss it. This home is currently listed by Ann Van Dyke of the

I had the good fortune to attend a wonderful seminar last Saturday at Berkeley Mills, a haven for exceptional high end furniture design. Founded in 1988, this dynamic company creates top of the line hardwood custom furniture, adding a "peaceful and efficient backdrop to their clients' lives. One of their favorite interior designers is Michael Merrill who showed a series of his slides depicting his exciting and innovate room transformations.He believes that every detail of a room is important. He is a master at his craft, delighting in mixing very expensive materials with inexpensive items. He also says that a room is truly complete when it is being used to its fullest. To learn more about Berkely Mills visit http://berkeleymills.com/ . To learn more about Michael Merrill visit http://www.michaelmerrill.net/ .