Views abound in open, welcoming Oakland hills home

Convenience and luxurious finishes alone do not make a home. Since the summer of 2013, Heidi Beacham, her firefighter husband and their twin boys have nestled into 23 Observation Place, a four-bedroom Spanish Mediterranean just off Skyline Boulevard in Montclair. The views of San Francisco and the Bay Area are obviously incredible, Beacham said, but it’s how the family used a west-facing deck off the kitchen that molded a lifelong memory for her. The contemporary floor plan embraced indoor and outdoor living, making for an enticing entertainment hub. The couple installed window treatments and new light fixtures and immediately shared the results with their loved ones. “Whether it was a small family party or a sit-down dinner party for 20 people, we loved having people over and filling it with family and friends,” said Beacham. Besides the showstopping view deck off the kitchen, the home offers a brick patio off the front of the home, a private deck for the master suite and a sheltered courtyard off the dining room. The Beachams installed a fence around the front yard, creating boundaries for the tile patio beyond the living room’s French doors. The boys are entering grade school and her husband works in Carmel, so the clan is moving on, ready to let a new family create their own memories. Outdoor spaces include a fenced front patio, tile courtyard with fountain off the dining room, a private patio for the master suite and a view deck overlooking San Francisco off the back of the main level.