In the hills above Mill Valley, George and Karen Mandala have built a sunny one-bedroom, two-bathroom home on “green” principles to provide a nourishing retreat – and a nest for raising their daughter, 3-month-old Shaina. Amid sky-high Bay Area real estate prices and enormous new homes, the Mandalas prove that it’s possible to create a warm, welcoming and environmentally-friendly home without state lottery winnings.

The setting is part of the magic. The house is built on a hillside approaching the vast green oasis of Muir Woods National Monument, Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It is nestled amid tall pines, redwood and cypress, plus a smattering of plum trees that were bursting with graceful pink blossoms on the day I visited. The living room and kitchen offer an expansive view of the forested hills that ultimately (and invisibly) give way to the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. Despite numerous houses nearby, and the town of Mill Valley barely a mile below, the home feels entirely private and serene.

But the setting is only the beginning. Right from the pine front door, there is a relaxed, home-grown feeling to the house – reflecting George and Karen’s personal, principled involvement in virtually every detail of the design and construction. The pine for the exterior doors were made from a huge tree on the property which became infested with beetles and had to be removed a few years ago. The boards were milled on the property and then aged for nearly three years while George’s home-building plans developed. “I always knew I wanted to build my own house,” George says. “My father was a contractor. I guess that’s where it started.”

George bought the land seven years ago when it featured a 500-square-foot 1940s house – from a Sears & Roebuck catalog – that had deteriorated badly. “Barely habitable,” George laughs, describing the leaks, critters and crumbling deck. Gradually George began sketching plans for a new house on the site and collecting materials.

Along the way, George became aware of sustainable or “green” building, and committed himself to that approach. He started getting to know the green options and the local experts. He found that overall the costs were no higher than for conventional materials, and the results were beautiful, healthy and philosophically satisfying. He and Karen kept the project within budget by contributing some of their own labor (like painting the shingles and interior walls), providing some of the wood (from the old house and other buildings) and working with very flexible contractors. They also decided to postpone building out the lower level, which eventually will add another 1,000 square feet to the 1,200 square foot main level.

Step one: “Deconstruction.” The old house was literally dismantled so that a lot of the old materials could be salvaged and reused – in this case, wood for the trim and the deck posts. 

Step two: Find natural materials. George took an active role in researching and purchasing materials. He credits Greg Snowden, owner of the new Green Fusion Design Center in nearby San Anselmo (greenfusiondesigncenter.com), with helping him find what he needed. But George’s creativity and perseverance went far beyond browsing in a local store. For example, the wood siding for the new house came from three sources, all considered “green”: salvaged urban trees,  recycled wood from existing buildings and sustainably-harvested lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Step three: Build a comfortable home. Entering the house, I was immediately struck by the high ceilings, open floor plan, post-and-beam construction and abundance of natural light. The house feels like a mountain retreat that is completely relaxed, yet sophisticated.

As a barefoot yogi, I especially appreciated the gorgeous floors throughout the house: bamboo in the living room, bedroom and hallways; earthy red-brown cork in the kitchen; and stunning blue marmoleum in the master bathroom – which Karen aptly calls the Ocean Room. The cork kitchen floor is noticeably softer underfoot – perfect for dancing a baby back to sleep. Radiant heat provides warmth underfoot on the cold days.

The kitchen and dining area take advantage of the view and open out onto a private deck. The sun-gold kitchen counter-tops practically glow. George explains that they’re made of compressed paper and are extremely durable. The cabinets are made of elm that was milled especially for the house from a tree “rescued” from the back of a truck by Specialty Tree Industries. The deck is made of tree-free and maintenance-free plastic beams.

Other “green” features include energy-saving double-paned windows, a clean-burning fireplace and insulation made of recycled blue jeans. The foundation’s cement contains a substantial amount of fly-ash, a waste produced by coal combustion. Finally, the roof is made of steel, which is long-lasting, recyclable, fire-proof and virtually maintenance free.

Although the home’s beauty speaks for itself, talking with George and Karen reveals so much more about the unusual way in which the home was built. Their keen interest in understanding all aspects of the construction and their enthusiasm for working with local experts and natural or sustainable materials are far from commonplace. By the time I said good-bye, I felt that I, too, knew each of the people involved in building the house. Their creative power and their collaborative relationships with George and Karen are deeply woven into the fabric of this home. 

Reluctantly, I left George, Karen, Shaina, the dog and three cats to their afternoon naps and wended my way down the mountain and back to the City.