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The Midpeninsula has no shortage of seriously unique homes. From family wineries and historic estates to modern mountain retreats, these one-of-a-kind properties – whether because of their price, unusual design or history – are notable even for Silicon Valley. Every month, we highlight some of these not-so-ordinary properties that are on the market right now – or recently sold. This week, we take a look inside an Italian-style villa in Atherton that ranked among the top 10 most-expensive new listings in the nation when it hit the market in April.
$32 million
‘Early Renaissance-inspired’ villa
2.5 acres, courtyards, fountains, secret garden, 2-bedroom guesthouse
Atherton
On the market
With courtyards, fountains, formal gardens, Venetian plaster walls and large-scale spaces designed for indoor-outdoor entertaining, this 2.5-acre estate in Central Atherton was custom-built in 2002 to reflect the grandeur of the historic, early-Renaissance villas that dot the Italian countryside.
The property, which ranked as one of the most-expensive new listings in the nation when it hit the market last month, is for sale with a $32 million price tag: It was listed at No. 7 on Realtor.com’s Top 10 most-expensive listings for the week of April 23.
Front of house. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Game room. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Family room. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Bar. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Kitchen. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Staircase. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Wine cellar. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Main bedroom. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Main bathroom. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography. 
Back of house. Courtesy Scott Dubose Photography.
The approximately 9,415-square-foot, two-level residence features five-bedroom suites with spa-inspired bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen with a butler’s pantry, a wine cellar, two offices, a sunken living room and a dining room designed for grand-scale entertaining. The multi-room primary suite includes a fireplace and private sitting areas.
The main feature, however, is the artistry detailed throughout the home, including Venetian plaster walls, stone columns, intricate woodwork, hand-painted murals, soaring ceilings, a curved staircase with wrought-iron railings and other custom-crafted features.
Beyond the main house
The property comes with a three-car garage and a secondary two-car garage with a workshop, a tennis court, fenced dog run, a two-bedroom guesthouse and a cabana with a fireplace and indoor kitchen that overlooks the pool and spa.
The gardens
The main home and secondary buildings are surrounded by fountains, courtyards and pathways that wind through manicured gardens, as well as a secret rock garden with waterways hidden behind centuries-old-style walls. The grounds also feature a vegetable garden with eight raised beds and fruit trees.
The residence, owned by Quam Domain Properties LLC, sold in 2014 for $25 million, according to the Sacramento Bee.
The median listing price for homes in Atherton was $11 million, or $2,200 per square foot, in April, according to Realtor.com.
