Thorsen House
Encyclopedia
The William R. Thorsen House, often referred to as the Thorsen House, was built in 1909 in Berkeley, California
by William Randolph and Caroline Canfield Thorsen. Designed by Henry and Charles Greene, of the renowned Pasadena firm of Greene & Greene, in the American Craftsman style
of the Arts and Crafts Movement
. The House is considered as the last of four Greene & Greene designed ultimate bungalow
s and is the only one located in Northern California.
William Thorsen was a lumber baron from Michigan who retired to California
and purchased a lot in Berkeley. His wife, Caroline, was the sister of Nellie Canfield Blacker of the Robert R. Blacker House
. Inspired by the Greene brothers' work and also the wife and daughter of lumbermen, she too wanted a wooden house like her sister's.
The entry hall is paneled in teak
while the living and dining rooms are paneled in Honduras Mahogany with ebony
pegs covering the screws. The fireplace in the living room is surrounded with mauve Grueby
tiles. The front door contains leaded art glass in the pattern of a gnarled grape vine, executed by Emil Lange. The Greenes were commissioned to make furniture originally only for the dining room, but they were later called back to make more pieces.
The Thorsen House can be toured throughout the week on an informal basis. Visitors should contact the Thorsen House via its webpage or simply knock on the door.
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
by William Randolph and Caroline Canfield Thorsen. Designed by Henry and Charles Greene, of the renowned Pasadena firm of Greene & Greene, in the American Craftsman style
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
of the Arts and Crafts Movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
. The House is considered as the last of four Greene & Greene designed ultimate bungalow
Ultimate bungalow
Ultimate bungalow is a term most commonly used to describe very large and detailed Craftsman style homes, taking the bungalow style and interpreting it on a large scale. The style is associated with such California architects as Greene and Greene, Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan...
s and is the only one located in Northern California.
History
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and purchased a lot in Berkeley. His wife, Caroline, was the sister of Nellie Canfield Blacker of the Robert R. Blacker House
Robert R. Blacker House
Not to be confused with the house that is part of the House System at the California Institute of TechnologyThe Robert Roe Blacker House, often referred to as the Blacker House or Robert R. Blacker House, is a residence in Pasadena, California, which is now on the U.S. National Register of Historic...
. Inspired by the Greene brothers' work and also the wife and daughter of lumbermen, she too wanted a wooden house like her sister's.
The entry hall is paneled in teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
while the living and dining rooms are paneled in Honduras Mahogany with ebony
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
pegs covering the screws. The fireplace in the living room is surrounded with mauve Grueby
Grueby Faience Company
The Grueby Faience Company, founded in 1894, was an American ceramics company that produced distinctive vases and tiles during America's Arts and Crafts Movement....
tiles. The front door contains leaded art glass in the pattern of a gnarled grape vine, executed by Emil Lange. The Greenes were commissioned to make furniture originally only for the dining room, but they were later called back to make more pieces.
Restoration and tours
The house is currently owned by the Sigma Phi Society, which is raising funds for an extensive $10 million restoration and seismic upgrade. The active members of the Sigma Phi Society are students at U.C. Berkeley and are primarily responsible for upkeep of the house under the guidance of architectural experts. Students living in the house have produced some replica furniture.The Thorsen House can be toured throughout the week on an informal basis. Visitors should contact the Thorsen House via its webpage or simply knock on the door.