This midcentury California home in North Berkeley is different from what it seems from the street, where only its garage is on show.

Follow a sheltered path through the lush garden, and you will reach the four-bedroom home designed by well-known Berkeley architect Carlton Arthur Steiner in the 1950s.

Steiner conceived a breezy open-plan L-shaped living and dining area hoisted over the sloping property, which has undergone a sensitive refurbishment to polish its midcentury bones. New windows wrap the updated interiors, connecting them with the deep patio, landscaped gardens, and views of the city beyond.

The house steps down into sunny private spaces, refreshed with ample wardrobes and new bathrooms. Access to the landscaped garden is also down here, where a shaded path leads to a surprising 100-square-metre Japanese-style sanctuary carved from a former pool house, currently used as a yoga studio and lounge.

The Grubb Co Realtors are marketing the Berkeley property for $2.195m. Take a look in the gallery above.

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