California dreaming

Jack and Gail O'Connell once lived in California and admired a neighbor's contemporary home so much that when they moved to Burlington in the early 1980s, they built something similar, yet fit for New England winters.

They installed energy-efficient three-zone electric heating and cooling pump systems, two-by-six construction, triple-pane glass, steel-insulated doors, pocket doors to close off zones, and a coal-burning stove in the family room and kitchen area.

Built on a knoll, the home has an open multilevel design, with large windows that look out onto birch and pine trees and a ledge that leads to acres of woods. Tucked away a few blocks from the town library, the neighborhood is fittingly called Library Estates, and because this house is on a cul de sac, it offers an additional element of peaceful seclusion.

The house was located deliberately at an angle and ''designed to flow with the setting and blend with the natural environment," said listing broker Edith Desmond of Prudential Suburban Realtors. The front portico draws the eye away from the three-car garage, she said, and is the only angle of the home visible to neighbors. ''You don't need a curtain in the entire house; there's incredible privacy," Desmond said.

Other California touches: sunken family room with large bay window; second-level foyer with skylight; step-up bed platform; super-deep bubble tub; intercom system; and magnificent views from every room.

The solid oak kitchen includes a breakfast bar, pantry, new double-bowl sink, dishwasher, and ceramic tile countertops. Change the outdated linoleum floor, update one or two bathrooms, finish the basement for a teenager's hideaway, and this home will be the envy of neighbors, just like that California home was for the O'Connells.

MINDY POLLACK-FUSI