Quietwood Series: 1971–1973 Sunset homes in Livermore

Cover photo of the Magnolia model from the Quietwood Series in Livermore, built between 1971 and 1973 by Sunset Homes. This single-story home features a low-pitched roof, wide eaves, and a clean, linear façade—capturing the understated elegance of early 1970s suburban design.

Welcome to Quietwood

In the early 1970s, as Livermore continued its transformation from an agrarian town into a fully suburban city, Sunset Homes introduced a distinctive residential series that would quietly redefine middle-tier housing in the Tri-Valley. Dubbed the Quietwood Series, this collection of four floor plans was introduced in late 1971 and represented Sunset’s major design refresh for the 1970s.

Positioned between their budget-friendly Ripplebrook homes and the upscale Wildwood line, Quietwood offered modern amenities, spatial efficiency, and a flair for entertaining—all while maintaining the affordability that helped Sunset Homes establish dominance across Livermore's south side.

Black-and-white newspaper ad from January 1971 promoting the Quietwood series by Sunset Homes in Livermore, California. The ad highlights a new “Kitchen-in-the-Round” feature, with bold typography and illustrations showcasing the home’s layout and modern design elements.
Vintage January 1971 ad for Sunset Homes' Quietwood series in Livermore, announcing the debut of the innovative “Kitchen-in-the-Round” — a unique circular kitchen layout designed to enhance space and flow in modern suburban homes.

Context: Sunset in the suburbs

By 1971, Sunset Homes had already built out large portions of Sunset West, Sunset East, and the Whispering Pines neighborhoods. These developments catered to the wave of new families arriving in Livermore—many of them tied to Lawrence Livermore Lab, local industry, or East Bay commutes.

Quietwood arrived just as the demand for modern layouts and lifestyle-oriented spaces began to replace the utilitarian ranches of the 1950s and early '60s. Sunset adapted with a series that offered design-forward homes without crossing into luxury pricing—a rare sweet spot in postwar suburban development.

Where Quietwood was built

Quietwood homes were not confined to a single neighborhood. Instead, they were strategically dispersed across three Sunset neigborhoods (dubbed Sunsetown):

  • Three Fountains – The flagship neighborhood for Quietwood, including the model complex

  • Whispering Pines – Where Quietwood mixed with Ripplebrook and Wildwood plans

  • Sunset East – Where Quietwood offered modern alternatives to earlier builds

This geographic spread reflects Sunset’s flexible development strategy—rather than isolating product tiers in enclaves, they integrated them to create more diverse but cohesive communities.

Map of Three Fountains, Whispering Pines, and Sunset East in Livermore California
Homes from the Quietwood series were built in the Three Fountains, Whispering Pines, and Sunset East neighborhoods in Livermore, California.

Kitchens as design statements

For historians of mid-century design, the Quietwood kitchens deserve special mention.

  • The Magnolia introduced a “kitchen-in-the-round”—a circular cooking core surrounded by cabinetry and appliances. This was not just functional but theatrical: a space meant to be seen as much as used.

  • Other plans, like the Escalonia and Gardenia, featured entertainment islands—precursors to today’s open-concept kitchens—ideal for casual dining, socializing, or hosting.

  • All kitchens featured durable vinyl flooring, accessible counter heights, and open plans that blurred the line between living and cooking spaces.

While Sunset Homes had experimented with round kitchens before, it was Quietwood that perfected the concept and tied it to suburban lifestyle trends—particularly the rise of in-home entertaining.

Black-and-white 1971 newspaper photo of the Magnolia model from Sunset’s Quietwood series, showcasing its distinctive round kitchen layout and mid-century ranch exterior.
From a December 1971 Daily Review photo—the queen of the Quietwood series, the Magnolia model, featuring its signature round kitchen and bold architectural styling.

The homes of Quietwood

Built on Alden Lane, the Quietwood model complex opened on November 21, 1971. Four staged homes offered buyers a hands-on experience with the series’ smart designs and stylish finishes. Prices began under $28,000—well below custom-built homes with similar square footage.

Map showing the site of the Quietwood model home complex on Alden Lane in the Three Fountains neighborhood of Livermore.
Site of the Quietwood series model home complex on Alden Lane.

Pricing history

Quietwood reflected national inflation trends but remained competitively priced:

  • 1971: $27,850 - $31,850
  • 1972: $28,850 - $33,700
  • 1973: $31,250 - $36,450

Despite economic uncertainty in the early 1970s, Sunset managed to keep homes accessible to Livermore’s working- and middle-class families.

Model homes

1. The Escalonia - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,324 sq. ft. Efficient footprint, entertainment island, ideal for small families or downsizers.

2. The Gardenia - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,466 sq. ft. Vinyl flooring, large central island, open dining-living flow.

Vintage 1972 photo of the Gardenia model kitchen featuring vinyl floors, a central island, and a young boy dressed as a cowboy sitting at the counter—capturing mid-century family charm.
For the little cowboy, inside the Gardenia from April 1972.

Floor plan of the Quietwood Gardenia model, showing a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom layout with an open kitchen and entertainment island.
Floor plan of The Gardenia from November 1973.

3. The Magnolia - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,664 sq. ft Round kitchen, large living spaces, premium fixtures.

March 1973 advertisement for the Magnolia model home at Quietwood in Livermore, showcasing the floor plan with a prominent focus on the “Sunset’s Famous Kitchen in the Round” feature. The layout highlights the circular kitchen design, a distinctive architectural element of the home.
Vintage March 1973 ad for the Magnolia model at Quietwood in Livermore, featuring the floor plan and the tagline “Sunset’s Famous Kitchen in the Round.”

Floor plan of the Quietwood Magnolia model, featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a distinctive round kitchen design.
Close up of the floor plan of The Magnolia from December 1972.

4. The Nandina - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,674 sq. ft. Great for larger families or home office needs.

Quietwood today

Though interiors have been updated, many original Quietwood exteriors remain intact, with low-slung rooflines, horizontal siding, and modest yet welcoming entries.

The Escalonia today

Current photo of the original Escalonia model home. A single-story house with a wide horizontal layout, modest landscaping, and preserved mid-century ranch features.
The former Escalonia model home in Livermore’s Three Fountains neighborhood, photographed in 2024. This modest plan remains largely intact, showcasing the original single-story footprint and low-pitched roofline.

The Gardenia today

Contemporary image of the Gardenia model, a one-story home with modernized exterior finishes but retaining its original structure and proportions.
The former Gardenia model as it appears today. While the exterior has been updated, the home’s original footprint and interior island kitchen remain popular features among current homeowners.

The Magnolia today

Present-day photo of the Magnolia model home. A spacious ranch-style residence with updated exterior paint and landscaping; originally featured a round kitchen layout inside.
The former Magnolia model home in 2024. Known for its “kitchen-in-the-round,” the Magnolia remains one of the most architecturally distinctive homes Sunset Homes ever built.

The Nandina today

Photo of the Nandina model today. A four-bedroom ranch home with a broad front façade and mature landscaping, reflecting subtle updates while preserving original massing.
The original Nandina model home as it stands today. The largest in the Quietwood series, it offered four bedrooms and generous common areas—many now updated for modern living

Buildout & end of sales

Sunset Homes sold the final Quietwood models in October 1973, signaling the close of the series. However, the most popular design—the Magnolia—lived on. It was reintroduced in modified forms in later developments, including:

  • The Meadows

  • Wildwood Series

  • Shadowbrook

The Magnolia’s enduring popularity speaks to its design innovation and adaptability in various price tiers.

Historical significance

Quietwood stands as a transitional product line: bridging the modest ranches of the 1960s with the lifestyle-driven suburban homes of the later 1970s. It marks:

  • A shift toward entertainment-centric layouts

  • Early experimentation with open kitchens and casual living

  • Sunset’s ability to evolve without abandoning affordability

Quietwood also provides a valuable window into developer flexibility, marketing strategies, and mid-tier market segmentation in postwar suburban Livermore.

A lasting imprint

While Quietwood may have been “middle-tier” in Sunset’s portfolio, for many Livermore families, it was a first home, a forever home, or both. It was a place where shag carpet met circular kitchens, and where 1970s optimism was built right into the floor plan.

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