My Houzz: Contemporary Boho-Glam Style in Wine Country
A family enjoys dreamy views of rolling hills through the wraparound windows in this Northern California retreat
Megan Hansen
February 20, 2018
Houzz Contributor // I love sharing the stories behind the homes of my favorite Marin County locals, and getting inspo for my own through the Houzz community. In my downtime you can usually find me entertaining friends and family in our home, going on hikes in NorCal and loving on my baby son Coast.
Houzz Contributor // I love sharing the stories behind the homes of my favorite Marin... More
House at a Glance
Who lives here: James and Sophie Gray; their daughters, Amelie, 4, and Penelope, 2; and two dogs, Sierra, a Kangal, and Winston, a Yorkshire terrier
Location: Sonoma Mountain, Petaluma, California
Size: Six bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Year built: 1983
Sophie Gray describes the view from her Petaluma, California, home as “thousands of acres of forest and rolling hills and virtually unpopulated with people.” Sophie, a stem cell scientist, and husband James, an entrepreneur, took a leap of faith when buying their five-bedroom home on top of Sonoma Mountain in wine country. “When we bought the house, it had been pretty desolate, and Mother Nature was definitely trying to take back over,” she says.
“I’m not kidding when I tell you that there was a rattlesnake in the kitchen, and over time James relocated a total of 72 rattlesnakes near the house,” Sophie says. “We actually ended up getting the help of owls in the end.” The couple installed four owl boxes in their vineyard, which gave the birds a home. The birds then rid the property of rodents, which the snakes had been consuming. With their key food source gone, the snakes found a new home elsewhere.
After the couple bought the home, they worked on updating the interior and exterior to prepare it for their wedding. They also worked closely with San Francisco architect Olle Lundberg of Lundberg Design and contractor Bill Schaeffer of Cello & Maudru Construction.
Who lives here: James and Sophie Gray; their daughters, Amelie, 4, and Penelope, 2; and two dogs, Sierra, a Kangal, and Winston, a Yorkshire terrier
Location: Sonoma Mountain, Petaluma, California
Size: Six bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Year built: 1983
Sophie Gray describes the view from her Petaluma, California, home as “thousands of acres of forest and rolling hills and virtually unpopulated with people.” Sophie, a stem cell scientist, and husband James, an entrepreneur, took a leap of faith when buying their five-bedroom home on top of Sonoma Mountain in wine country. “When we bought the house, it had been pretty desolate, and Mother Nature was definitely trying to take back over,” she says.
“I’m not kidding when I tell you that there was a rattlesnake in the kitchen, and over time James relocated a total of 72 rattlesnakes near the house,” Sophie says. “We actually ended up getting the help of owls in the end.” The couple installed four owl boxes in their vineyard, which gave the birds a home. The birds then rid the property of rodents, which the snakes had been consuming. With their key food source gone, the snakes found a new home elsewhere.
After the couple bought the home, they worked on updating the interior and exterior to prepare it for their wedding. They also worked closely with San Francisco architect Olle Lundberg of Lundberg Design and contractor Bill Schaeffer of Cello & Maudru Construction.
The couple are pictured here enjoying a picnic with their two daughters, Amelie, seated next to Sophie, and Penelope, on James’ lap. Seated next to Amelie is the couple’s niece, who comes to visit often. The Grays grew up in the area and split their time between this mountaintop property and their home in Ross, in nearby Marin County. “Once we had the girls, we realized we needed to live closer to schools, but this house is truly our home. We have put a lot into making it feel that way,” Sophie says.
On their first date almost a decade ago, Sophie asked James what he wanted to do next with his life. Without hesitation, he responded, “I want to be a rancher!” This mountaintop home is one way they’re making that dream come true.
The couple plan to own livestock in the future. They currently work with a group of modern-day cowboys from the Sonoma Mountain Institute who bring in 300 head of cattle twice a year to graze the land. The couple are transitioning the land to native grasses.
On their first date almost a decade ago, Sophie asked James what he wanted to do next with his life. Without hesitation, he responded, “I want to be a rancher!” This mountaintop home is one way they’re making that dream come true.
The couple plan to own livestock in the future. They currently work with a group of modern-day cowboys from the Sonoma Mountain Institute who bring in 300 head of cattle twice a year to graze the land. The couple are transitioning the land to native grasses.
When the homeowners moved in, they removed the existing tile and carpet. “It was purple. Purple tile and purple carpet. We were left with just raw concrete floors for years, but it looked way better than the lavender tiles and eggplant carpet,” Sophie says.
The concrete floors turned out to be pretty dusty and rough, so they painted them with garage paint as a quick fix. Eventually they refinished the flooring, prepping the subfloor with a polishing machine and installing vinyl flooring.
Leather bench: Alameda Point Antiques Faire; chevron rug: Flor; Kingston walnut vinyl flooring in Henna by Armstrong: The Floor Store
The concrete floors turned out to be pretty dusty and rough, so they painted them with garage paint as a quick fix. Eventually they refinished the flooring, prepping the subfloor with a polishing machine and installing vinyl flooring.
Leather bench: Alameda Point Antiques Faire; chevron rug: Flor; Kingston walnut vinyl flooring in Henna by Armstrong: The Floor Store
Sophie and James’ first trip together as a couple was to Bali. At the time, the couple lived in an unfurnished apartment in San Francisco. “While we were traveling we realized everything we were seeing was so beautiful and affordable, so we decided to get what we liked and shipped it back in a container,” Sophie says. “We brought back a ton of incredible furniture, statues and decorations.” The leather lounge chair and ottoman seen here are among the pieces they brought back.
Browse accent tables
Browse accent tables
“We bought this house when I was still in my 20s, and I am thankful we have waited to make any major renovations,” Sophie says. “I feel like we’ve only recently, in the last few years, figured out our style and taste.”
She describes their decorating style as “contemporary with a boho and glam twist.” That style includes nearly 50 hand-woven African baskets from a shop in San Rafael, now closed, that are displayed on built-in shelves extending to the second floor.
How to Nail the Boho Glam Look
She describes their decorating style as “contemporary with a boho and glam twist.” That style includes nearly 50 hand-woven African baskets from a shop in San Rafael, now closed, that are displayed on built-in shelves extending to the second floor.
How to Nail the Boho Glam Look
Floor-to-ceiling wraparound windows provide a clear view of Petaluma, Sonoma Valley and the Pacific coast from the living room. They welcome in warm, natural light throughout the day.
In 2017, the couple launched a wine label, Sophie James, and a bottle of their Pinot Noir graces the dining table, seen here. “James and I have always been passionate about wine. There is so much history with winemaking, so many different cultural and philosophical approaches, and it’s so rewarding to develop your own perspective and reflect that into your own brand — it’s a lot like interior design, actually,” Sophie says.
Sophie and James enjoy hosting wine tastings at their home, and the large dining table is ideal for entertaining.
Vase: Muse
Vase: Muse
Lundberg, the couple’s architect, reminded them to embrace the style of the original home and not try to make it something it isn’t, so they’ve kept the brass fireplace, for example.
The tile art on the fireplace is from Bali. A sheepskin rug provides a cozy seat nearby and a fiddleleaf fig in the corner adds a touch of green.
The tile art on the fireplace is from Bali. A sheepskin rug provides a cozy seat nearby and a fiddleleaf fig in the corner adds a touch of green.
The layout of the first floor creates an open flow from the family room into the kitchen.
This painting is a replica of Picasso’s Guernica mural. The couple bought it from a store in San Rafael that has since closed. They wanted a larger piece to fill this space.
“For a while, everything I bought for the house seemed dwarfed by the size and space of the house, so I just started buying gigantic pieces, and all of a sudden it all started to come together,” Sophie says.
“For a while, everything I bought for the house seemed dwarfed by the size and space of the house, so I just started buying gigantic pieces, and all of a sudden it all started to come together,” Sophie says.
After. The couple wanted to make the most of their outside areas. To accomplish that goal, they installed new hardscaping and a pergola and updated the pool.
They also take advantage of their rural location. “Our favorite thing to do is to take guests on our Polaris RZR and go exploring on the mountaintop or go mushroom hunting. The kids know they can’t touch any mushrooms, but they still love to treasure hunt with us. There is a mecca of chanterelles up here,” Sophie says.
They also take advantage of their rural location. “Our favorite thing to do is to take guests on our Polaris RZR and go exploring on the mountaintop or go mushroom hunting. The kids know they can’t touch any mushrooms, but they still love to treasure hunt with us. There is a mecca of chanterelles up here,” Sophie says.
“Outdoor dinners are amazing with the sunsets and fog rolling over the mountains. It’s a pretty magical experience out here,” Sophie says. The homeowners enjoy hosting large dinner parties on this patio.
The couple planted more than 400 plants on the property themselves in the spring before their wedding. Sophie is pictured here at work.
“In addition to the 400 plants, we did all of the irrigation for the landscaping and installed a huge vegetable garden, which we added gravel paths throughout,” she says.
Most of the plants are native, but the couple had to work with the extreme environment. The plants they chose had to be able to survive 100-degree weather as well as snow and frost. Sophie tried to keep consistency among the colors, choosing plants in green, white and purple. They planted a lot of agave, succulents, lavender, sage, rosemary and more. The hummingbirds especially love the sage.
The garden is located in the structure behind Sophie in this picture. When things are ripe, the family goes out multiple times a day to pick fruits, vegetables and herbs to cook with.
Sophie’s dad has become the resident beekeeper. About once a year they harvest the honey, which tends to be on the darker side. “There are so many honeybees around our property that are thriving, which is very exciting!” Sophie says. “I’m learning all about beekeeping and harvesting from my dad.”
“In addition to the 400 plants, we did all of the irrigation for the landscaping and installed a huge vegetable garden, which we added gravel paths throughout,” she says.
Most of the plants are native, but the couple had to work with the extreme environment. The plants they chose had to be able to survive 100-degree weather as well as snow and frost. Sophie tried to keep consistency among the colors, choosing plants in green, white and purple. They planted a lot of agave, succulents, lavender, sage, rosemary and more. The hummingbirds especially love the sage.
The garden is located in the structure behind Sophie in this picture. When things are ripe, the family goes out multiple times a day to pick fruits, vegetables and herbs to cook with.
Sophie’s dad has become the resident beekeeper. About once a year they harvest the honey, which tends to be on the darker side. “There are so many honeybees around our property that are thriving, which is very exciting!” Sophie says. “I’m learning all about beekeeping and harvesting from my dad.”
Photo by Jenna Walker
“We worked every single day for a year to make our property our dream wedding venue. It gave us a united purpose and brought us closer together,” Sophie says. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff we did to prepare for that day.”
The couple had a do-it-yourself attitude toward their wedding. They hauled hay bales up the mountain for their 180 guests and created signposts by hand, and they served their first Sophie James vintage and harvested honey to serve with cornbread at dinner. Their wedding photographer, who captured this image of the couple at sunset, was Jenna Walker, co-founder of Artifact Uprising.
“We worked every single day for a year to make our property our dream wedding venue. It gave us a united purpose and brought us closer together,” Sophie says. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff we did to prepare for that day.”
The couple had a do-it-yourself attitude toward their wedding. They hauled hay bales up the mountain for their 180 guests and created signposts by hand, and they served their first Sophie James vintage and harvested honey to serve with cornbread at dinner. Their wedding photographer, who captured this image of the couple at sunset, was Jenna Walker, co-founder of Artifact Uprising.
The Formica kitchen countertops are original. “It’s really cheap but has stood up well for over 34 years,” Sophie says.
Browse kitchen islands and carts
Browse kitchen islands and carts
“We appreciate the open floor plan of the house. We recently had four families, including kids, all stay at the house. The layout and the big kitchen make it so everyone fits,” Sophie says. “Everyone cooks dinner together while our kids run around either catching lizards, flying kites or swimming in the pool. The space is perfect for that.”
This vignette is located between three guest bedrooms. The art is from the same store in San Rafael where the couple bought their living room baskets.
All of the furniture pictured here is from the couple’s trip to Bali, including the painting by a Balinese artist. “We were his first sale. We loved his story and we just had to get it,” Sophie says.
The entry to the home has a welcoming Bali-style feel with this bench and colorful rug.
Vintage rug: House of Jade
Vintage rug: House of Jade
The master bedroom is on the second floor and overlooks the living room.
Although the couple spend most of their time downstairs and outside, they’ve created a cozy living room-like space here with large, comfortable seating.
Browse chaise lounges
Browse chaise lounges
At the top of the stairs is a little conversation nook outfitted with a pair of butterfly chairs and a plush cobalt blue pouf.
Sophie created a bright and fun bedroom and playroom for their two daughters.
Four-year-old Amelie often shares this room with her cousin, who spends a lot of time with them up on the mountain when the girls aren’t in school. “We have a lot of guests, so we’ve really tried to utilize the space to make everyone feel welcome to stay here,” Sophie says.
Four-year-old Amelie often shares this room with her cousin, who spends a lot of time with them up on the mountain when the girls aren’t in school. “We have a lot of guests, so we’ve really tried to utilize the space to make everyone feel welcome to stay here,” Sophie says.
The couple’s younger daughter, Penelope, currently sleeps in a nook off their master bedroom. “We took a closet and turned it into a nursery. It’s small, but it works, and it was a really fun project.”
Eventually Penelope will share the bedroom with her sister. There’s already a bed for her in the corner of the room.
Eventually Penelope will share the bedroom with her sister. There’s already a bed for her in the corner of the room.
The upstairs bathroom designated for kids and guests includes original shower tile from the ’80s.
This nightstand was bought in Bali and sits in one of the upstairs guest bedrooms.
It’s important to the couple that their guests are comfortable, and the spaces they’ve created for them are warm and cozy. “After we go mushroom hunting, we love coming home, lighting a fire, pouring a glass of Pinot and making risotto with our friends,” Sophie says.
It’s important to the couple that their guests are comfortable, and the spaces they’ve created for them are warm and cozy. “After we go mushroom hunting, we love coming home, lighting a fire, pouring a glass of Pinot and making risotto with our friends,” Sophie says.
The downstairs guest room is also decorated with a cozy boho chic vibe, including a fiddleleaf fig plant and indigo textiles.
The headboard in this guest bedroom was a DIY project. “In my 20s I found that a lot of the things I wanted to buy for the home were expensive,” Sophie says. “For this project, I found two screens from Cost Plus World Market that were about $19 each and I connected them to make this unique headboard.”
Vintage side lamps: Beach House Style
Vintage side lamps: Beach House Style
Before. Seen here is the exterior before the couple bought the home. It was painted white, but Sophie wanted the home to fit in more with its natural surroundings. “I actually took a bag of dirt from the property, brought it to the paint store and asked them to match it. I wanted our home to really blend in with the land,” she says.
After. This exterior view shows the house as it looks now from the drive onto the property. “We absolutely love the lines of the house. And we really appreciate every sunset here. The panoramic views are spectacular,” Sophie says. “We feel very lucky.”
See more of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
See more of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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What a beautiful story with all its history of their relationship and the history of the house! So fun to read about how it all came about.