Travel by Design
Come Away to Northern California Wine Country
The rolling hills and valleys of Napa and Sonoma inspire relaxed interiors and spending time outdoors in these 12 homes
While the homes in Northern California’s wine country vary greatly in size and style, they have common threads. One of these is that indoor-outdoor living rules. And whether the homeowners live here full time or escape here from San Francisco on the weekends, their homes are all about embracing the casual lifestyle of wine country. And of course, most homeowners here have thought about the best way to store the wine collections they’ve amassed from nearby vineyards. Take a few minutes to mentally uncork and enjoy these beautiful wine country homes.
1. A couple hired architect Nick Noyes to expand their vacation home so that they could retire to Northern California full time. They wanted to keep the New Orleans-inspired charm of their turn-of-the-20th-century cottage but make it more livable with better bathrooms and closets. He raised the house up and turned the attic into usable living space by adding six dormers. A two-story wraparound porch makes it easy to get out in the fresh air from anywhere in the house.
This house has one of the best reclaimed-materials projects on Houzz. “When we bought the house, the rooms were painted these crazy colors, but we never repainted them,” the owner told writer Mary Jo Bowling. “During the remodel, because we were installing new wiring and plumbing, the contractors had to remove all the boards. They were stacked in the yard, and I was very inspired by them and the mixing of the colors. The idea was that they would be reinstalled and repainted, but when I saw the boards go up at random, I thought, ‘Oh, my God! I love these!’ I decided I wasn’t going to do it.”
The different-colored boards are mixed on walls throughout the house.
The different-colored boards are mixed on walls throughout the house.
The elevated porch overlooking the property is now a favorite spot for hanging out and enjoying the views.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
2. A busy couple of San Francisco design professionals wanted to fully embrace indoor-outdoor living at their ranch house in St. Helena. They hired landscape architect Katharine Webster to create a beautiful low-maintenance and drought-tolerant landscape.
Out front a funky swinging chair beckons from the front porch. It looks out on a sculptural garden; a hedge of Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana ‘Monus’) offers privacy from the busy street.
Out front a funky swinging chair beckons from the front porch. It looks out on a sculptural garden; a hedge of Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana ‘Monus’) offers privacy from the busy street.
Out back, a comfortable outdoor living room has a fire pit and overlooks the pool, mounded gardens and vineyard. Fragrant lavender blooms add to the ambience.
See more of this California wine country home’s beautiful surroundings
See more of this California wine country home’s beautiful surroundings
3. This Healdsburg getaway home, another designed by architect Nick Noyes, is composed of two wings that create a courtyard. The communal-space wing and bedroom wing are connected by aluminum doors and a custom-made sunscreen.
The family wanted a getaway with a simple cabin feeling; minimalist interiors put the focus on the spectacular views of the 40-acre site. A relative of one of the homeowners owns a lumber company in the Southeast, which provided all of the yellow pine grained plywood and hardwood flooring.
However, this wood on the sunscreen is local; Noyes had it crafted from reclaimed grape stakes from the vineyard.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
4. This family had worked with Dawn Carlson and Carol Perry of MAS Design already, so the designers had a good understanding of their clients’ “ubermodern” style. However, the beautiful rustic surroundings in this Alexander Valley wine country weekend home inspired the designers to go for an organic modern aesthetic that incorporates the philosophy of wabi-sabi.
The materials inside complement the views, while individual elements have history and help tell a story. For example, Tibetan water carriers fashioned as pendant lights add a rustic touch. Wood beams connect the interiors with the trees outside, while white walls keep things modern.
The materials inside complement the views, while individual elements have history and help tell a story. For example, Tibetan water carriers fashioned as pendant lights add a rustic touch. Wood beams connect the interiors with the trees outside, while white walls keep things modern.
One of the homeowners is Japanese, which also influenced the design. The bed in the master bedroom is a take on an Asian platform bed. The designers fashioned the pendant lights from reclaimed Indonesian fishing nets.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
5. This project in Healdsburg is a dramatic before-and-after tale. Describing the late-1800s house, seen here in a “before” photo, architectural designer George Bevan reports, “It was literally falling apart.… It needed a lot of love.” But a busy San Francisco professional saw its potential as the perfect place for her and her dogs to relax on the weekends.
Along with contractor Thomas Trainor, Bevan removed the rotting porch; tackled the host of structural problems; replaced the the porch, roof foundation and windows; and milled more practical redwood siding to look like the original siding, as seen in this “after” photo. With features inside like a toilet in the middle of a bedroom, there was a lot of work that needed to be completed on the interiors as well.
Now the interiors make the most of the views and encourage the casual ease of wine country life. Rather than putting in an island, the homeowner opted for a large farm table in the center of the kitchen for gathering.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
6. Let’s follow that one up with another dramatic before-and-after. The pavilion-like look of the back of this tired 1940s ranch in Sonoma, seen in this “before” shot, inspired architect Amy Alper to create a series of pavilions during the remodeling process.
The original part of the house seen in the previous photo is on the left in this “after” shot, while the pavilion in the middle is a new master suite addition. The building on the right is a garage and an office with additional storage space on the second floor. The new site plan created a lovely courtyard feeling in the backyard.
The new master bedroom has an expansive view out to the courtyard.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
7. Architect Bill Willers had two chances to remodel this 1966 home in Sonoma. The first was in 2002, for clients drawn to Arts and Crafts style and finishes like granite. In 2011, new owners who loved the layout approached him to make the home reflect their more modern tastes.
They also added this pool for exercise, and Willers designed a new landscape plan around it that makes indoor-outdoor living even more enticing.
They also added this pool for exercise, and Willers designed a new landscape plan around it that makes indoor-outdoor living even more enticing.
Changes included removing most of the box around the chimney and wrapping the chimney pipe in copper. He replaced some awkwardly placed sliding doors original to the home with corner windows. Painting the walls and ceilings in Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White helped make things light and modern. To prevent the visual clutter of a lot of lights hanging all over the open space, Willers added custom LED lights to the ceiling.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
8. Photographer David Wakely and writer Sharon Smith loved their small cabin on a hillside near the Russian River in Sonoma County, but wanted more space for guests and creative work. They hired architect Cathy Schwabe to help them expand. The solution was a second cabin inspired by the barns in the region.
The cabin serves as a studio with a darkroom right now, but it has a flexible plan that can change as Wakely and Smith’s needs change — workspace could be transformed into a kitchenette, a storage loft could be turned into a sleeping loft, and a flexible furniture plan makes changing the main space from a living room to a large dining room to a guest bedroom easy.
The couple uses the property to host seminars, salons, writing workshops and gallery shows, to develop photographs and to teach drawing classes. After class, they love to gather for a celebratory meal with their participants.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
9. Thoughtful site planning was of the utmost importance when it came to this home overlooking the Napa Valley. Architect David Wilson assembled 10 different volumes to make up the Ledge House, each with a distinct roofline and exterior material in response to the rocky site. Moving between the 10 volumes evokes walking along the rocky ledge.
Wilson centered the house between three large existing oak trees.
A spectacular infinity pool directs the eye out over the valley and toward Mount George.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
10. While Jim Stafford and his family loved the location of a Mediterranean-ish house in Sonoma, the house itself just felt off. Stafford is the founder of Restoration Timber, a salvaged-lumber company, and his company’s materials played a big role in transforming the home into one with modern country style.
The new style begins right at the substantial front entry, which is wrapped in reclaimed wood and sets the tone.
The family worked with architect Ken Linsteadt and interior designer Erin Martin to fully transform their home. A garage door-like glass door opens up the kitchen to this outdoor bar. In the kitchen, the plaster hood is adorned with nailheads, crafted by artist Michael Duté.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
11. Susan and Brad Harmon know a great spot in wine country when they see one. When they realized a disjointed ranch on a ridge enjoyed views of the Alexander Valley from the front and the Russian River Valley from the back, they knew they had a house with great potential on their hands.
The couple broke down walls, busted through ceilings and created a beautiful gallery-like space to display their beloved local-art collection.
One of the most striking elements in the house is this amazing wine refrigerator that the couple designed and built themselves. As Susan explains, “In wine country, you wind up with a lot of wine bottles; it just happens!” The refrigerator stores up to 400 bottles, and the storage is three bottles deep.
See more of this California wine country home
See more of this California wine country home
12. This new home in Healdsburg looks like it’s been here for centuries or perhaps was shipped over stone by stone from a European vineyard seen in a dream. The design was a group effort completed by Jute Interior Design (interior design), ARC Design (architecture) and Lucas & Lucas (landscape architecture).
Landscape architect Mike Lucas transplanted the very old ‘Sevillano’ trees from an orchard that was being dismantled, adding to the illusion that the house has been here for many years.
Landscape architect Mike Lucas transplanted the very old ‘Sevillano’ trees from an orchard that was being dismantled, adding to the illusion that the house has been here for many years.
At first glance it’s hard to define this living room as an indoor room or an outdoor room.
In fact, it’s a little of both: It is covered, as it sits within a large breezeway to the guesthouse — the perfect spot to share a bottle of wine with friends. The breezeway transitions the living spaces from inside out to a beautiful vineyard-surrounded setting. This is California wine country living at its best.
See more of this California wine country home
More: So You Want to Build: 7 Steps to Create a New Home
See more of this California wine country home
More: So You Want to Build: 7 Steps to Create a New Home