Houzz Tours
Modern Architecture
Houzz Tour: Warm Minimalism in the California Wine Country
Mixing yellow pine and lots of sunshine with a simple design, this vineyard getaway is just right for its site
This spacious but simple Wine Country home serves as a perfect getaway for a San Francisco family. Set in the middle of a 40-acre vineyard site, the home has a design that blends natural materials and plenty of sunshine in a warm but minimalist environment. The family "just wanted the home to be simple and appropriate to its site," says the architect, Nick Noyes. "They were not interested in making a statement — they always wanted just a cabin."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for a San Francisco family of 4
Location: Healdsburg, California
Size: 2,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for a San Francisco family of 4
Location: Healdsburg, California
Size: 2,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms
Two wings — one for bedrooms, and the other communal — are connected by aluminum doors and a custom-made sunscreen. The L shape of the two wings creates an outdoor courtyard. The client, a landscape architect, planted trees to shade the courtyard during the California Wine Country's hot summers.
An open kitchen, dining and living room make up the communal wing.
The clients' family owns a lumber mill in the Southeast, so Southern yellow pine plywood with an exposed grain covers the walls of the house. Southern yellow pine, finished with a whitewash and sealer, makes up the hardwood floor.
Simple Shaker cabinets, Caesarstone countertops and Ann Sacks backsplash tiles complement the home's classic and laid-back look.
Dining table, chairs: antique; bar stools: Emeco
Dining table, chairs: antique; bar stools: Emeco
Aluminum storefront doors lead to this sunscreen, which shields the hallway from harsh sunlight. This side passage also leads to the bedroom wing.
Noyes had the sunscreen made of reclaimed grape stakes from the vineyard.
Noyes had the sunscreen made of reclaimed grape stakes from the vineyard.
A custom mustard exterior hue serves as a bridge between the surrounding greenery and the standing-seam copper roof.
Exterior paint: custom by color consultant Helen Eging
Exterior paint: custom by color consultant Helen Eging
The same yellow pine plywood runs through the home's bedrooms, giving the upstairs spaces a warm glow. Each piece of plywood was carefully chosen from the family's factory and treated with a clear, matte sealer for subtle protection.
Even in closets, the plywood contrasts with the high-gloss white ceiling, beams and built-ins.
Passive solar techniques help keep the open home comfortable during weather extremes. Overhangs and a trellis on the southern side of the house shade the living room in summer, and plenty of windows bring in the breeze.
A continuous line of clerestory windows under the eaves of the bedroom wing lets in even more natural light.
Although the home seems relatively isolated, it was built in close proximity to a family compound on the property, so the owners can visit with other family members when they stay here.
Builder: Brian Horick Builders
Photographer: Cesar Rubio
Although the home seems relatively isolated, it was built in close proximity to a family compound on the property, so the owners can visit with other family members when they stay here.
Builder: Brian Horick Builders
Photographer: Cesar Rubio