Houzz Tour: California Wine Country Retreat for Family and Guests
Architects found on Houzz design a multigenerational vacation home and ADU with vineyard views
This home on 1½ acres in California’s wine country — amid a beautiful setting of mature oak, pine and myrtle trees with vineyard views — is the weekend retreat of a San Francisco family that includes a grandparent. After buying the property, which contained a house built in 1974, the homeowners spent a year using it on weekends to get a feel for the space through the seasons. Then, on Houzz they found the architects at building Lab and hired them to help fulfill their vision of an easygoing getaway the entire family could enjoy together.
“The homeowners’ primary goal was to transform their Sonoma ranch house into a multigenerational family retreat that would also accommodate guests from their East Coast roots,” says building Lab’s Jackie McKay Detamore, who was project architect. “They wanted modern spaces and a strong sense of anchorage to the site. They aimed to foster a sense of togetherness while also allowing for distinct private spaces.”
“The homeowners’ primary goal was to transform their Sonoma ranch house into a multigenerational family retreat that would also accommodate guests from their East Coast roots,” says building Lab’s Jackie McKay Detamore, who was project architect. “They wanted modern spaces and a strong sense of anchorage to the site. They aimed to foster a sense of togetherness while also allowing for distinct private spaces.”
Here’s a look at the property’s new site plan, with the main house on the left and the new ADU and garage to the right. “The sizable lot provided for expansive views from the back of both the main home and the ADU,” Detamore says. “The client preferred to have a strong sense of separation between the two buildings, which was made possible by this irregularly shaped property at the end of a rural road.”
Before: The approach led to the home’s then-Mediterranean exterior, with red tile roof, white stucco siding and arched entry.
After: Approaching the home now via the reconfigured driveway reveals a new modern exterior and trimmed-down landscaping. The fence to the left encloses a new sport court that was added after the renovation. “A better flow for approach and departure was part of the goal for the project as a whole,” Detamore says.
New pavers lead to the front door and the extensively remodeled exterior. “Our design approach began with an effort to open up the center of the house and draw the eye through the building to highlight the natural setting beyond,” Detamore says. “Raising the roof and removing heavier detailing like the arched colonnade at front and rear were primary ways of achieving this. A lighter, more modern refined palette and simple detailing reinforce the theme.”
Before: Here’s a look at the home’s floor plan before the renovation.
After: The architects reworked the layout, moving the front entry to the west to allow for a newly enlarged kitchen. They reoriented the living room so it had south-facing views, absorbing space from the covered patio outside. The existing garage and guest room were transformed into a mudroom and second primary suite.
Part of the design plan included subtly separating private and common spaces, principal architect Stephen Shoup says. “Doors that separate major zones of the home — communal versus private/bedroom — extend floor to ceiling,” he says. “This allows continuity of space and ceiling when open. When closed they suggest a stronger separation in that they read as much as walls as doors. Special measures, such as QuietRock sheetrock, additional insulation and acoustic weatherstripping at interior doors, were also taken to reinforce spatial separation.”
Part of the design plan included subtly separating private and common spaces, principal architect Stephen Shoup says. “Doors that separate major zones of the home — communal versus private/bedroom — extend floor to ceiling,” he says. “This allows continuity of space and ceiling when open. When closed they suggest a stronger separation in that they read as much as walls as doors. Special measures, such as QuietRock sheetrock, additional insulation and acoustic weatherstripping at interior doors, were also taken to reinforce spatial separation.”
Light from a skylight floods into the mudroom and hallway that leads to the pool area. The door on the left leads to a powder room.
Before: The dining room was open to the kitchen and had windows that looked out to the back colonnade and backyard.
One challenge for the architects was replacing the low ceilings, which were 7 to 10 feet high, to create a more spacious feel. The team used braces to temporarily lift the roof trusses while new perimeter walls were being framed.
One challenge for the architects was replacing the low ceilings, which were 7 to 10 feet high, to create a more spacious feel. The team used braces to temporarily lift the roof trusses while new perimeter walls were being framed.
After: The dining room is now more contained and separate from the kitchen. The team replaced the windows with sliding glass doors that lead to the newly designed patio and pool.
The living and dining areas now have 9½-foot ceilings, and the second primary suite’s ceiling is 8⅓ feet. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors suffuse the common areas with light.
The living and dining areas now have 9½-foot ceilings, and the second primary suite’s ceiling is 8⅓ feet. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors suffuse the common areas with light.
Before: A covered colonnade ran along the back of the house. “The original colonnade provided valuable shade and a cooling effect that we wanted to maintain — but in a way that embraced the site and views to a greater degree,” Detamore says.
After: Sliding glass doors now open to the modernized covered patio. The team installed concrete flooring to further the connection from indoors to out. “The existing building had a decorative concrete topping slab on top of its structural slab, so the replacement of that topping slab allowed for a monolithic, earth tone concrete floor to extend from the interior spaces to the adjacent patios,” Detamore says.
Concrete flooring: Miami Buff, Davis Colors
Concrete flooring: Miami Buff, Davis Colors
The builders constructed a partial wall to separate the dining room from the kitchen, delineating the spaces while maintaining the open concept. The owners didn’t necessarily want an open kitchen, contrary to current trends, but one that was easily accessible and visually connected to other spaces.
Shop for kitchen and dining products
Shop for kitchen and dining products
The pros designed the kitchen to accommodate multiple family members comfortably, and though it’s not open to the dining area anymore, it maintains a bright, airy feel. “On the interior, we strove to balance openness and connection to site with the desire to offer distinct spaces and an organizational clarity,” Shoup says. “For example, the kitchen has a sense of containment without doors to close it off.”
The cabinetry is a mix of custom and ready-made units. “The cabinetry is a hybrid of Space Theory for the lowers and custom millwork for the uppers, bench and paneling at the refrigerator, freezer and blind pantry door,” Detamore says. “Space Theory was chosen by the client, and we requested additional sheets of their material to give the finished product a more custom feel.”
Countertops: Easy Beige honed quartz, OKITE; backsplash tile: 2-by-8-inch ceramic, Pratt + Larson; oven and dishwasher: Miele; refrigerator and freezer: Thermador
The cabinetry is a mix of custom and ready-made units. “The cabinetry is a hybrid of Space Theory for the lowers and custom millwork for the uppers, bench and paneling at the refrigerator, freezer and blind pantry door,” Detamore says. “Space Theory was chosen by the client, and we requested additional sheets of their material to give the finished product a more custom feel.”
Countertops: Easy Beige honed quartz, OKITE; backsplash tile: 2-by-8-inch ceramic, Pratt + Larson; oven and dishwasher: Miele; refrigerator and freezer: Thermador
The living room gained 249 square feet from part of the existing patio, creating a more defined space. It was reoriented to the rear of the house to take advantage of the view.
Wall paint: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore Regal Select
Wall paint: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore Regal Select
This second primary suite was added for the grandparent, with sliding glass doors that lead to the patio.
The second primary bathroom has soothing tones that include satin nickel finishes, biophilic green wall tile from Heath Ceramics and beige Blutech floor tile in the shower that coordinates with the concrete flooring elsewhere.
Wall tile: Patina, Heath Ceramics; vanity countertop: Easy Beige honed quartz, OKITE
Find bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
Wall tile: Patina, Heath Ceramics; vanity countertop: Easy Beige honed quartz, OKITE
Find bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
Here are cross-section renderings that show how the home’s entry was adjusted and outdoor colonnade space co-opted for a bigger living room area and new outdoor overhang. This also shows how the architects raised the roof in the communal areas for more openness and connection to the outdoors.
“The raising of the roof created a hierarchy of spaces that is noticeable from both the interior and exterior,” Detamore says. “That is to say that from the inside, you can sense the distinction between the communal and private spaces by moving from a loftier, more open space to the bedroom wings, which are more insular with lower ceilings.”
“The raising of the roof created a hierarchy of spaces that is noticeable from both the interior and exterior,” Detamore says. “That is to say that from the inside, you can sense the distinction between the communal and private spaces by moving from a loftier, more open space to the bedroom wings, which are more insular with lower ceilings.”
This photo from the back shows the hierarchy of spaces Detamore is referring to, with the higher-roofed living spaces on the left and bedrooms on the right. “From the outside of the building, this organization is conveyed by the increased height and transparency at the central portion, with the wings to each side being more modest in size,” she says. “This is echoed by the covered porch off the dining room, which also reduces in height as it extends over to more private quarters.”
Before: Here’s a look at the yard and pool before the renovation. A corner of the old pergola can be seen on the right.
After: The architects installed a new pool and patio areas, replacing the pergola with a modern version. The landscape designer replaced the lawn and old foliage with drought-tolerant plants and kept the magnolia tree seen here outside the living room.
Before: This is the old colonnade and previous grassy area with the magnolia tree. The property also contains mature oaks that were kept.
After: Here’s the same view with the new pool, new pavers and drought-tolerant plants, looking toward the home’s bedroom wing.
Before: The previous pergola provided minimal shade.
After: The new pergola has plenty of room for furniture and shade for lounging.
Before: The original garage housed the washer and dryer. During the renovation, the team converted the garage to a living space and created a laundry room inside the home.
The floor plan for the new ADU includes the garage on one side and a patio off the living room.
Shown here is the ADU’s patio with sliding glass doors to the interior. The main house is seen in the distance. Both structures have energy-efficient features to heat and cool. Solar panels serve both the ADU and main house and power the heat pumps that heat and cool both buildings.
“The ADU is equipped with an energy-recovery ventilation system that helps to filter any outdoor air as it’s pulled in to replace indoor air,” Detamore says. “Solar thermal panels are located on top of the pergola to help heat the pool. A hybrid heat pump water heater is used at the main house to heat domestic water using electricity instead of gas.”
“The ADU is equipped with an energy-recovery ventilation system that helps to filter any outdoor air as it’s pulled in to replace indoor air,” Detamore says. “Solar thermal panels are located on top of the pergola to help heat the pool. A hybrid heat pump water heater is used at the main house to heat domestic water using electricity instead of gas.”
The ADU was designed as a sanctuary for visiting family and friends, as well as for work and art activities. The open layout includes a living room, dining area and kitchen. The concrete floors are the same as those in the main house.
Here’s the open kitchen and dining room in the ADU. The cabinetry and finish are custom and similar to those in the main house kitchen, in keeping with the cohesive and comfortable look that defines this retreat.
Countertop and backsplash: Krion solid surface in Frost White, Porcelanosa
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Countertop and backsplash: Krion solid surface in Frost White, Porcelanosa
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, their two children and a grandparent use this as a weekend retreat
Location: Sonoma, California
Size: Main house: 2,463 square feet (229 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms. ADU: 902 square feet (84 square meters); one bedroom, 1½ bathrooms. Garage: 550 square feet (51 square meters)
Designers: Stephen Shoup and Jackie McKay Detamore of building Lab (architecture) and Lucy McFadden of Catalog Landscape Studio (landscape design)
The pros reimagined the home’s layout and constructed an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to be used by visitors and as a work and play space. The main house got a modern makeover. “The footprint and general structure of the home were largely kept, but all of the stucco, windows and doors were replaced with the new design and modest expansion in footprint,” Detamore says. “The roof over common spaces and entry was reconfigured and the clay tile entirely replaced with a standing-seam metal roof.”
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