A Sonoma Home Engages Its Surroundings In Style
Schlarb placed a custom threecushion sofa by Weego Home upholstered with an outdoor fabric in the living area. The dining area just beyond features a John Pomp light fixture from De Sousa Hughes composed of blown-glass iridescent spheres.
Planning makes perfect.
That was the train of thought for designer Jeff Schlarb and architectural team Michael Guthrie and Ha Nguyen.
“It takes many layers of work to make something look effortless,” Schlarb says. The team sought to create a modern yet rustic look that was ideal for the couple’s comfortable and casual lifestyle in Sonoma, California.
“The owners wanted something that related to the wine country, so we included simple gables for a rustic modern look,” Guthrie says. The team wanted to play with what they already had: nature. The property’s existing trees were incorporated in the design, along with a wall made of local stone and metal-frame windows that run along the side of the home for easy access to the outdoors.
Landscape design duo Dave and Nancy Roche also teamed up with the crew, helping construct the property’s exterior. “We stockpiled boulders during construction and placed them in many locations, including outside the master bedroom. We also created a gravel terrace there with succulents embedded at the base of the rocks that highlight the native ones,” says Dave Roche.
The finished product didn’t come easy: The design team worked endless hours to plan and execute the home’s design to precise perfection. But at then end of the day, the home was everything the owners wanted. “Thanks to our team, the entire house feels anchored to the landscape with a continuous flow to the outdoors,” the wife says.