A Modern Napa Valley Home Connects To The Outdoors

Details

modern stairway exterior neutral

Trees dotting the property cast shadows on the plaster walls while concrete floors, fabricated by SLF Concrete Construction, flow from the inside out. Wine Country Plastering completed the home's plasterwork.

modern exterior breezeway creamy texture

Field designed the residence, which was constructed by builder Paul Niles, with a breezeway that connects the three distinct structures. Plaster walls lend a creamy texture to the buildings, which blend contemporary and agrarian aesthetics.

modern living room kitchen blue...

Martin arranged the living area with a custom sofa crafted by Pohan's Upholstery and covered with a Rogers & Goffigon textile. The custom coffee table, with a steel base and a suede top marked by a foil application, displays a sculptural geometric shape.

modern dining room concrete floor...

Designer Erin Martin outfitted the dining room with a table built on an old train carriage that slides on tracks cast into the concrete floor. The pendant, custom-made through Martin's eponymous St. Helena shop, was crafted from a vintage ocean buoy, and the leather-and-steel chairs are from Atelier Gary Lee in Chicago.

modern kitchen wood barstools concrete...

The open-plan kitchen showcases a back-painted-glass backsplash and cabinetry crafted by C. Scott Borski Design in a shade of bright white that reflects sunlight and counters the abundance of reclaimed wood. Walnut-and-chrome bar chairs by Riva 1920 pull up to the poured-concrete island by Flying Turtle Concrete.

modern timber beam bench terrace...

A squarecut timber beam lines the terrace.

modern metal tracks barn doors

Barn doors slide on metal tracks.

modern steel concrete timber columns

The breezeway's steel beams and timber columns feature exposed joinery.

modern exterior steel concrete timber...

A steel plate inside the columns extends down into the concrete, anchoring the wood to the foundation.

modern bedroom neutral white bed...

One of the guest bedrooms connects to the forested landscape via sliding glass doors topped by a large window. The bed features a commanding headboard made with salvaged elm slabs supplied by Evan Shively of Arborica. The sconces are by The Urban Electric Co.

modern exterior brown timber beam...

A timber beam acts both as a border and a bench along the concrete of the terrace, which provides a comfortable alfresco sitting area.

modern exterior landscape neutral glass...

An overhang extends off one of the structures, providing shade and echoing the slope of the roof. The property's landscape was designed by husband-and-wife team Dave and Nancy Roche.

modern exterior breezeway columns metal...

Timber support columns and metal beams form the home's breezeway, which allows for fresh air and filtered sunlight. The rustic materials play off the texture of the plaster walls.

modern exterior outdoor sitting area...

A covered outdoor area--adjacent to the center building, which houses the dining area and the wine cellar--mimics the architecture of the colonnade. Martin appointed the space with furnishings by Dedon and a Bevara concrete coffee table.

modern stairway exterior neutral

Trees dotting the property cast shadows on the plaster walls while concrete floors, fabricated by SLF Concrete Construction, flow from the inside out. Wine Country Plastering completed the home's plasterwork.

When a property is surrounded by lush greenery, chances are you don’t want the home to overpower the landscape. This was the mindset for architect Jess Field and designer Erin Martin, who recently crafted a Napa Valley retreat for a couple from the Midwest.

“When you’re standing out there between the vineyards and the trees, you realize you don’t need much more than what’s there naturally,” Martin says.

Because this was their second home, the homeowners wanted a much different living experience than they were used to in the suburbs. They sought an abode more attuned to nature, where they could develop a modest vineyard.

Keeping it simple, Field worked on giving the owners a home complete with rich tones, reclaimed wood and standing seam metal elements. Inside, Martin incorporated tones of the landscape into design features, such as hunter-green pendants in the living area and the custom blue-green sofa designed to withstand red wine stains.

With these pieces in place, the design team achieved exactly what the couple requested: an escape with a strong connection to the land. “When we’re at home in Napa Valley, we don’t feel like we’re inside a structure,” the husband says. “We feel more like we’re part of nature.”