Calistoga Vineyard House

A young family living in one of our San Francisco homes approached our team with a new, complex 4-acre site in Calistoga – the property slopes eastward up a hillside, and to the west is bisected by a highly trafficked road, offering views of vineyards below. With a vision of a retreat that heavily relies on indoor/outdoor living and airy public spaces to entertain family and friends, our team was challenged to create a design that nestles their new home into the hillside, inviting in vineyard views, while preserving and utilizing the unique open space provided by the site.

After analyzing the site’s contours, tree coverage, and hydrology, we identified a clearing on which to site the home, focusing on maintaining the integrity of the land and responding to the oaks and specimen pines sprinkling the property. The clearing forms a natural amphitheater, allowing the hillside to embrace the structure and focus views westward, while maintaining a sense of privacy. Designed as cluster of separate buildings, the main space houses a great room that flows seamlessly into outdoor living areas and a pool, overlooking the valley below. A glassy walkway forms a bridge between the great room to the bedroom wing, creating clear distinctions between public and private spaces. A separate guest house and garage allows long-term visitors to make themselves at home, while still feeling connected to the main house.

The design aims to marry the client’s love for both classic and modern architecture, while creating an aesthetic that feels at home in wine country. The couple, having experience in design and construction, are excited to embrace innovative construction systems, fire resiliency and forward-thinking design.