100
Inspired West Coast Homes
MODERN ITALIAN FARMHOUSE IN A VINEYARD
Sierra Wine Country, CA
"We want a barefoot house! We envision living in a vineyard, in a farmhouse—not an ancient, broken-down house or one of those suburban faux
Mediterranean villas, but a modern European farmhouse that's fresh. We want it to feel new and old at the same time."
We loved designing this project because everything about it is about simple living. Less about building than creating a sense of place that would inspire
informal gatherings with friends, fresh food, and a lifestyle that is connected to an agricultural landscape. Designed to appear as if different occupants
had enlarged the original house over time, the wings of the house each respond to the adjacent landscape with vineyard-view patios, intimate
courtyards, and commanding roof decks. The building materials of the house seamlessly flow into the exterior — colored concrete flooring, smooth
stucco-plastered walls and fireplace, crafted concrete countertops, window frames color-matched to the oak tree leaves, terracotta-colored columns,
chimney covers made from industrial vitrified clay sewer pipes, and metal roofing that matches the color of grape leaves. Technology abounds—floors
are heated by radiant tubing imbedded in the concrete, air vents are hidden, natural cross-flow ventilation means air conditioning is rarely used, and
music from the piano fills the home acoustically.
Photographs by Jay Graham
Designed by ORR Design Office, East Bay & Sacramento, CA, page 214
