California Homes - September/October 2021

CALIFORNIA HOMES

THE MAGAZINE OF ARCHITECTURE THE ARTS & DISTINCTIVE DESIGN

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HEALDSBURG OJAI SANTA MONICA

DISPLAY UNTIL OCTOBER 31, 2021

FOOD & WINE ISSUE

Ha n d c ra f te d C o o k i ng R a nge s & S u i te s , Ste el Ca b i n et r y, Fi n e Wo o d Wo rk i ng & A p p l i a n ce s Pa r i s • Ne w Yo rk • M i a m i • L o s A ngel e s w w w. L e Atel i e r Pa r i s . co m

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1 800 792 3550

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COLLECTION

MEDELLÍN by: SAMI HAYEK

“Clients always remind us that one of the main reasons they engage Corbin Reeves is our commitment to leading each project personally. We are there every step of the way and our clients expect nothing less.

Our track record of success comes from a combined 60 years of experience of executing this simple philosophy.”

245 Fischer Ave, Suite A1 245 Fischer Ave, Suite A1 Costa Mesa, CACA. 92626 Costa Mesa, 92626 T: 714.540.3700 F: T: 714.540.3700 714.540.3701 F: 714.540.3701

C LI A AL D AV DE V S G I N SG E S T N I O N S P S EP C EI A R ET R I ST II N C ET C I O

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WHENUPKEEP UPKEEPISIS WHEN FULFILLING FULFILLING

WHEN UPKEEP IS FULFILLING

“The best thing a trail is use,” Martin says.

“The best thing for for a trail is use,” Martin says. is love to love it, and once “To“To useuse it isitto it, and once thatthat lovelove deepens, maintenance is easy. have deepens, thethe maintenance is easy.

WeWe have multiple clients who run major corporations. multiple clients who run major corporations.

“The best thing for a trail is use,” Martin says.

When they are out on their property, they When they are property, “Toout useon it their is to love it, andthey once that love release pressures of their everyday work release thethe pressures of their everyday work deepens, the maintenance is easy. We have by improving a creek crossing, clearing by improving a creek crossing, clearing a acorporations. multiple clients who run major view spot or moving a fallen tree. view spot or moving a fallen tree. isIt isproperty, they When they are out onIttheir gratifying labor with immediate results.” gratifying labor with immediate results.” release the pressures of their everyday work

TRAILSCAPE TRAILSCAPE TRAILSCAPE 530.852.5155 | trailscapeinc.com trailscapeinc 530.852.5155 | trailscapeinc.com | | trailscapeinc

outdoors one’s land is an enriching way to connect to nature, also loved “To“To be be outdoors on on one’s land is an enriching way to connect to nature, butbut also loved | that trailscapeinc.com | and trailscapeinc ones.”

This is the thought drives Randy Martin and team at Trailscape, who ones.”

This is 530.852.5155 the thought that drives Randy Martin hishis team at Trailscape, who

by improving a creek crossing, clearing a view spot or moving a fallen tree. It is gratifying labor with immediate results.”

PERSONALIZED PERSONALIZED PATHWAYS PATHWAYS PERSONALIZED A good design will consider A good trailtrail design will consider … …

PATHWAYS • Age: • Age: When it comes to designing a trail, thought When it comes to designing a trail, thought

A good trail design will consider … create intricate bespoke paths properties throughout California.

“We carve create intricate bespoke paths forfor properties throughout California.

“We carve outout must be given to the user.

A trail to attract must be given to the user.

A trail to attract “To be outdoors on one’s land is an enriching way to connect to nature, but also loved sustainable trails that protect from encourage enjoyment of natural spaces,” grandchildren, providing opportunities sustainable trails that protect from firefire andand encourage fullfull enjoyment of natural spaces,” • Age: grandchildren, providing opportunities for for ones.” This is the thought that drives Randy Martin and his team at Trailscape, who small discoveries delights, is going When itand comes to is designing trail, thought Martin says.

While the first of those benefits is no small thing—Trailscape creations small discoveries and delights, going toa to Martin says.

While the first of those benefits is no small thing—Trailscape creations create intricate bespoke paths for properties throughout California. “We carve out be quite different from a to path that efficiently must be given the user.

A trail to attract be quite different from a path that efficiently helped to save seven separate homes during the recent Glass Fire in St. Helena and helped to save seven separate homes during the Glass Firefull in enjoyment St. Helena of and sustainable trails that protect from firerecent and encourage natural spaces,” guides to various outbuildings. providing opportunities for guides oneone tograndchildren, various outbuildings.

Sonoma—the second is the philosophy in which the firm’s work is rooted.

“We connect Sonoma—the second is the philosophy in which the firm’s work is rooted.

“We connect small discoveries and delights, is going to Martin says. While the first of those benefits is no small thing—Trailscape creations • Activities:be quite different from a path that efficiently what exists, however impassable, with what is waiting beyond to be experienced, • Activities: what exists, however impassable, what is waiting justjust beyond toGlass be experienced, helped to save sevenwith separate homes during the recent Fire in St. Helena and How people will use the space is, of course, How people will use one the to space is, ofoutbuildings. course, guides various explored managed human flourishing.”

Turning corner to be surprised explored andand managed forfor human flourishing.”

Turning thethe corner to be surprised Sonoma—the second is the philosophy in which the firm’s work is rooted. “We connect important.

“If our client wants to do alsoalso important.

“If our client wants to do a unique-looking branch; unexpectedly finding a light-filled clearing surrounded by by by a unique-looking branch; unexpectedly finding light-filled clearing byexperienced, • Activities: a lot of hiking, we’ll make their a little what exists, however impassable, witha what is waiting just surrounded beyond to be a lot of hiking, we’ll make their trailtrail a little How people will use the space towering trees … these are the moments of small joy Trailscape aims to bring. straighter and steeper than we would foris, of course, towering trees … these are the moments of small joy Trailscape aims to bring. straighter and steeper than we would for explored and managed for human flourishing.” Turning the corner to be surprised important.

“If says. our client to do a family ofalso runners,” Martin “And a a family of runners,” Martin says.

“And a wants cycling trail meanders and undulates more, straighter and steeper than we would for including wide, round turns.” including wide, round turns.” a family of runners,” Martin says. “And a cycling trail meanders and undulates more, including wide, round turns.”

by a unique-looking branch; unexpectedly finding a light-filled clearing surrounded bycycling trail a lot of hiking, we’ll make their trail a little meanders and undulates more, towering trees … these are the moments of small joy Trailscape aims to bring.

well-planned trail “A “A well-planned trail is is a portal, inviting one a portal, inviting one to to fully step into the “Ainto well-planned trail is fully step the unmatched beauty a portal, inviting one to unmatched beauty fully step into the nature.” of of nature.” unmatched beauty of nature.”

Trails a relaxing to take an incredible Top,Top, left:left: Trails are aare relaxing wayway to take in aninincredible When flames roaring through view.view.

Left:Left: When flames werewere roaring through this this area,area, the client to hose them down 40 feet the client waswas ableable to hose them down 40 feet fromfrom the the home, where contained thanks to Trailscape’s home, where theythey werewere contained thanks to Trailscape’s Top, left: Trails are a relaxing way to take in an incredible work. right: in Calistoga a meandering work.

Top,Top, right: ThisThis trail trail in Calistoga is a is meandering view.

When flames were roaring through this area, celebration of theLeft: wild surroundings. celebration of the wild surroundings. the client was able to hose them down 40 feet from the Top, Photography left: Photography

by Left: Photography Top, left:

by Left: Photography by by home, where they were contained thanks to Trailscape’s Top, right: Photography by Top, right: Photography

by Top, work. right: This trail in Calistoga is a meandering celebration of the wild surroundings.

Top, left: Photography by Left: Photography by Top, right: Photography by

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Delight your Family with a Trail.

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Trailscape Trailscape Trailscape complimentarytrail trailplan. plan.

Contactusustoday todayforfor a acomplimentary Contact Contact us today for a complimentary trail plan.

Randy Martin 530.852.5155 Randy@trailscape.net trailscapeinc.com #915774 Randy Martin || 530.852.5155 | Randy@trailscape.net || trailscapeinc.com || LIC #915774 Randy Martin 530.852.5155 Randy@trailscape.net trailscapeinc.com #915774 Randy Martin || 530.852.5155 | Randy@trailscape.net || trailscapeinc.com || LIC #915774 Randy Martin Martin || 530.852.5155 530.852.5155 | Randy@trailscape.net Randy@trailscape.net || trailscapeinc.com trailscapeinc.com || LIC #915774 #915774 Randy

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9/22/20 9/22/20 4:47 4:47 PM PM

9/22/20 4:47 PM

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Contents

68

RESPONSE TO LANDSCAPE Fred Fisher Reinterprets The Tuscan Hilltop Villa For His Family In Ojai Text by Michael Webb Photography by Tim Street-Porter

76

HEALDSBURG HIDEAWAY

Designer Marea Clark Balances Traditional

And Modern Themes To Create The Quintessential

Wine Country Retreat

Text by Roger Grody Photography by Suzanna Scott

84

NATURAL & EARTHY Designer Norm Wogan, Architect Dean Larkin, Builder Asher Alsasi And Landscape Designer Serna Kelmes Create A Clean And Minimalist Home In Santa Monica Text by Kavita Daswani Photography by Roger Davies

92

FRENCH REVERIE IN ALEXANDER VALLEY

Features

New Jordan Winery Guest Suites:

A Gracious Welcome, Enchanting Style

Text by Diane Dorrans Saeks Photography by R. Brad Knipstein

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

ABOVE Architect Fred Fisher created this 4000-square-foot house in Ojai for his

family and is an expression of his quiet artistry. See story beginning on page 68. Photograph by Tim Street-Porter.

Designer Norm Wogan and architect Dean Larkin designed a home for the owners that was easy to take care of. In the kitchen a custom floating steel stairwell is over a water feature below. Steel treads are white oak. Bar stools are leather and metal swivel from Cantoni. See story beginning on page 84.

Photograph by Roger Davies.

RIGHT

CA L H O M E S M AG A Z I N E .CO M

20 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

This moment

started here.

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Contents

42 114

Departments SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 28 CALENDAR California Museums, Galleries & Events

BY KATHY BRYANT

32 EVENTS & AFFAIRS

Exciting And Prestigious Events Throughout The State

BY CATHY MALY

35 NOTEBOOK 35 Visionary | Benke 38 Shop | Gilded Owl 40 Product | Tidelli 42 Cloth & Paper | CW Stockwell 44 Spotlight | Sethi Couture 46 Spotlight | Chic Design 48 Spotlight | Pure Elements

50 ARCHITECTURE

38 22 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

60

Kate Rasmussen Of Wade Weissmann Architecture

BY ROGER GRODY

52 INTERIOR DESIGN

A Conversation With Cabana Home Co-Owner Caroline Thompson

BY JENNIFER BLAISE KRAMER PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLINTON MEYER

52 52 DESIGN PROFILE

California Closets Puts Things In Order For A Palm Springs Modernism Week Showcase House

BY NORA BURBA TRULSSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLINTON MEYER

26

58 FURNITURE DESIGN

The Latest Line From Furniture Maker Calligaris

BY ROGER GRODY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON SALTER

60 ENTERTAINING

Perfect Pairing At Lieff Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley

BY KERSTIN CZARRA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT WALLA

110 WINE

Today’s Wineries Are Redefining Their Tasting Rooms

BY KENNETH FRIEDENREICH

114 TRAVEL

Innovative Updates At Iconic Paris

Hotels And New Museums

BY DIANE DORRANS SAEKS

NS CERAMIC I

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MOSAÏQUE SURFACE

Lausanne Petite

CERAMIC u STONE u GLASS u METAL u PORCELAIN 602 E Montecito St, Ste A

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Editor’s Letter

S

ometimes a particular issue develops into something beyond what we all envision, and that happened for this SeptemberOctober issue. This is always an exciting issue to work on partly because of the food and wine element, but this time the homes also fell into place. Interior designer Marea Clark created a wine country retreat in Healdsburg for her San Francisco clients. Enjoy the French elegance of Jordan Winery and its charming remodeled guest suites. One of my favorites, the Ojai story, written by Michael Webb, with photography by Tim Street-Porter, is very much a country home created by architect Fred Fisher for his own family. Designer Norm Wogan shares a beautiful home in the Santa Monica hills with spectacular photography by Roger Davies.

We’re so grateful for the generosity of Susan Kudo and Robert Lieff for sharing their wonderful ranch in Santa Ynez for our entertaining feature. More than just an excellent venue for events, their wine, which they graciously shared with dinner, is outstanding. Chef Mark Brown made sure the Wagyu-T-Bone steaks were cooked to perfection and the accompanying dishes were prepared using all local fresh produce.

Diane Dorrans Saeks writes beautifully about travel in Paris, including the Plaza Athenee and Le Meurice.

I can’t wait to return to Paris. Hopefully soon.

Susan McFadden Editor in Chief

24 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Contributors KERSTIN CZARRA Kerstin Czarra is a journalist and creative consultant based in Los Angeles.

Her writing has appeared in T Magazine, domino, C Magazine, Better Homes and Garden and on 1stdibs.

She has consulted with the brands Vintner’s Daughter, Sakara Life, Parachute, Sur La Table and others. See her story on entertaining beginning on page 60 of this issue.

M o v e be yo n d illu mi n at i o n . . .

MATT WALLA Freelance photographer Matt Walla specializes in architectural and interior design photography. He has two published books on residential architecture, with a third forthcoming.

His current personal work is a topographic study and photographic exploration of the neighborhoods of Santa Barbara, where he resides. See his photography in entertaining beginning on page 60 of this issue.

SUZANNA SCOTT Suzanna Scott is a Bay Area-based photographer whose work captures compelling forward thinking interior design and architecture. Her images draw out the unique details and atmosphere of a space through natural lighting and thoughtful composition, allowing the designer’s work to reach a wider audience without compromise its quality or intention. Having lived, worked and traveled all over the world, Suzanna loves collaborating with a global community of designers, architects and stylists, and has a deep appreciation for the universality of great design. See her photography of a Healdsburg home beginning on page 76 of this issue.

8 05 .9 6 2 . 0 2 0 0 | W W W.C A B A N A HOME .C OM 1 1 1 S A N TA B A R B A R A S T R E E T S A N TA B A R B A R A , C A 9 3 1 0 1

CALIFORNIA HOMES

The Leslies’ 33rd Annual TheToyLeslies’ Annual Drive &33rd Fundraiser

benefitting Toy Drive & Fundraiser The Laurel Foundation benefitting Serving Transgender/Gender Diverse Youth and Youth Affected by HIV/AIDS The Laurel Foundation Serving Transgender/GenderHonoring Diverse Youth and Youth Affected by HIV/AIDS Honoring Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis

with Youth Empowerment Award with Youth Empowerment Award

THE MAGAZINE OF ARCHITECTURE THE ARTS & DISTINCTIVE DESIGN

SE PTE MBE R/OCTO B E R 2021

PUBLISHER

Heidi Gerpheide

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Susan McFadden

ART DIRECTOR

Megan Keough

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Kendra Boutell

ART EDITOR

Kathy Bryant

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kerstin Czarra Kenneth Friedenreich Roger Grody Jennifer Blaise Kramer Diane Dorrans Saeks Nora Burba Trulsson Michael Webb CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Roger Davies R. Brad Knipstein Clinton Meyer Tim Street-Porter Suzanna Scott Matt Walla A SSOCIATE PUBLISHER Linda McCall ORANGE COUNTY/SAN DIEGO

December 4, 2021 6:30pm December 4, 2021 6:30pm In Palms Springs, California.

In Palms Please Springs, California. visit: www.ToyDrive2021.Givesmart.com Please visit: www.ToyDrive2021.Givesmart.com to sponsor, donate or buy tickets to sponsor, donate or buy tickets Sponsored by: Sponsored by:

SENIOR ACCOUNT

REPRESENTATIVE

MEDIA CONSULTANT

Marlene Locke Jo Campbell Fujii

NEWSSTAND CONSULTANT JOHN PONOMAREV, CLEAR CHOICE CONSULTING

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Cathy Maly EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES

949.640.1484 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

California Homes Magazine PO Box 8655 Newport Beach, CA 92658 Subs@calhomesmagazine.com WWW.CALHOMESMAGAZINE.COM NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION BY DISTICOR MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION

VOLUME 25 · NUMBER 6

SOCO - THE SOUTH COAST COLLECTION 3311-A HYLAND AVENUE, COSTA MESA, CA 714.619.5200 | CSWOANDSONS.COM

Calendar MUSEUMS & GALLERIES THE ACADEMY MUSEUM –LOS ANGELES The Academy Museum will be the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies.

Opening on September 30, 2021, the museum will be simultaneously immersive, experimental, educational and entertaining. More than a museum, the film center will offer experiences and insights into movies and moviemaking. Designed by Pritzker prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, the Museum is restoring and revitalizing the historic Saban Building (1939) on Wilshire Boulevard. The Saban Building will feature six floors, including exhibition spaces, the Ted Mann Theater, the Shirley Temple Education Studio, special event spaces, the Debbie Reynolds Conservation Studio, a cafe and store. The new spherical addition will connect to the Saban Building via glass bridges and will featured the David Geffen Theater and the rooftop Dolby Family Terrace with its sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills.

For more information please visit www.academymuseum.org.

SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART The Santa Barbara Museum of Art recently reopened following a six-year, $50 million renovation. Marking the Museum’s 80th anniversary this year, the renovation of SBMA’s original 1912 building improves exhibition space making it possible to show more of the 25,00-object permanent collection.

Visitors will enter the State Street front doors to discover a brand-new installation conceived by SBMA Deputy Director and Chief Curator Eik Kahng, as a traditional salon-style hang with large-scale European and American paintings dating from the 17th century to the early 20th century intermixed with African and Pre-Columbian antiquities, as well as the Museum’s iconic monumental Roman marbles in Ludington Court.

For more information please call 805.963.4364 or visit www.sbma.net.

LEFT

Anish Kapoor Turning the World Inside Out, 1995 Cast stainless steel LEFT ABOVE

Dorothy Hood Sea Elegy II (detail), 1972 Oil on canvas FAR LEFT

Kim Tschang-Yeul Waterdrops No. L6, 1978 Oil on jute canvas 28 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

You just make the best charcuterie boards. We just cool.

Entertaining isn’t easy. But thanks to Liebherr, keeping things cool is one less thing you have to worry about. home.liebherr.com/monolith

Wine Columns

Calendar | GALLERIES MARCIA BURTT GALLERY –SANTA BARBARA

The Marcia Burtt Gallery is a beautiful garden art gallery in downtown Santa Barbara, featuring contemporary landscape paintings, prints and books. Marcia Burtt Gallery is featuring a show through October 10, 2021, titled Coastal Influence.

All paintings and photographs will feature coastal areas with a variety of artists’ works on view.

Marcia Burtt and Anne Ward bring us closer to the ocean, expanding vistas of the shoreline right up to where the artists stood with their easels in the wet sand. The greater curve of the coast and repetitively breaking waves pull us into their day at the beach. Lure of the shore animates these paintings and photographs of the coastal experience created by our gallery artists.

Anne Ward Coast at Midmorning Oil on canvas 16x20 inches

The gallery is located at 517 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. For more information please call 805.962.5588 or visit www.marciaburtt.com.

PACE GALLERY– PALO ALTO

Opening at Pace in Palo Alto September 16-October 16, 2021, the gallery will present an exhibition by Paul Graham featuring two bodies of work, The Seasons and Sightless. The Seasons, in a nod to Pieter Bruegel’s series of paintings, features six large formal photographs capturing life around the various bank headquarters on New York’s Park Avenue through the calendar year. Sightless, a vintage series of portraits made 15 years ago on 42nd Street in New York, depicts individuals with their eyes closed inverting traditional portraiture.

The gallery is located at 229 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301. For more information please call 650.561.4076 or visit www.pacegallery.com.

IRIS PROJECT–VENICE

For the exhibition “2021” Kim McCarthy continues her practice of working wet-on-wet with watercolor on paper. Her translucent medium co-exists with her subjects in an evolving dialogue of nature and the human form. In a new series of Female Silhouettes, McCarty layers her past and present, as ancestors recede and new family members emerge. Elsewhere, Dragonflies and Flowers rise from the page as McCarty embraces the physicality of wet paper, creating a sculptural effect of vibrant resiliency and renewal.

Kim McCarty 4 Winged Pink 4 Legs Watercolor on paper 34x45 inches

30 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Iris Project is located at 953 Amoroso Place, Venice, CA. For more information please call 310.425.8601 or visit www.irisproject.com.

©2021 CDG

NOW OPEN K I TC H E N S

B AT H S

C LO S E T S

INTERIOR DOORS

Chic Design Group | Stonemill Design Center | 2915 Red Hill Avenue, Suite F106 | Costa Mesa, California 92626 201.281.6316 | mase@chicdesigngroupco.com | chicdesigngroupco.com

Events & Affairs

PALM SPRINGS MODERNISM WEEK FALL PREVIEW

Modernism Week’s 2021 Fall Preview will take place October 14-17, 2021 at various locations in the Palm Springs area of Southern California. A full schedule of events featuring more than 40 events may be viewed online at modernismweek.com. The events provide attendees with the opportunity to celebrate midcentury modern architecture, lifestyle, and design and participate in events and activities that are new and unique to this year, returning favorites, and events that will also be offered during the annual 11-day festival in February 2022. Highlights of the October Fall Preview are a wide range of events including three featured designer properties available for daily tours, historic walking tours, Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus tours and Charles Phoenix-led bus tours, the Modernism Show and Sale – Fall Edition, educational events, and evening cocktail parties.

For more information please visit www.modernismweek.com.

AIA SANTA BARBARA: 2021 ARCHITECTOURS

The American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara is proud to announce their 12th annual ArchitecTours event, Saturday, October 2, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM This year’s virtual tour will celebrate “Design Excellence” and will highlight projects that demonstrate green building, small efficient spaces, are built in harmony with nature, demonstrate live/work spaces that meet the needs of a 21st century workforce, spearhead solutions and meet the call for climate challenges, demonstrate equitable housing solutions, and show other exceptional and informative work. Participants on the tour will learn about the team, trades, processes, materials, and elements that were needed to complete the finished buildings. Tickets are currently on sale.

For more information please visit www.aiasb.com.

32 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

THE SAN FRANCISCO FALL SHOW

The San Francisco Fall Show, (formerly The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show) is a beloved cultural institution, renowned and respected across the globe and an integral part of the San Francisco Bay Area’s art and design communities. The virtual show will take place in collaboration with InCollect from October 15-24, 2021 and will feature dealers from around the world, offering for sale an extraordinary range of fine and decorative arts from antiquity to the present day. The goal is to represent all styles and periods including American, English, Continental and Asian furniture, art, and decorative objects, paintings, prints, photographs, books, precious metals, jewelry, rugs, textiles and ceramics. InCollect’s advanced technology and robust platform will allow all dealers to have their own online “booths”, allowing for photo and video, as well as take full advantage of the site’s purpose-built search tools and InCollect’s huge existing digital audience. In short, InCollect provides the absolute best experience for discovering and acquiring art, antiques, jewelry and design.

For more information please visit www.sffallshow.org.

Sunset and Magnolia

LIVE BETTER

From the Mountains to the Sea Roxanne Hughes Packham Los Olivos

SunsetandMagnolia.com

Santa Rosa Valley

Newport Beach

THE INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL

ARCHITECTURE & ART SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

We are committed to making our cities more beautiful ensuring that classical and traditional design, art, and architecture remain vibrant and thriving fields.

We offer the community a variety of programs for students, design professionals and enthusiasts to advance the timeless practice and appreciation of classical architecture and art including: • •

•

Lectures and studio classes The Neo Classicist group, made up of emerging professionals and students, dedicated to cultivating the next generation of leaders Private tours of significant residences rarely opened to the public

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The New Heights program for middle school students, a dynamic and interactive study of classical architecture through meaningful observation, critical thinking, field study and studio experiences.

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Scholarships

BECOME A MEMBER & JOIN US AT OUR NEXT EVENT

For details: www.classicist-socal.org www.instagram.com/icaa_socal

Notebook VISIONARY | SHOP | PRODUCT | CLOTH & PAPER | SPOTLIGHT

Dream Weaver

Designer Joan Behnke’s New Carpet Collection

BY KENDRA BOUTELL

CUSTOM CARPET COMPANY Scott Group

Studio’s collaborative collection with East Coast designer Billy Cotton was so successful that they decided to venture West. The Grand Rapids-based firm wanted to juxtapose Cotton’s vivid mix of traditional patterns and English motifs with something more naturalistic and found the perfect foil in designer Joan Behnke.

From an office in Los Angeles with projects etching the California landscape and beyond,

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 35

Notebook | VISIONARY LEFT Fleri with silk and worsted wool conveys the natural process of a plant in bloom.

BELOW Matera’s unique patterning celebrates imbalance and complexity, emulating the markings found on a leaf or the petal of a bloom.

RIGHT Lamina

in silk explores the beauty that lies in the space between elements.

36 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Behnke started her eponymous company in 1999 and now enjoys an international presence. For Scott Group Studio, she created six rug designs that ebb and flowed with the golden state’s topography.

The textural collection in organic hues debuts this fall. Five of the patterns draw inspiration from the land and sea. The most biographical is Solanto, which evokes memories of a Northern California farm that belonged to Behnke’s grandmother.

An abstract design in worsted wool suggests the languorous movement of grain during a hot summer. By contrast, Lamina a silk rug explores the idea of Kintsugi, a Japanese art for mending broken pottery. The philosophy behind the technique is to assemble the ceramic shards, then repair them with a mixture of lacquer and precious metal, highlighting the beauty of imperfection.

BELOW In Pacific Heights, Bondi collaborated with architect Sandy Walker of Walker & Moody Architects and Suzanne Tucker on this lyrical staircase. A patina finish embellishes the forged bronze cap rail and forged Monel pickets. Photograph by Edward Addeo.

ABOVE LEFT Rose

Story Farm in Carpinteria provided the stunning West Coast backdrop for the photoshoot.

ABOVE RIGHT Solanto in worsted wool captures the beauty and elegance in the movement of grain that reaches its full height in summer.

While the Lamina rug characterizes Behnke’s love of travel and foreign cultures, the collection’s ethos reflects a regional aesthetic.

“Perhaps the colors selected for the designs are from a West Coast perspective where I live and work, which speaks to the abundance of sun-drenched light and allows for the use of brighter colors to be introduced on different materials throughout the space other than the floor. The abstract interpretation of the carpets is also undoubtedly influenced by my love of art and sculpture–like so many artists I respect, what greater inspiration is there than the detail and surprising elements that come from what we behold on closer inspection of a leaf…the flow of water…or a rock.” Said Behnke. CH

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 37

Notebook | SHOP

THE

GILDED OWL

The Hudson Valley Design Gallery Has A New Perch In Los Angeles

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL POP-UP in collaboration with textile studio Voutsa in 2019, designer Andy Goldsborough made the leap to a permanent space located on Beverly Boulevard surrounded by design enthusiast favorites; Nicky Kehoe Shop, Garde, +Coop, Modernica, and Twentieth.

Goldsborough is focused on product fabrication, a skill he developed in his childhood scouring estate sales with his mother and by his training under design luminaries Clodagh and Annabelle Seldorf. His selections also reflect his academic background as a Parsons professor teaching a popular “Finishes + Materials” course.

Known for thematic presentations, the name “Gilded Owl” serves as a metaphor, channeling the animal’s watchful eyes. His passion and academic understanding have earned him the exclusive representation of iconic Italian heritage design brands, including the Gio Ponti estate, with an emphasis on mid-century Italian.

7282 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles 917.270.2480, thegildedowl.com

38 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

|

310.855.0400

|

M A R K W E AV E R . C O M

Notebook | PRODUCT

OUTDOOR

1.

LIVING

The New Latina Collection From Tidelli Celebrates Color THE INNOVATIVE LUXURY BRAZILIAN outdoor furni-

2.

1. Poltrona Corda Tras | Sami Hayek 2. Mesa Auxiliar | Cesar Giraldo 3. Mesa De Centro | Sami Hayek 4. Poltrona Frente | Cesar Giraldo 5. Sofa 2M Tras | Sami Hayek

4.

3.

5.

40 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

ture brand Tidelli Outdoor Design has introduced two new collections. Columbian designer Cesar Giraldo designed the Medellin line. Inspired by the colorful flowers and recent transformation of his hometown.

Mexican designer Sami Hayek created the Vera Cruz collection. Inspired by the shapes, colors, textures, and emotions of his home state of Vera Cruz. tidelli.com

To create your signature look visit: baldwinhardware.com

B&C Custom Hardware and Bath 32 Tesla • Irvine CA 92618 • 949.859.6073 www.customhardware.net

Notebook | CLOTH & PAPER

RETURN TO

BRICK & MORTAR

Iconic California Wallpaper and Textile Brand CW Stockwell Opens First New Propriety Showroom in Four Decades FOR OVER 115 YEARS, CW STOCKWELL has

been designing and manufacturing handprinted fabrics and wall coverings in Los Angeles. “Re-establishing our showroom in California, and specifically my hometown of San Francisco, is a joyful step forward for the brand and our business in its 21st-century form,” says CEO and owner Katy Polsby.

The corner space in an industrial building with two walls of windows creates a lightfilled environment for the new showroom and company headquarters. Open to the trade and public; designers can bring clients to see the full assortment of textiles and wallpapers.

In addition to their iconic Martinique banana leaf pattern, the line is known for its colorful patterns and light-hearted design.

360 Langton Street, Suite 204 San Francisco, cwstcokwell.com

42 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

2022 Sponsors as of August 5, 2021. Photo by Monica Orozco.

PA L M S P R I N G S , C A L I F O R N I A

Fall Preview

October 14-17, 2021 TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Modernism Week

February 17-27, 2022

TICKETS ON SALE NOVEMBER 1

modernismweek.com

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Notebook | SPOTLIGHT

SETHI COUTURE

Sisters Elevate Everyday Jewelry with Vintage Cut Diamonds

DESIGNING SISTERS PRATIMA AND PRERNA SETHI were raised

by parents who are purveyors of rare and unusual diamonds. It is no surprise that their childhood included education in the world’s most exquisite stones, antique cuts, and rare natural color diamonds.

They realized early on the void in fine jewelry showcasing these beautiful stones in an everyday look. Rose-cut diamonds were unknown in contemporary styles, and color diamonds were perceived to be unattainable.

With that realization, Pratima and Prerna designed a collection of jewelry that told the story of vintage cuts and natural color diamonds as a juxtaposition of contemporary and classic, embodying an aesthetic of simplicity and celebration. They believe everyday jewelry should be collected and enjoyed, not tucked away in a box.

Each Sethi Couture piece can be layered to express personal style, from the signature diamond stacking bands to the feminine silhouettes of vintage-inspired collections.

290 Main Street, Los Altos, 650.948.5141, sethicouture.com

44 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Reimagining the ubiquitous patio heater as sculpture—

ART THAT YOU LIVE WITH The Fire Totem by Studio Vlock Available in stainless steel or custom powder coated colors

STUDIOVLOCK.COM | SVLOCK@STUDIOVLOCK.COM

Notebook | SPOTLIGHT

WALL SLIDING SYSTEM

An Elegant Storage Solution from Modulnova CHIC DESIGN GROUP presents the Modulnova patented wall sliding system customized in layout and accessories to fit your storage needs for small and frequently-used kitchen items.

The system slides on a track attached to a wall boiserie, the countertop, or the island unit. When cooking, this makes all items readily available right next to the main functional areas of the kitchen. When not in use, the system slides away, disappearing behind the tall units or the island cabinets in a game of depths enhanced by fitting lights into the hiding panel.

This turns the kitchen into an elegant living space, with all tools concealed in favor of an architectonical design that blends with the home interior.

The sliding system is also applicable to wall solutions for the bathroom and living room. chicdesigngroup.com

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Notebook | SPOTLIGHT

HEALTHY HOME

Pure Elements Water Improves The Quality Of Your Water RICK ALLEN AND HIS COMPANY PURE ELEMENTS

Water are entering their 43rd year helping homeowners enjoy clean, healthy water from every faucet in their homes for bathing, drinking, cooking, and other uses.

The custom-designed systems remove nasty chemicals, heavy metals and reduce hard water issues without salt.

The technologies are environmentally sound and require only limited maintenance for proper performance.

Rick has spent years as a visionary in the water industry, aligning his companies with leaders in the healthcare, alternative cancer, naturopathic, chiropractic, and longevity communities. Clean water plays a major role in health, and these systems provide the ability to take control of your living environment.

Not only do these systems solve most water problems, but they also prevent leaks in copper pipes that have reached epidemic levels on the California coast and across the country. Water chemistry is the culprit, and Pure Elements Water has a proven solution without expensive and intrusive repiping or epoxy linings. pureelementswater.com

48 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

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Architecture LEFT For this Midwestern home, WWA capitalized on lake views while preserving privacy.

BELOW Reclaimed local wood and stone contribute to a soaring lodge-inspired home.

BOTTOM RIGHT Rasmussen and colleagues accommodate indooroutdoor lifestyles in all climates.

REIMAGINING THE CLASSICS

Kate Rasmussen Of Wade Weissmann Architecture Specializes In Sophisticated Residences Based On Historical Precedent

BY ROGER GRODY DESIGNER KATE RASMUSSEN

is the Executive Business Strategist at Milwaukee-headquartered Wade Weissmann Architecture (WWA), sometimes working out of the company’s Santa Barbara office.

Rasmussen was an associate at the firm of celebrity architect Robert A.M. Stern in New York before joining WWA. In her role of developing business strategies, she often sets the vision for luxury residential projects.

Rasmussen holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Notre Dame, later receiving a Master of Arts in Sustainable Architecture & Urbanism from the University of Wales and has been elected a Fellow of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art in New York. “We tend to rely heavily on residential design based on historical precedent, borrowing from the past and bringing a new, fresh light to it while accommodating current lifestyles,” says Rasmussen of WWA’s approach.

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Rasmussen, currently a resident of Pittsburgh, observes a nationwide shift towards a more relaxed, less formal and less ornamental style, largely influenced by California and evident in fashion and graphics design as well as architecture. She reports that California’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle is popular even with clients in the harsh climates of the Midwest and Northeast. Rasmussen explains, “We try to give them that same feel but make it geographically appropriate, extending the seasons with screening or outdoor fireplaces.”

The designer maintains the pandemic has definitely affected client priorities. “The idea of spending time in a setting that’s of your own making, and with people you love to be around, has become incredibly important,” says Rasmussen, whose firm is now meeting demand for large family compounds.

Rasmussen’s residential projects at WWA include a lodge-inspired Wisconsin home overlooking Lake Michigan where reclaimed local stone and wood were incorporated into a soaring, naturally lit living area that reinforces the

residence’s sense of place. Rasmussen and her colleagues renovated an historic estate outside of Nashville in a manner that introduced modern amenities while retaining its original architecture.

With her expertise in classical design, Rasmussen is ideally suited to implementing expansions or renovations to historic properties, retaining architectural integrity while creating spaces for 21st century lifestyles. CH wadeweissmannarchitecture.com

LEFT Rasmussen’s firm specializes in adapting traditional spaces to modern lifestyles.

ABOVE A major renovation of a Tennessee estate retained its historic character.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 51

Interior Design

Understated luxury is all about the right pairings for Caroline Thompson, who let this living room’s stairway tile inspire the pattern and color of the bespoke floor rug, adding: “The two speak to one another without being too match-y match-y !”

52 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Livable Luxury

A Conversation With Cabana Home Co-Owner Caroline Thompson, On Her Signature Design Theory

BY JENNIFER BLAISE KRAMER FOR 15 YEARS, CAROLINE THOMPSON

and her business partner, Steve Thompson, have run Cabana Home, a boutique interior design showroom in Santa Barbara. The studio offers full-scale design services—finishes to furnishings— around the idea of “traditional with a twist” beginning with the clients’ existing furniture, things they love most and don’t want to live without. “Always start designing by shopping your own home first,” says Caroline who’s refined her signature mantra to “livable luxury” and shares her theory with us.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 53

Interior Design

ABOVE Cabana Home co-owner Caroline Thompson sketches out designs in her Santa Barbara showroom and studio.

Well-chosen artwork is often Caroline’s trick for threading together all the textures, patterns, and colors in a room.

RIGHT

The first thing she asks a new client is: what do you love? “Most people have a dozen or so things they can’t live without,” she says. When people are relocating from different places be in the East Coast, Arizona, or New Mexico and she never wants to start throwing things out to create a coastal motif; even though Cabana Home is situated mere minutes from the harbor, you’ll never catch Caroline falling prey to is designing around a

54 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

theme. Her aim, with the help of the shop’s furniture and textiles lines, including Janus et Cie, Baker, Hickory Chair, Century, and Lee Industries, is reflect the best of California living indoors and out. But it starts with that inventory of special hand-crafted, oneof-a-kind, or heirloom items. “Those pieces have history,” she says. “We’ve lost the art of bench made pieces and they’ve become even more precious.”

The winning combination for this sitting room came by mixing an antique Louis XIV chair with a powder coated “Louie Style” chair. “It’s a playful way to use period pieces without being too stuffy,” says Caroline.

RIGHT

BELOW In keeping true to her mantra of “livable luxury,” Caroline often uses easy-to-clean upholstery and textiles that lend a luxe feel inside and out.

Next comes repurposing and reinventing. It might be putting an antique cabinet from the bedroom into the dining room, reupholstering a favorite chair to make it more comfortable, or pulling an indoor item outside (if weather tolerant) to be in the garden. “I love when things look collected,” adds Caroline, who also serves on boards including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and Lotusland.

“It’s about using those loved items in a new way.”

Finally, to make things standout in an artful, luxe way she adds contrast. Rather than buying the suite of matching furniture or a whole bedroom set, she advises to

instead mash things up. For example, a collection of gilded French gets an edge with added metal or glass; sleek contemporary décor gets juxtaposed with organic Primitive pieces; English antiques benefit with modern Lucite accent table or chairs. “If everything is stained wood, add something painted or parchment, glass or metal. Mix periods, mix materials.

Bring them all to the dinner table!”

“It’s like dressing,” says Caroline, who formerly worked as a stylist for Neiman Marcus. “It’s all about high-low. Just like you might put a t-shirt from Target with a $500 pair of jeans, it’s all about the mix.” CH

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 55

Design Profile LEFT Geometric-patterned carpeting and a grasscloth wal covering were extended into the closet off the master bedroom, creating a unified look. The closet design was kept simple and timeless, to match the 1970s look of the home.

Modern, Organized

California Closets Puts Things In Order For A Palm Springs Modernism Week Showcase House

BY NORA BURBA TRULSSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLINTON MEYER

THOSE WHO ENJOYED MODERNISM

Week this year in Palm Springs would have toured the 1975, clean-lined modern ranch home designed by noted architect Stan Sackley. The exuberant interior, featuring a mix of vintage and new pieces, and layers of patterning, was also eye candy, created by interior designers Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker of Grace Home Furnishings, also in Palm Springs.

While the architecture and interiors were dreamy, everyone’s inner neatnik no doubt responded to the home’s

56 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

side-by-side walk-in closets in the master suite, two spaces that artfully balance display, storage and organization, created by California Closets.

“We’ve been a sponsor of Modernism Week since 2019,” explains Mike Cassidy, general manager of California Closet’s Orange County market, which includes showrooms in Palm Desert, Pasadena, Corona del Mar and Huntington Beach. “We participate because Modernism Week is such an important event, showcasing great design.”

LEFT Open shelving and built-in lighting highlights curated displays of shoes, pullovers and personal items.

BELOW Sequi idest, tet experum fugitatis eosaperum sinis destiostent quam faccuptatem. Et fugiaeptat endam quatibus endandam facearu ntorrovita

For the Sackley home, senior designer Preston Mitchell of the California Closets’ Palm Desert showroom spent time with the homeowners and interior designers to determine the needs for both closets. Mitchell suggested a spare, classic design in a pale Adriatic Mist finish on birch, with simple hardware, creating a look that would not have been out of place in 1975. Built-in lighting illuminates brightly colored sports jackets hung from rods and shelves displaying Converse sneakers, wingtips and neatly folded pullovers. A pull-out hamper hides behind a cabinet door, while a full-length mirror graces one wall. Chocolate and cream-colored geometric carpeting extends from the bedroom into both closets, creating a unified look.

“We wanted these closets to look up to date, but to connect with the older bones of the house,” explains Cassidy, whose showrooms also support other design events,

including the Orange County Philharmonic House of Design. “In the past, we’ve showcased closets that were highend and elaborate, but we intentionally wanted these to be approachable, and for the closets to reflect the home’s interesting story.”

And, according to Cassidy, this closet

story will be repeated. “The Sackley home will be featured again during Modernism Week’s Fall Preview,” he says of the October 14th through 17th event. “California Closets will also be in another home during the preview.”

Closet aficionados, mark your calendars. CH californiaclosets.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 57

Furniture Design

Elegance Meets Functionality

The Latest Line From Furniture Maker Calligaris Presents Sleek Aesthetics Without Compromising Comfort

BY ROGER GRODY

UNLIKE SOME OTHER HIGH-END HOME FURNISHING BRANDS,

Calligaris understands that effective design must reflect a homeowner’s lifestyle and that real homes are not museums where aesthetics are worshipped at the expense of comfort. The designers at Calligaris, carried at premium retailers across California and a flagship store in Orange County, recognize the needs of every space and homeowner are unique, reflected in the prestigious Italian manufacturer’s motto, “My Life, My Style.”

58 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

RIGHT The

Universal sideboard, designed

by Buratti, shown with Abrey table and chairs.

BELOW The versatile Rod sofa from Calligaris, inspired

by Le Corbusier.

OPPOSITE TOP Abrey

table paired with Oleandro chairs and curvilinear Lake sideboard.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM Universal sideboard with chevron pattern.

The company was founded by Antonio Calligaris in 1923, in Manzano, Italy, near Venice, and what began as a modest artisanal workshop has grown into a global brand coveted by elite interior decorators. A combination of legendary Italian design, meticulous craftsmanship and innovative, eco-friendly industrial practices have sustained Calligaris’ prominence throughout the past century as

other brands have come and gone.

The recently released Calligaris 2021 collection includes contemporary, highly functional seating, tables and desks, sideboards, beds, and area rugs from world-class designers. Among a series of sofas by Stefano Spessotto is the Rod, a versatile modular design inspired by the furniture of Le Corbusier. Its modernist heritage provides a clean, sophisticated profile and

the sectional can be configured for any space, regardless of dimensions.

Designed by Gabriele and Oscar Buratti is the thoughtfully proportioned Abrey dining table that can be topped with a coupled ceramic-andglass finish resembling marble or onyx but far more durable. The veneered or lacquered Universal sideboard, another Buratti design, is supported by four discreet legs and its flush-mounted doors can be embellished with a chevron pattern or vertical wave motif. The collection’s Madame desk accommodates the newfound priority of a comfortable yet stylish workspace at home. Most Calligaris pieces can be customized and a made-to-order program ensures customers find products meeting their unique situations.

The company is also committed to sustainable design practices and the new collection incorporates natural materials with a minimal environmental impact. “In these years at the head of Calligaris, I have made environmental sustainability a priority,” states Stefano Rosa Uliana, Calligaris Group CEO. He adds, “We must remember that we have only one Earth and we must preserve it for us and especially for our children.” CH

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 59

Entertaining

LEFT A charming bronze knocker hangs on one of the cottage’s front doors.

The Lieff Ranch grapevines with the cloudcovered San Ynez Mountains in the background.

RIGHT

BELOW Decanting a glass of Lieff’s Syrah and Grenache blend.

Perfect PAIRING

At Lieff Ranch In The Santa Ynez Valley, Vintners Susan Kudo And Robert Lieff Celebrate Their Wines With A Table And Menu Ripe With Natural Beauty

BY KERSTIN CZARRA PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT WALLA

60 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

RIGHT A

spectacular, sculptural oak tree shades some picnic tables on the property.

AT THE HEART OF ANY MEMORABLE MEAL OR GLASS OF WINE

ABOVE Oak barrels in the 100-year-barn are used to make the Lieff Ranch’s Tipping Tree wines.

BELOW The 60-acre ranch has a main house, barn (shown here), and a slew of other beautifully preserved buildings.

is a balance of authenticity and uniqueness. The same is true for the rolling landscape, lush vineyards and perfectly rustic spaces found on Lieff Ranch in Santa Ynez. Owners Susan Kudo and Robert Lieff, a seasoned winemaker, felt this equilibrium the first time they visited. A fertile, abundant feeling is all around, from the aged olive, fig, persimmon, and loquats trees to the sun-dappled vines that lend the grapes for their Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah Grenache wines baring the Lieff name.

“Robert planted the entire vineyard,” explains Kudo. “Everything he knows about growing grapes and making wine comes together in this vineyard and in our wine.”

In addition to the land’s natural gifts, the property boasts a slew of picturesque settings, well suited for California’s relaxed approach to entertaining. There’s the 100-year-old barn, complete with a bar that seats 25 and the ranch’s central courtyard adjacent to a serene pond filled with waterlilies.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 61

Entertaining RIGHT Just

off the main house, a brick courtyard is the perfect place to BBQ and entertain guests.

ABOVE A wooden sign helps visitors find their way around the former cattle ranch.

Seasoned vintner Robert Lieff gives guests a tour of the grapevines.

RIGHT

When not renting the property for memorable weddings and parties, the pair loves to host gatherings on a smaller scale, as they did recently, with an elegant, farm-to-table meal, orchestrated by good friend, L.A. chef Mark Brown. With years of experience cooking for well-heeled and well-known clients, the chef’s focus on this day was fresh ingredients and simple preparations to reflect the spectacular bucolic backdrop. “He cooks from the heart and is so in tune with nature” says Kudo. Gathering fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden and estate honey from the couple’s second vineyard in San Luis Obispo, Brown’s menu included Pickled Tomato Cucumber Salad, Lemony Roasted Potatoes, BBQ Wagyu T-Bone Steaks, and Peach and Blackberry Tart, from

62 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

RIGHT A

starter of crudité, dip and local cheese pair perfectly with Lieff’s crisp, cool Rosé wine.

BELOW Kudo’s says the ranch’s innate beauty tells them how to entertain. Here, a trio of painted picnic tables are simply set with flowers, candles, and white candles.

ingredients sourced locally. “The area’s farm stands inspired me to use fruits and vegetables at the peak of their flavor,” says Brown. Adding another robust, fragrant element is the hosts’ rustic-meets-opulent table. A selection of roses (including Love and Peace, Sterling Silver and Mysterious) were plucked from Kudo’s own garden. Accented with fresh rosemary, she arranged the stems in a mix of shallow glass vases and pickling jars. “It makes a meal for your senses,” explains Kudo. The napkins, purposely mismatched, are from a sizable collection of linens she has bought in Paris throughout the years. (The silverware has its own special presence—it’s the same pattern as the current pope.) Candles in varying heights create indirect, glowing light that flatters guests.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 63

Entertaining

In addition to the land’s natural gifts, the property boasts a slew of picturesque settings, well suited for California’s relaxed approach to entertaining.

ABOVE Kudo adorned the table with fresh roses from the garden at her Montecito home.

ABOVE RIGHT Chef Mark Brown cooks the Wagyu T-Bone steaks on an open flame.

RIGHT Shelley

Brown (left) and Rosemary Peck enjoy the Lieff Ranch Rosé of Grenache in the courtyard.

RIGHT Farm-fresh

side salads include Roasted Red Beets with Goat Cheese and a platter of pickled tomato and cucumbers sprinkled with fresh dill.

64 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

LEFT Hosts and owners Susan Kudo and Robert Lieff bought the property in 2019.

RIGHT Chef

Brown’s Peach and Blueberry Tart is a dazzling finale.

BELOW The sun sets on Lieff Ranch while the fun continues around the table.

Taking center stage with the bountiful, health-forward menu, are a trio of wines from the vines just steps away. To start, a rosé made from Grenache grapes, which Kudo describes as “crisp and cool.” To stand up to the piquant side dishes, a Sauvignon Blanc is crafted in a Sancerre style that’s easy to drink while still making a statement. “It says, ‘Hello, I am here in your mouth,’” she laughs.

To enjoy with the grilled steaks, the couple

pours their Syrah Grenache, a bottle they open often at home. “It’s not too heavy and well suited for lots of dishes,” Kudo explains.

Standing steps from her stunning table, Kudo’s advice for hosting is surprisingly simple. “It’s about abundance,” she muses. “Have all of the wine you desire, all of the delicious food you can eat, and all of your beautiful loving, friends for a lot of laughter.” CH

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 65

GARDEN TOURS & MINI

celebrations GARDEN TOURS MEMBERSHIPS BENEFIT EVENTS VOW EXCHANGES Contact Lotusland for details. Restrictions apply.

lotusland.org

805.969.3767

FEATURES SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

CH SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 67

RESPONSEto

LANDSCAPE FRED FISHER REINTERPRETS THE TUSCAN HILLTOP VILLA FOR HIS FAMILY IN OJAI TEXT MICHAEL WEBB PHOTOGRAPHY TIM STREET-PORTER

68 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 69

70 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Steps lead down to a pool and an olive grove.

LEFT

Corrugated Corten steel clads a box-like volume, protecting it from wildfires and picking up on natural tones. A splash of yellow identifies the kitchen door.

RIGHT

A

RCHITECTS WIN FAME FOR BUILDINGS THAT BREAK OUT THE BOX

and cause people to stop and stare. Fred Fisher prefers to enrich the box, creating a succession of understated houses, art galleries, and institutional buildings that offer subtle rewards to their users. The 4000-square-foot house in Ojai that he recently completed for himself and his family is an expression of his quiet artistry: a modern interpretation of a Tuscan hilltop villa infused with the earthy spirit of farm buildings. A three-level cube of prefabricated structural panels, well insulated against the heat of summer, is linked to a single-story wing that opens onto a loggia and provides separate accommodations for two teenaged sons.

Inspiration came from the six months Fred spent in residence at the American Academy of Rome, exploring the Italian countryside and sketching as he traveled.

The topography and light of Ojai resembles that of Tuscany and the Fisher house responds to the site, a nine-acre olive farm that commands sweeping views over the valley to the Topatopa Mountains. It’s oriented to the east where expansive windows pull in the morning sun and the glow of sunset reflected off the peaks.

Openings to the south are small and a eucalyptus shades the one large window on the western side. Double glazing affords good insulation and UV protection for the art without recourse to shades.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 71

An outer skin of corrugated Corten (prerusted steel) adds protection from wildfires and requires no maintenance. And it reminds the couple of their roots. Jennie Prebor, an art world veteran who has opened three chic shops in Ojai, grew up in Pittsburg, and Fred was raised in Ohio among rusted farm buildings and the decaying industrial plants of Cleveland. Fifteen years ago, he designed a corrugated metal house

72 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

in Ojai for a client who insisted on a shiny finish that stood out from its wood and stucco neighbors. In contrast, Corten has a soft texture and weathers like an organic material, with sunlight revealing tones of red, purple and orange that tie it into the rocky landscape. Steps lead down the slope to the olive grove, a new lap pool and a shingled 1920s guest cottage where the couple lived during construction. Fred marvels at his good

An Art Deco Chinese rug, purple sofas from B&B Italia and Santa & Cole’s Ciro chandelier anchor the living area. A basket of books hovers over the Joe d’Urso dining table and vintage Windsor chairs.

LEFT

A computergenerated lattice of laser-cut steel forms a stair balustrade, tying together the three levels of the house.

OPPOSITE

fortune in acquiring such a property, a ten-minute walk from the center of town, and then remembers how it had become so run-down that other buyers were scared away.

Sybaritic, light-infused volumes are contained within the rigorous shell. The double-height living-dining area is divided from the equally lofty kitchen by a free-standing cabinet and a mezzanine library. Steps lead up to the parents’ bedroom suite and Jennie’s study on the top floor. “A basket of books” is Fred’s term for the library. Open wood shelves rise floor to ceiling and are backed with chicken wire so that, from below, the books seem to float in mid-air. For most of the pandemic, Fred closed his office in West Los Angeles and ran his practice from this snug retreat, working at a massive table, reading in a Saarinen Womb chair, and relaxing on a day bed set into the window bay. He and Jennie love books and their one regret is that there is room for only two thousand in the library and for every one they add another must go.

The intimacy of this bridge heightens the drama of the double-height spaces to either side—another legacy of the American Academy, which was built on the grand scale of a palazzo. A chandelier of cylinders suspended from a metal hoop lights the living area with its purple sofas and Art Deco Chinese rug.

A vintage American flag that graced the wedding of Fred’s great-, great-grandparents presides over this room, along with Nolli’s classic map of Rome.

Throughout the house, there’s an eclectic mix of modern and vintage artworks

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 73

The functional layout is enriched with bold colors—a scarlet lacquered island and a pair of vibrant yellow stools— and the witty details that are this designer’s hallmark.

74 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

and furniture. Jennie is an ardent hunter-gatherer, finding under-appreciated treasures in thrift stores and flea markets in Ventura and further afield. Windsor chairs surround the long dining table, and Chinese cabinets were remodeled as washstands to domesticate the principal bathroom.

Roy McMakin was commissioned to design the kitchen after the owners had determined the placement of ranges, sinks and a breakfast table that is bathed in morning sun. The functional layout is enriched with bold colors—a scarlet lacquered island and a pair of vibrant yellow stools—and the witty details that are this designer’s hallmark. Everyone had a say on the configuration, though Jennie sometimes grumbles about inaccessible storage in “a kitchen designed by two men”.

An asymmetrical metal trellis functions as a stair balustrade and a frame for the bedroom terrace. Fred has always admired the tracery in traditional Islamic buildings and the “cracked ice” framing in Chinese architecture, and he incorporated that concept in a permeable screen that divides public from private space in the Annanberg Building at Cal Tech. A math professor wrote a one-line program, and software generated a birds’ nest pattern that could be laser-cut from wood. For the house, Fred’s computer-savvy associates tweaked the program to generate a pattern that would meet building codes and could be laser-cut from steel. It serves as a sculptural ribbon that ties the different levels together, casts intricate shadows onto the black-stained wooden stair treads and is silhouetted against the sky at one corner of the house as though the steel cladding were fraying.

Fred describes his approach to the house as “long life, loose fit.” It should serve the parents’ changing needs over many years, and when the boys are grown their wing will accommodate guests. Every room frames a different vista, and trees block neighboring houses from view. The interior stays cool on the hottest days of summer and ceiling fans limit the need for airconditioning. The steel box opens up to terraces and the shady loggia for year-round outdoor living. And from their bed Fred and Jennie can watch the sun rise in the morning, and the moon follow a similar course at night, so that the rhythms of nature are deeply embedded in their home. CH

ABOVE/TOP LEFT Fisher has used the library as a workplace through the pandemic, relaxing on the daybed by the window. The 1879 US flag on the far wall is a family heirloom.

From their French iron canopy bed the Fishers can wake to the sun rising over the mountains that border the Ojai Valley, and follow the ascent of the moon.

LEFT

Roy McMakin infused the kitchen with vibrant colors and his trademark quirky details.

OPPOSITE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 75

Dwell Healdsburg Hideaway DESIGNER MAREA CLARK BALANCES TRADITIONAL & MODERN THEMES TO CREATE THE QUINTESSENTIAL WINE COUNTRY RETREAT

TEXT ROGER GRODY PHOTOGRAPHY SUZANNA SCOTT

76 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 77

S

INCE FOUNDING her epony-

mous firm in 2016, interior designer Marea Clark has earned a loyal following throughout the Bay Area and California wine country. At Marea Clark Interiors (MCI), the designer balances her Southern roots with the cosmopolitan qualities of her adopted San Francisco, resulting in timeless aesthetics that honor tradition while accommodating 21st century lifestyles. “Clients appreciate the Southern, traditional flair that appears in many of my designs, but my work is also informed by 15 years of living on the West Coast,” reports Clark, who quips, “It’s kind of a South-meets-California vibe.”

For a home in Healdsburg, the heart of Sonoma Valley, Clark’s firm was commissioned to create a family-oriented weekend retreat possessing the same level of comfort and sophistication as her clients’ primary residence in San Francisco, also designed by MCI (and featured in California Homes). The Healdsburg residence, originally built in 1981, was extremely dated and Clark collaborated with Brooks McDonald Architecture and Eric Friedman of Arrow Builders to completely reimagine the home from the foundation up.

Clark leveraged the living room’s greatest asset, a tremendous sense of volume created by a vaulted ceiling, which her team modernized with clean-lined soaring windows that now flood the space with light. She complemented those qualities with a soothing neutral palette, anchoring the room with an inviting sofa and pair of Lawson-Fenning side chairs. A dated stonefaced fireplace was transformed by the project team, resulting in a minimalist design with a floating oak mantel and contemporary art, as well as a recessed wet bar for entertaining.

In the kitchen, white custom cabinetry with contrasting hardware echoes white quartz countertops, while a pair of Urban Electric Co. pendants with generous zinc shades hang over an island with pastel blue beadboard siding and

78 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

ABOVE Clark enhances the family/media room with a Maiden Home sectional and Art Deco lighting by Selamat.

OPPOSITE TOP Clark introduces subtle colors into a kitchen illuminated by zinc-shaded Urban Electric Co. pendants.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM Soaring windows flood the living room with light, where Lawson-Fenning chairs contribute to an inviting space.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 79

leather-topped stools. “We tried to bring in some color, so it wouldn’t appear too white or sterile from the adjoining rooms,” reports Clark, who selected nuanced, hand-glazed tiles from Waterworks for the backsplash. In the dining room, a rustic yet refined tree branch-inspired chandelier from Paul Ferrante is suspended over a handcrafted walnut dining table by Jacob May paired with ladder-back chairs from Redford House.

A balance of informality and sophistication is struck in the light-filled family/media room, where a Maiden Home sectional

80 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

surrounds a modern, circular coffee table. The space is illuminated by an Art Deco ceiling fixture by Selamat whose natural grass-fiber shade ties in with the oak flooring. The spacious master bedroom is a retreat within a retreat, featuring a contemporary four-post bed, whitewashed branch chandelier from Currey & Company and two swivel chairs from Serena & Lily. In the master bathroom, Clark introduced varying textures while adding a pop of color to the quiet palette through a watercolor by artist Jen Garrido.

“We try to create spaces that feel warm and inviting so you’ll want to spend time enjoying them, rather than spaces that are just for show.” - MAREA CLARK

ABOVE A custom vanity provides a welcome injection of color in a guest bathroom.

The view from the master bedroom can be enjoyed from a Serena & Lily swivel chair.

LEFT

A guest bedroom features a Serena & Lily bed, nightstands from Redford House and Palecek mirror.

OPPOSITE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 81

82 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

A rope-framed mirror from Serena & Lily and Schoolhouse sconce enhance a guest bath.

LEFT

BELOW Fabric from Raoul Textiles provides a splash of color in one of the guest bedrooms.

The recreation-centric year yard features swimming and two tiers of outdoor living with Janus et Cie furniture.

OPPOSITE

The rear of the home reinforces the indoor-outdoor theme so essential to the wine country lifestyle, with Janus et Cie furniture accommodating two tiers of outdoor living space overlooking a pool and the golden Sonoma Valley hills beyond. This Healdsburg residence is consistent with MCI’s approachable design philosophy, one in which elegance and wine country informality can coexist. “A beautiful home can also be really livable and durable,” explains Clark, who adds, “We try to create spaces that feel warm and inviting so you’ll want to spend time enjoying them, rather than spaces that are just for show.” CH

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 83

Natural & Earthy 84 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

The Pool is a large lap pool connected right up against the house giving an illusion of water running through. Two retractable shutter stylites create more light under the loggia. Outdoor furniture by Brown Jordan.

DESIGNER NORM WOGAN, ARCHITECT DEAN LARKIN, BUILDER ASHER ALSASI AND LANDSCAPE DESIGNER SERNA KELMES CREATE A CLEAN AND MINIMALIST HOME IN SANTA MONICA TEXT KAVITA DASWANI PHOTOGRAPHY ROGER DAVIES SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 85

Custom floating steel stairwell is over a water feature below. Stair treads are white oak.

Stone flooring throughout the first floor is a leathered gray limestone from Rockmill. Barstools are leather and metal swivel from Cantoni.

LEFT

T

HE OWNERS OF A NEWLY-

constructed home in Santa Monica had one primary requirement; they wanted a house that was going to be easy to take care of.

“They wanted something clean and minimalist and not fussy,” said Norm Wogan, the Los Angeles-based interior designer who was enlisted to work on the house.

Work on the 7,500 square foot home was completed in March 2020. Architect Dean Larkin created the contemporary style house, alongside builder Asher

86 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Alsasi and landscape designer Serena Kelmes. The team worked first on building a long swimming pool and then constructed the house to convey the illusion of the water moving into the home.

“Water and the outside elements were among the most important factors for the client,” said Wogan. “They also wanted a lot of glass in the construction, with a sense of flow from inside to outside.”

In creating the interiors for the fourbedroomed property, Wogan set out to keep everything “natural and earthy.

Custom bleached walnut wood cabinetry fabricated by Peter Scholz.

Island slab is a quartzite leathered with either side stainless steel ends.

Pendants over the island are from Sonneman lighting. Dining table is a custom bronze finish steel base with a white oak wood top. Dining chairs are walnut wood with fabric backs and a pleather seat. Fabrics by Zinc.

BELOW

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 87

Dining room art piece by Harry Moody over the walnut cabinetry, flanked by bronze scones from Sonneman.

BELOW LEFT

Custom wine room is made from a steel frame and uses custom wood cabinetry.

BELOW RIGHT

88 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Three floating crystal and metal custom light fixtures are over the living space. Fabricated by Wired Lighting Los Angeles. Walls are all Venetian plaster done by John Denniston Custom sofa with fabric from Romo is the center piece of the room. Sofa fabricated by Tony Rodriguez.

Pillows are dyed sheep skin from Between the Sheets.Custom Walnut and bronze metal coffee table. Fabricated by Marcelinos cabinetry.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 89

In the master bedroom, two swivel chairs are covered with suede fabric from Castel. Small brass table is by RH. Custom oak night stands from Marcelinos Cabinetry and a custom steel and mirror wall is created as the headboard.

The house is significantly different from the client’s previous one, which was a Spanish tract-style home in Encino, and which was done in a more traditional style. The aesthetic of their new Santa Monica residence is much more dramatic. The vaulted ceilings and pocket doors allow for a seamless flow from inside to out. The primary bedroom, which is located downstairs, has a bathroom that opens out to the pool. Wogan said that he wanted to keep all the materials in a similar palette and aesthetic so there wouldn’t be any jarring transitions. As relaxed as the overall impact is, details were everything; the downstairs of the house is all limestone floors, the upstairs a French oak wood. Venetian plaster on the walls conveys a sense of texture. Three custom-designed hanging crystal and bronze chandeliers, that look like orbs suspended in space, had to be planned for very early on; by the time they were ordered and then hung, 18 months had elapsed. The lighting theme runs through the house, reappearing in other spaces. The house was designed as a true entertainer’s home, with a wine room and home theater also on the ground floor.

“The family eats outdoors a lot,” said Wogan. “That’s one of the new rules of California.”

Ultimately, despite the large interior spaces, Wogan said it was important to still convey a sense of coziness and comfort.“We aimed to ground the house,” he said.

“It was so big yet we wanted to give it that feeling of warmth.” CH

90 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 91

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The Chêne suite is enhanced by antique French furniture acquired by Sally Jordan in the seventies. Chairs were reupholstered in Mokum velvet. Lavish curtains are in a Loro Piana wool, trimmed with Houlès braid.

RIGHT

French Reverie IN ALEXANDER VALLEY

New Jordan Winery Guest Suites: A Gracious Welcome, Enchanting Style TEXT DIANE DORRANS SAEKS PHOTOGRAPHY R. BRAD KNIPSTEI N

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 93

F

RENCH ELEGANCE, HOSPITALITY,

and style have been at the heart of Jordan Winery since it was founded by Tom and Sally Jordan in northern Sonoma County in 1972.

Sally is a life-long Francophile who admired the grand historic interiors of Bordeaux and Burgundy. She was passionate about the delights of French cuisine, especially when enjoyed with Jordan Winery’s award-winning Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Her vision was that guests would be welcomed in spacious French-style suites, with chef-created dining, and rooms of comfort and delight.

94 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Jordan wines would be presented and enjoyed within this unique framework.

The couple hired San Francisco architect Bob Arrigoni to create a country chateau devoted to winemaking and entertaining. Included in the plan were three private guest suites overlooking lavish gardens and surrounded by magnolia, olive, persimmon, sycamore trees, and massive mossy oaks. A romantic etching of Arrigoni’s masterpiece is on each wine label.

Sally planned the interiors on a grand scale, their boldness emphasized by massive ceiling beams, soaring ceilings, and handsome stone fireplaces. And there was a special surprise for wine enthusiasts: interior French doorways with

A neoclassical bed by Alfonso Marina from Hewn has subtle gilded details. Blue pillows display Fortuny fabrics. The original French wing chairs were re-upholstered in Mokum grey velvet.

Through the French doors the barrel room is visible.

RIGHT

BELOW RIGHT In the entry of the Vendange suite, designer Maria Haidamus chose a series of DeSinone-Wayland plates that depict Seine River scenes on antique ceramic designs. The antique hand-carved table was acquired in Bordeaux.

OPPOSITE Dramatic lined and interlined curtains of Dedar wool are trimmed with an Houlès border. The window seat is upholstered in a Pierre Frey fabric.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 95

BELOW The Vendange living room includes French doors that open to offer a view into the grand winery barrel room. The beamed 19-foot high ceilings and massive central beams, original to the architecture, were given a fresh more pronounced dark finish.

96 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

OPPOSITE A traditional Drummonds soaking tub is framed by a marble embellished wainscot designed by Maria Haidamus.

balconies are poised above views directly into the highly theatrical (and fragrant) barrel rooms.

To furnish the suites, she spent several years traveling in France to source noble 18th-century armoires, antique wing chairs, and charming handcrafted occasional tables that give each room individuality and character.

Following in his parents’ footsteps, current owner John Jordan decided that this year would be an ideal time to refresh and refurbish the suites with the winery closed to visitors. San Francisco interior designer, Maria Khoury Haidamus, admired for her knowledge of classic European interiors, was commissioned to update the three suites, now known as Cépage, Vendange, and Chêne.

“My concept from the start was to proceed with great respect for the legacy of Sally Jordan’s original classic French

interiors. We wanted to maintain a similar bold scale, this time with a more neutral palette,” said Haidamus, who engaged many northern California sources and specialists to realize the scheme.

“Throughout the project, which took eight months, we celebrated and honored the landscape and the setting in the wine country,” said Haydamus. “We stayed true to our insistence on authenticity with all materials and furnishings. Everything is true to the Jordan aesthetic.”

The designer devised a new color scheme that reflects the present, paying homage to the landscape of Alexander Valley and the soil and rock outcrops of Jordan Winery.

She selected natural fabrics in soothing tones of moss, sepia, oak leaf green, sage, and pale taupe.

Working closely with Tony Kitz Gallery, she created a collection of antique carpets and

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 97

Peter Fasano ‘Meadow’ wallpaper with a romantic muted wildflower pattern brings the leafy outdoor landscape into a very stylized bathroom design concept.

The bed is by Baker. Original hexagonal Provencal terra cotta tiles installed by Sally Jordan were refinished, refreshed, buffed, and given a natural matte glaze.

RIGHT

BELOW RIGHT A

traditional Drummonds soaking tub is framed by a marble embellished wainscot designed

by Maria Haidamus.

rugs from Turkey, Persia, and Morocco. In harmony with the country aesthetic, rugs are in traditional patterns and a soft palette of slate blue, muted burgundy, agate green, some crafted with natural dyes.

In addition to tasting Jordan wines, guests enjoy all the pleasures of the vast property. There are pollinator sanctuaries, the apiary, an enclosed garden with a selection of Englishstyle David Austin roses, a lake, and the chef’s organic vegetable garden.

Breakfast delivered to the suite or served on the terrace includes French pastries from Red Bird Bakery in Cotati, house-made confitures, and winery-crafted wild tisanes.

Lunch outdoors includes Parisian-style charcuterie and salads by Chef Todd Knoll.

In the evening, surrounded by deep silence, guests can dream that they are indeed in France. They can thank Sally Jordan, and now Maria Haidamus, for their reverie. CH

98 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

In the evening, surrounded by deep silence,

guests can dream that they are indeed in France.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 99

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MARCH/APRIL 2020 | 111

Discover your masterpiece.

First Team | Christie’s International Real Estate’s curated network of property specialists are trusted advisors in the art of connecting buyers and sellers of fine homes.

This issue presents the inaugural collection of luxury homes offered by First Team for California Homes.

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Wine LEFT The Tablas Creek partners searched California from the foothills of the Sierras in the north to coastal Ventura County in the south, looking for a close match to the Mediterranean climate and high pH soils of Château de Beaucastel.

BELOW LEFT Guests

are able to enjoy a private table on their terraced patio.

A Taste Of Wine Today’s Wineries Are Redefining Their Tasting Rooms

BY KENNETH FRIEDENREICH IN EARLY 2021, TABLAS CREEK IN PASO ROBLES,

California posted a very useful overview of how the pandemic provided the luxury of evaluating and modifying their tasting room practices and protocols.

In the run-up to establishing the dominance of wine tourism in the U.S.A., one tended to experience a kind of OK Corral showdown, no matter the place.

The emphasis was primarily on drinking as much as possible—for free.

The idea was to exhibit and pour a small army of varietals and blends with the notion that a shotgun approach to output would net new customers and best demonstrate the character of the particular winery.

Thanks to myriad power grabs by experts in “mad mothers” and venal public officials, pressure was exerted to curb choice and modify the tasting room rituals. One result of this change in the last halfcentury has been the illusion of better samplings for area visitors.

110 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Putting my musings aside, here is what the industry supposes will improve how they handle the traffic and potential exchange with interested wine drinkers coming into an area as diverse as wineries from California to Oregon to Washington state.

At least since the late ‘6os, the environment of tasting rooms was akin to the neighborhood tavern or a primordial cocktail party; that is, a freewheeling, improvised, social gathering propelled by the fashionable drink of the minute. Perhaps there were fewer fistfights than encountered at the corner tavern, but mercifully, too, there were fewer “experts,” fewer “influencers,” and fewer “sommeliers.”

The Tablas Creek post redefines contemporary tasting room practices. The critical difference is intention, not influence.The profound change entails three principal things: intention, use of time, and redistribution of space.

What does this mean for you?

Intention considers the old model and redraws its map. Instead of a grab-bag of stimulants, we encounter a well-defined sequence of beverages served with the notion that wines, which is our concern, are presented as they relate to one another, the source of the grapes, and the practices of the winemaker. Make no mistake—the goal is the same—the goal is to sell wine.

Tablas Creek produces about 25 different wines, so re-focusing our appreciation of their output provides better guidelines that make sampling the portfolio more coherent.

These modifications are self-evident. As Terri Kerns, a principle of Ramona Ranch winery in Ramona, California, advises, the first alteration is to curtail the walk-in traffic and replace it with by-appointment tastings. Several things happen right away. Crowd control promotes camaraderie of learning, even if the folks at the table have just met.

They’re tasting the wines more or less in the same circumstances. Furthermore, the winery personnel has far more time to present the product and the thinking behind it.

With everyone on the same page, the tasting room exercise offers more benefits. For example, while foot traffic may be reduced by half, the likely

ABOVE Ramona Ranch winery, a San Diego Vineyard and Winery, located in the heart of the Ramona Valley American Viticulture Area.

FAR LEFT Micole

Moore, together with his wife, Teri Kerns are originally from Oregon and have chosen Ramona for the rural lifestyle it offers.

LEFT Romona Ranch boasts a wind-turbine, solar, owl boxes, and their insectary, bringing in beneficial bugs and birds to improve the bio-diversity of the farm, which was recently recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 111

Wine

LEFT/ABOVE Stewart

Cellars is a second generation family business started in 2000. The winery produces premium, hand-crafted wines from the Napa Valley, Sonoma Mountain, and Sonoma Coast.

result should promote more bottle sales by as much as 40 to 50 percent, simply because the visitor can be led to a positive purchase decision.

As Blair Guthrie, the winemaker and principal of Stewart Cellars in Yountville, CA, notes, “the addition of time, usually about two hours, to walk visitors through the portfolio, really allows them to get a better feel for our offerings without feeling cluttered or rushed.” Guthrie adds that “the virtual tasting potential evolving out of Zoom software has contributed neatly to this sudden transformation of the winery visit from a casting call into a more coherent encounter with wines by an interested audience.” Though I am not partial to “virtual tastings”, there is something to be said for a community—even remote-controlled—to share the wine.

One thing that the pandemic foisted on us is spatial. A tasting room will likely entail perhaps a half-dozen to ten folks around a table large enough to accommodate them and keep the social distancing reasonable. Tablas Creek has redesigned

112 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

its bars to achieve this ideal while allowing a sense of amiable dimensions. Many wineries have thus taken advantage of the hiatus to reconfigure, redesign, or build new tasting rooms. Take, for example, Kramer vineyards in Yamhill/ Carlton, OR, or the aforementioned Ramona Ranch. On the other hand, Stewart has gone further by having a very neat wine bar on one side of a quasi-urban space in a clubhouse tasting space, dedicated separately, where the portfolio run is most amiable.

Like an iceberg afloat in the ocean, luring under the surface, the real transition in tasting room dynamics relates to distribution. Direct-to-consumer sales have skyrocketed, putting the producer in a closer relationship with the consumer. Court battles fought on behalf of distributors seek to make more wine available to the consumer even as they compete for wine dollars. In effect, we’re still in the fourth quarter, and how these changes play out will be worth noting and placing a serious bet or two. CH

BELOW Stewart Cellars is the collaborative project of founder Michael Stewart, his son James Stewart, daughter Caroline Stewart Guthrie, and son-in-law Blair Guthrie.

T H E S A N TA B A R B A R A U M B R E L L A ®

|

CRAFTED IN CALIFORNIA

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Travel

French Spirit

Innovative Updates At Iconic Hotels And New Museums Celebrate Parisian Style

BY DIANE DORRANS SAEKS WITH THE THUNDEROUS ROAR of three French air

force jets streaming tricolor red, white, and blue contrails over the Champs-Elysées recently, Paris announced and celebrated a new era of design and hospitality in preparation for hosting the Olympic Games in 2024, just three years away.

Monumental projects like the renovation of the Grand Palais and the restoration of Notre Dame have been hastened. New museums have opened.

And luxury hotels have been enhanced and enriched with exciting new suites, impressive new chefs, and services, including perfume workshops,

LEFT An airy new sixth floor room offers a view of the Tuileries.

BELOW The lavish marble bath has a balcony.

BOTTOM LEFT The

Belle Etoile suite pavilion, an ultra-private bathroom.

OPPOSITE The Belle Etoile penthouse suite terrace at Le Meurice offers views of ten iconic landmarks.

etiquette classes, and wine tutorials. It’s a new French era of design.

While guests were absent last year, luxury hotels initiated extensive updates, refurbishments, and redesigns. And in particular, two grand hotels re-thought hospitality with dazzling inventive décor.

The Plaza Athénée has long been a favorite, with its handsome baroque façade overlooking Avenue Montaigne and its exquisitely luxurious suites, rich with French history and style.

Now the hotel’s two top floors, long appreciated by guests for their intimate nature and panoramic views, have been reimagined without changing their elegance or soul.

With smart new twenties Art Deco styling, Paris designer Bruno Moinard and his associate Claire Bétaille created suites that feel more like a residence than a hotel.

They added blond and bleached solid oak as the material for dining tables, cocktail tables, and interior paneling. The duo also had fun playing with straight lines on orthogonal planes – partitions, lines on the floor, edgings on the furniture.

Color schemes at the Plaza Athénée have been reworked to give a radiant feeling. Colors such as signature rich red and warm taupe now glow brighter. Each detail has been examined to ensure a refined bespoke service that evokes an Haute SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 115

Travel

TOP New

suites at Le Meurice are graced with de Gournay hand painted wallpaper.

RIGHT Culinary

treats from Cedric Grolet.

TOP RIGHT Newest suites are in vivid colors.

116 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

Couture spirit. Bathrooms, dressed in marble, are embellished with handsome classic fixtures, giving them a more personal touch.

Beautiful books and framed fashion photos taken by iconic photographers such as Cecil Beaton, John French ornaments the shelves.

Le Meurice Paris, which is also part of the Dorchester Collection, offers grandeur, classic luxury, and now a dash of modernity. From its private roof terraces, the hotel offers a panorama of Paris landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais. The hotel was recently designated a ‘palace’ the most prestigious Paris honor.

Each of the hotel’s seven floors has a distinct style. Beautifully appointed updated suites are decorated in the style of Louis XVI with fresh and vibrant color schemes. The design trio of Lyon-based designer/artisan Charles Jouffre, with the design team of Margaux Lally and Luc Berger, reinvented the new spaces to make them luminous and refined, still loyal to the classic 19th-century style.

And as an ultra-exclusive touch, Le Meurice commissioned the noted London-based de Gournay to custom handpainted wallpapers that adorn new rooms and suites with a truly original background. The handpainted Chinoiserie designs are especially captivating.

Earlier, Le Meurice general manager Franka Holtmann entrusted Philippe and Ara Starck to give a poetic flair to Le Dali restaurant decor. They explored the hotel’s historical surrealist history. Now the bar, restyled and modernized, has become a popular spot in the evening. Brazilian and French musical trios play to enthusiastic applause.

New teatime treats in the gracious splendor of the Hotel Plaza Athenée and Le Meurice are so popular it’s essential to make a reservation. Tables are set with exquisite silver trays and silver pedestals with tiers of chocolate lollipops and cakes, millefeuilles and fruit tarts, chocolate mousse, and marshmallows.

PARIS NEW HOTSPOTS The two most exciting destinations in Paris opened in July. Pre-booked timed tickets are required, and limited numbers of guests may enter. Visits are quiet and private as a result.

HOTEL DE LA MARINE Originally built in 1774 in the neoclassical style by architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel for Louis XV, this handsome former French Navy headquarters is now an inspiring and elegant museum. Visitors encounter opulent rooms in period style. The lavish gilded ballroom, with dazzling chandeliers sparkling, is particularly exuberant with music and dance. Recommended: the artistic and entertaining self-guided tour. After visiting, exit to view the dramatic colonnade overlooking Place de la Concorde.

BOURSE DE COMMERCE

TOP At

the Plaza Athénée, a new terrace is perfect for cocktails.

ABOVE The new Art Déco-inspired Plaza Athénée suite designed by Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille.

The star pastry chef at Le Meurice, Cédric Grolet, give Parisian sugar confections and cakes a rock’n’roll style. His Rubik’s Cube cake is witty and delicious, and his chocolate ganache-filled glazed fruits are hyper-real. Grolet’s take on the classic French apple tart is a swirling meringue-topped glazed treat that’s tantalizingly intricate.

At these two palace hotels, among swooping silk curtains and extravagant velvet banquettes, superbly groomed wait staff turn tea and dining into delightful (and delicious) entertainment.

At the Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice Paris, the refined spirit of French joie de vivre is polished to perfection. CH

Tadao Ando into one of the most dynamic interiors in Paris.

Bourse de Commerce art gallery includes a bold nine-meter-tall cylindrical concrete wall placed within its rotunda.

The transformation of the 18thcentury building, which includes a landmark-domed roof, required French historic monument officials’ approval.

François Pinault commissioned the three-year transformation project. The art-loving founder of luxury group Kering commissioned Ando to provide extensive galleries as a setting for his collection of some 5,000 artworks.

There is also a restaurant on the top floor, a library and gift boutique, and a research center.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 117

Gatherings PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANN CHATILLON 1

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AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS ORANGE COUNTY

ASID OC Presents A Virtual And In-Person Business Boot Camp ASID OC members and industry partners enjoyed three days of wonderful virtual and in person discussions with a closing party at the Costa Mesa showroom of Pirch. Event chair Audrey Duncan partnered with California Homes Magazine on the third day to bring a special live interview with Editor-in-Chief, Susan McFadden and local design star, Molly Britt. Other industry partners included House of Rohl, and Delta. Wines and a beautiful display of bite size hors d’oeuvres were served throughout the afternoon and evening.

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118 | CALIFORNIA HOMES

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IS PUBLISHED SIX TIMES A YEAR Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/June July/Aug Sept/Oct Nov/Dec SUBSCRIPTION RATES

ONE YEAR (6 ISSUES) $20 TWO YEARS (12 ISSUES) $38

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www.CalHomesMagazine.com

1 Susan McFadden and Molly Britt during keynote.

2 Moon Shirvanian, Kasey Sterling, Mase Kazani, and Molly Britt 3 Jessica Jones 4 Crowd enjoying virtual business boot camp.

5 Erika Hosking, Alberto Vazquez, and Breann Shumaker

SUBSCRIBE BY TELEPHONE

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Subs@CalHomesMagazine.com CALIFORNIA HOMES®, The Magazine of Architecture the Arts &

Distinctive

bimonthly

by

Design

(ISSN

1088-7172)

McFadden-Bray

is

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Publishing

Corpora-

tion, PO BOX 8655, Newport Beach, CA 92658. Copyright 2021 by Michael and Susan McFadden. All rights reserved in all countries. CALIFORNIA HOMES® is a trademark

10 6 Nichelle Prada, Jeanne Kelly, Julia Alt, and Jenna Robitaille 7 Molly Britt and Susan McFadden 8 Kamila Weiss, Marion Romano, Kimberly Ayala, Jenny Johnson 9 Aggie Reyes, James Schaefer, and Adriel Cogdal 10 Braden Drake,

Audrey Duncan, Rick Campos

of McFadden-Bray Publishing Corporation. Periodicals postage paid at Newport Beach, CA and additional mailing offices.

Basic subscription rate is one year (Six issues) for $22 in USA. Single copy $5.99. Postmaster: Send address changes to California Homes, PO BOX 8655, Newport Beach, Ca 92663 Printed in the United States of America.

CALIFORNIA HOMES

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 6

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | 119

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