A SONOMA COUNTY CHRISTMAS

WFH for the Holidays A creative compound in Sonoma is the ultimate livework space for a designminded family—and the perfect place to hunker down for the holidays By HUGH GARVEY . Photographs by THOMAS J. STORY

HOME & GARDEN

Well-placed overhangs, concrete floors, louvered windows, and sliding doors all keep the house at a comfortable temperature year round.

idway between Santa Rosa and Bodega Bay, there’s a swath of forest dotted with fir trees, vintage birdhouses, plantings of medicinal herbs, and other enchanted woodsy things. In the midst of this wonderfully styled wild sits a low-slung house sited just so, with a floor-to-ceiling glazing to frame the manicured lawn and forest beyond, an elegant little pool, and an ever-evolving collection of books, art, furniture, textiles, and, most of all, life. Welcome to the home of Becky Kelso and Dave Kovner, two designers who call this cozy corner of Sonoma County home, along with their daughter, Cleo, and adorable pit bull, Otis. Eternally creative— and iterative—Dave and Becky also call their property a work in progress: One month the paintings Becky’s grandmother painted will be in the hallDesigned by a firm specializing way, yet another time they’ll be perched above a vintage credenza. Mexi- in commercial can hot-chocolate cups ring a ‘70s-era Swiss Cremina coffee maker. buildings, the lowslung house is sturdier and more energy-efficient than most residential dwellings.

The lushly planted pools of Bali inspired Dave and Becky to come up with the modern Northern California analog anchored by minimalist landscaping.

The house is a blend of old and new: a credenza built by Becky's grandfather, a vintage kamado grill from Japan; paintings of the original structures on the property sit near a garland of California Bay Laurel; a vintage Dutch camping tent serves as a popup guesthouse.

For now. “We’re constantly moving Becky shares the story behind her jewelry: 1. “The 22-karat charm necklace is a things around,” says Dave. “Let’s just say our house is unresolved.” compilation of maternal heirlooms: a four-leafed clover from my mom, bezelwrapped slices of opal I sourced while studying jewelry fabrication in San Miguel de Allende Mexico in the ‘80s, an18-karat cardamon pod, the pearl and Georgian

The house is a dream. Radiant citrine heart were my grandmother’s 2. Natural opal rondelle strands layered with floors warm it in winter, the property abuts a world-class vineyard, the handmade 22-karat matte beads 3. Labradorite 14-karat earrings have herons engraved on their backs 4. Lapis and blue topaz earrings inspired by Georgian antique settings 5. Rose-cut diamonds and ruby rings set in lacy bezels.” pool—inspired by a Balinese retreat Go to beckykelso.com for more pieces. the Rolling Stones favored—offers a cooling plunge in the warm Sonoma summers. But most of all it’s an indoor outdoor gallery/factory open to 2 friends and family come the holidays. There’s a guest cottage, a vintage Dutch guest tent, and plenty of space for folks to post up in the woods, use the outdoor shower shielded by a 3 stand of podocarpus, and soak in the wintry wine country vibes. It also happens to be HQ for the couple’s 1 two businesses, further blurring the line between work and life—something we’re all too familiar with these days. But for them it works: They’ve been doing it for decades.

Becky is a jewelry designer who channels her world travels into elegant casual rings, necklaces, and ear- 5 rings festooned with precious stones. Dave designs catalogs for iconic brands such as Pendleton, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware, setting up real and imaginary houses stocked with furniture, rugs, and blankets that represent the idealized western lifestyle. Walking around their house and property is like immersing yourself in a three-dimensional inspiration board. While you’ll find pieces from these brands, mostly they collect objects you can’t get in a catalog: Even before paintings of the original hunt- working from ing cabin that sat on the lot, home became a pandemic reality sunbleached old wooden lad- for many people, ders patina’d with lichen, bas- Dave and Becky kets, driftwood, taxidermy, and created a coworking office a stunning mid-century cre- with views of denza built by Becky’s grandfa- their flower ther, topped with surplus hall garden. tile from LAX.

The backstory of the house is equally familial and one of a kind: the four-acre plot, enviably sited between

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Dave, Becky, Otis, and Cleo warm up with Mexican hot cocoa by a vintage Malm fireplace (a major thrift store score) manufactured in nearby Santa Rosa. The vintage Bertoia chairs are draped with Pendleton blankets to provide extra warmth when the sun sets.

a quiet country road and a vineIndoor–outdoor yard, was originally owned by living is as cru- Becky’s grandmother, a paintcial as ever these days: the floor- ing teacher who once went on a to-ceiling sliding date with Salvador Dalí. Becky glass doors bought it from her some 20 throughout the house allow for years ago, when it was a shingled easy circulation hunting shack, with very little of both friends insulation but tons of charm. and family and fresh air. Several years ago they built the new house, which is made of structural integrated panels by a firm that specialized in commercial buildings. The efficiency and solidity of that method of design paid off: Thanks to cross breezes and robust insulation and its concrete floors, the house stays cool in the hot Sonoma summers, even without central air conditioning. Come winter it stays toasty due to radiant heating in those same floors. Since they moved there, Dave and Becky have hosted annual holiday gatherings from summer to winter: For the 4th of July people come and camp out under the firs. This winter they’ll have friends drive over and celebrate outside, sipping hot cocoa huddled (socially distanced, of course) near the vintage Malm fireplace on blanket-draped Bertoia chairs (both thrift store finds). As a pop-up guest house, the couple has outfitted a sturdy vintage canvas Dutch tent with teak furniture, twinkle lights, and a thick futon topped with a down duvet. Being in the forest has its pros and cons: The towering fir trees offer shade and privacy but they also need to be thinned every year. The latter being a bonus come December: Free Christmas trees. A California Bay Laurel offers enough leaves to make fragrant garlands for guests so they can take a beautiful element of this ever-evolving property into their homes too.