I don’t think we have to persuade you very hard to visit Sonoma County, California. The place really makes a case for itself. Situated just 45 minutes north of San Francisco, Sonoma County is in the heart of wine country and features some 425 distinct wineries and plenty of local gastronomical delights to pair nicely with your beverage of choice!
However, wine, food and natural vistas are not the only draw. After a day of eating and enjoying great wine, you’re going to need a place to rest your head. We recently sat down with Christy Beaver, the in-house Interior Designer for Method Homes (a luxury modern prefab home builder) and she talked to us about a recent project in Sonoma County they are affectionately calling WineCamp.
Featured in Dwell on Design, this open-plan, modern prefab is a primer for contemporary residential architecture. The home features luxe materials, inside and out, indoor/outdoor living spaces perfect for California climates and even a gorgeous outdoor linear fireplace by European Home. Best of all, if you are actually compelled to visit Sonoma County in the near future, you can book your stay at WineCamp today!
Introducing WineCamp. Part of the Annata Series by Method Homes.
European Home: What was Method Homes’ role (and yours specifically) on this project?
Christy Beaver: I am the in-house Interior Designer for Method Homes. My role is to work with each homeowner to select the hard finishes installed in the home: hardwood flooring, tile, cabinets, countertops, fireplace, lighting, etc.
For this project I collaborated with the homeowners on all of the above to develop the interior concept but, because this was a show home, my role was larger. I also partnered with our preferred vendors to recruit material sponsorship and showcase some of our favorite interior products that fit our design concept inside the show home.
These homeowners were a dream to work with, even within the complex negotiations and requirements for a show home. They were not afraid to push the envelope and be on the forefront of a trend. They are not afraid of color and unique conversation pieces, as you can see from the interior.
Looking for a modern fireplace to call your own?
The exterior says “contemporary” but the interior basks in splashes of Mid-Century Modern glory.
“As a designer, I love to see styles collide in a thoughtful way.”
EH: In a sentence or two… why modular prefab? What are the benefits?
CB: Here are just a few reasons why modular prefab is beneficial:
Sustainability: Method’s modular construction creates a tighter, more energy-efficient home and it offers less waste than site-built homes.
Predictable Timeline: Modular homes are built in a warehouse setting every day until the project is finished, so Method doesn’t face problems that plague a typical contractor: weather delays, sub-contractors not showing up, etc.
High Quality of Construction: Method Homes are held to a higher standard than typical site-built homes. Our modules are over-engineered because they must be built off-site, transported via truck, and lifted with a crane.
EH: Give us a little context about this show home. Where has it been, how will it be used in the future?
CB: This home was built in our Ferndale, Washington factory. Then transported over 1,200 miles to the LA Convention Center in June, 2017 for the Dwell on Design show. Lastly, it was moved to it’s permanent site in Santa Rosa, California. Now that it is on it’s permanent site, it will serve as a vacation rental for the time being. The homeowners plan to eventually retire on this property.
EH: The décor is pretty eclectic. There are the ornate vintage rugs, paired with iconic Mid-Century Modern furniture, all surrounded by really contemporary architecture and finishes. Can you talk about this interior design and how it speaks to the overall design of the home?
CB: The homeowners are responsible for the soft interior furnishings. They are very design-minded and have built and remodeled many properties. They have excellent, eclectic tastes and a talent for collecting unique objects. The result of which is this intriguing combination of interior furnishings that fit together perfectly. As a designer, I love to see styles collide in a thoughtful way.
An ‘only the essentials’ architectural aesthetic meets the eclectic tastes of the homeowners in the most elegant of ways.
EH: This site has prominent indoor and outdoor living areas. How were these spaces designed to function for the homeowner? What is their relationship to one another?
CB: The centerpiece of this home is the central living area that encompasses an indoor living, kitchen, and dining areas and expands into the outdoor living and dining area featuring the J Series outdoor fireplace by European Home. When designing the home, we envisioned that seamless flow of indoor to outdoor that everyone dreams of and California’s climate allows.
Because this home will function as a vacation rental for some time, we wanted it to have a large common area for the guests to utilize after a fun day of wine tasting in Santa Rosa. The bedrooms are tucked away with more privacy, offering guests a quiet retreat after a busy day.
A nearly seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living spaces featuring the stainless steel J Series outdoor fireplace by European Home.
Interested in one of our other modern fireplaces?
EH: What can you tell us about this site? Were there specific features that drew you to Santa Rosa for this show home?
CB: The site is beautiful and peaceful. The land is very flat, and surrounded by neighboring vineyards.
Your view from the backyard… welcome to wine country.
CB (cont.): We’d wanted to showcase our Annata Series at LA’s Dwell on Design and had been brainstorming on how to make it happen. Then the right clients came along, looking to build a modern home in Santa Rosa featuring outdoor living, and the rest fell into place. We designed our Annata Series specifically for California’s wine country and were delighted when an opportunity came up to build for that purpose and showcase the home at Dwell on Design before it went to the site.
EH: How did the on-site construction for this house go? What does that process usually look like?
CB: We are very lucky that this home and its site construction were not affected by the Santa Rosa fires earlier this year. The fires came through one week after the house arrived at its site, but this neighborhood was spared.
Each of our projects has a site General Contractor, local to the final site. This General Contractor handles the structural, electrical, and plumbing connections once the modules arrive. Their scope also includes running utilities, building decks & driveways, patching drywall, ceilings, siding & hardwood floors at the marriage lines once the modules arrive.
EH: What’s next for Method Homes? Do you have any exciting projects coming up?
CB: After 10 years in business, Method Homes has found our niche in the higher-end modular market. We’re lucky to be very busy and have lots of exciting projects in the works from Southern CA to Jackson WY to the Oregon Coast. Architectural styles range from rustic cabins to modern and sleek, depending on our architect partners and clients’ personal style.
This J Series has certainly done some traveling, but it’s finally home at WineCamp.
Links and Thanks
A special thanks to the talented Christy Beaver and all our friends at Method Homes
Check it out! Take a virtual tour of WineCamp and book your stay.
Visitor’s Guide: Find wineries and read about amazing things to do in Sonoma County, CA
Posted by: Cory John Ploessl
Cory is the Marketing Manager for European Home. He has an MFA in Sculpture from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. One of the greatest joys of his job is talking with architects and designers about their modern design projects all around the world.
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