Sonoma Wine Country Retreat: A Stunning Family Home

A new wine country getaway home nestles into the stunning terrain of Sonoma.

When designing the new home, Luke Wade, principal at Wade Design Architects, wanted the great room to mimic the scale of the surrounding redwoods.

THE PROJECT

A San Francisco couple with three young boys wanted a retreat not far from the hustle and bustle of the city. They discovered a gorgeous homesite in Sonoma County overlooking the Dry Creek Valley appellation in Healdsburg to construct a new home.

THE TEAM

It was critical to design the home to fit the land. The couple selected Luke Wade, principal at Wade Design Architects (wade-design.com), to bring the 5,000-square-foot home’s vision to life. “We aim to cultivate a unique style tailored for each new client and site,” says Wade. “For this project, the result is simultaneously relaxed and refined, approachable but also elevated.”

Jennifer Robin, principal at Jennifer Robin Interiors (@jenniferrobininteriors, jrobininteriors.com), tackled the home’s overall aesthetic. “I take a holistic approach to design—the interiors must connect and complement a home’s architecture, natural surroundings and the client’s unique vision. For this project, I was inspired by the home’s location, nestled in redwood trees with views of the Dry Creek Valley vineyards below.”

When designing the new home, Luke Wade, principal at Wade Design Architects, wanted the great room to mimic the scale of the surrounding redwoods.

THE GOALS

Robin says the homeowners wanted a retreat designed for effortless entertaining and the daily energy of life with their three young boys. Envisioning large gatherings, they prioritized worry-free interiors that embraced barefoot indoor-outdoor living.

“The project updates the traditional family lodge shared by relatives and passed down over generations,” adds Wade. “It’s where you remember being on the porch and in the pool, where you wake up a little sunburned and sore from all the fun you had the day before.”

GREAT ROOM

Wade notes that the space’s design captures the height of the surrounding redwoods. “We had to get tall to let the outside in,” he says.

“The volume of the great room was a design challenge, and we needed perfectly scaled fixtures to complement the architecture,” says Robin, who collaborated with artist Scott Daniel (scottdanieldesign.com) to design custom oversize light sculptures that balanced the high ceilings. “Their scale and texture bring intimacy to the large space while creating magical patterns of light and shadow at night. We also blended custom-designed furniture with durable leather and outdoor fabrics, ensuring style and resilience.”

The room’s standout elements include lounge chairs from Stahl + Band (stahlandband.com), custom coffee table ottomans with Jerry Pair Leather (jerrypairleather.com), tables from Skylar Morgan Furniture (skylarmorganfurniture.com), a Truro table lamp from Durmais Made (dumaismade.com) and an area rug with liquid and soil protectant from Vaheed Taheri (vaheedtaheri.com).

The kitchen features island stools from RW Guild and pendants from Apparatus.

DINING ROOM

Robin and her team designed a reclaimed wood dining table with Statsky Design (statskydesign.com). They surrounded it with Mario Bellini Cab dining chairs in a subtle forest green.

“The nook off the dining space has incredible views and allows for a cozy reading spot,” says Robin, who used a striped exterior fabric from Sien + Co (sienandco.com) to combat spills and lighting from Apparatus (apparatusstudio.com) to illuminate evenings. “The swivel chairs from The Future Perfect (thefutureperfect.com) allow for connection to the rest of the space.” Nuria Maria’s (@nuriamaria_nm) art hangs above the dining nook.

KITCHEN

“Custom character-grade oak cabinetry enhances the home’s mountain aesthetic,” says Robin. “The durable, stain-resistant quartzite counters in a leathered finish are paired with a classic, clean Heath Ceramics (heathceramics.com) backsplash.”

Additional standout pieces include island stools from RW Guild (rwguild.com), pendants from Apparatus, a breakfast table from BCMT Co. (@bcmtco), chairs from The Future Perfect and faucets from Rohl (houseofrohl.com).

The primary suite features a custom bed with Rogers and Gaffigon fabric.

PRIMARY SUITE

The designers embraced the client’s vision of a sanctuary in the primary suite. “Creating a sense of calm was a top priority, and the minimalist interiors allow the views to take center stage while the textural elements add comfort and warmth to the space,” says Robin.

“The entire bedroom wing is separated by a long, light-filled hallway, creating visual and acoustic separation from the social side of the home,” says Wade, who notes the room evokes a treehouse in the vast forest canopy.

The suite features a custom bed with Rogers and Goffigon (rogersandgoffigon.com) fabric, table lamps from Meredith Metcalf Ceramics (mmhpceramics.com), lounge chairs from Verellen (verellen.biz) and a chandelier from Pelle Bubble (pelledesigns.com).

HOW THE HOME IS LIVING

“We love that everything looks beautiful while being so comfortable and inviting,” says one of the homeowners about the stunning project. “We often hear this from guests as well—that they’ve never been in a kid-friendly house that’s also so beautiful.”