To the manor born

Homeowners are often influenced by architecture they see while traveling and European buildings are the basis of many a design theme. However, it is less common to insist upon near-complete authenticity to this theme when building a new home.

The aim of the owners of this house was to build a French manor style home on a hill above the Napa Valley. Architect Tom Taylor from Taylor Lombardo Architects says that in all aspects of the design, the French model was considered and used.

"Whenever a problem came up, the homeowners implored us to think French, but occasionally there were alterations made to fit with the Californian environment," he says.

The roof is one example of the authenticity of the manor style. Sloped at a steep pitch, it is exceptionally tall. Taylor says a concern was that the house would be too conspicuous from the valley floor.

"To counteract this, we designed the roof with both gables and hips, and also used a blend of colors in the shingles, in place of the traditional black slate."

To further blend the house with its environment, the lower floor was designed to be partially underground, so that the house sits into the hill. This means that although it is three stories, the house appears to be just two. The lower floor contains an office or exercise room, a bathroom, a wine cellar and a tasting room. The cellar is mostly subterranean, while the tasting room has a partial view out to the valley.

"A two-acre vineyard is planted on the grounds. The homeowners grow Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for their own personal enjoyment," says Taylor.

The materials used for the outer facade of the house demonstrate the architect's efforts to alter the traditional model to fit with the environment.

"Because California is prone to earthquakes, masonry which is the wall material used in true French manor homes was replaced with 12in-thick framed plywood and stucco, textured to give a traditional look," says Taylor.

The entrance hall is an aspect of the house that is true to its origins. A stone archway forms a grand entrance into the black-and-white tiled rectangular room. Tall ceilings and a stone staircase, contained within a turret, greet visitors.

"The entire stairwell was built in France and shipped over for the house," says Taylor.

The first level is designed with two wings radiating from the central foyer. The public spaces in the left wing include the living room, dining room and kitchen. To the right are the more private spaces of the master bedroom suite, his and her's bathrooms, the laundry and library.

"It is not traditional to have the master bedroom on the lower floor, but it seems unnecessary to have to climb the stairs if you don't need to," says the architect.

The space between the library and living room creates an external courtyard that features a working fireplace.

In many rooms, including the living room, timber trusses visually warm the space, as well as bringing a structural quality to the house. This also lends the house an element of informality, says Taylor.

"The living room also features a Juliet balcony, accessed from the office and second bedroom space on the top floor. "

French doors lead from the living room to the dining room. Here, and in the library, carved wall panels have been imported straight from an 1800s French chateau that was being demolished. Taylor says that over 90% of these panels are original.

"In some areas we had to reconstruct panels to fit with those that were usable. In the dining room we created the panels around the fireplace, as the originals did not work with the fireplace and surround."

The glaze used for the painted panels in the dining room was chosen for its traditional look, while the bookcases in the library were built to fit the corners of the room and match the oak panels.

Accessible from the dining room, the kitchen is designed to comfortably accommodate several cooks at once. The aisles between the cabinets and the central island are wide for this reason. A fireplace is a feature of this traditionally styled room, as is the high-end La Cornue lacquered piano-finish stove.

"This has a traditional look, but modern functionality, which made it the right choice for this home," say Taylor.

Other modern conveniences in the house are designed to fit the older style. Through the use of lamps and surface-mounted fixtures, the house still appears as well-lit as a modern home, without the use of modern light fittings. An elevator accesses all three floors, with the interior painted like the inside of a hot air balloon and basket.

Story by: Camille Butler

Photography by: Tim Maloney