sonoma house tour

as i write, i am at the library going through this month's magazines, in order to make good on my promise to bring you the best of them. as a teaser, (and because this is too much goodness to fit into my magazine round-up post), i must share a tour of the home i just found in march's house beautiful.

this is a barn-inspired house in sonoma, california. designer rela gleason helped her clients interpret their desire to renovate an old barn into a new construction project that channeled "historic wineries, ice houses and barns...into something more contemporary."

 in the living room, natural materials, a huge stone fireplace, and industrial doors that connect the inside with the out help create a stunning and serene retreat. the designer used a mix of materials to add visual interest to the neutral pallette.

the kitchen is open to the main living area and has a zinc feeding trough-turned light fixture above the island.

a massive wrap-around porch connects two wings of the house. the table is sized to host a crowd, and the built-in grill allows for outdoor cooking in any weather.

 an iron headboard and cedar wood accent panel dress the guest bed.

storage in the guest bathroom is handled by clean-lined shelves backed with mirror.

guests enjoy this treat of a tub while taking in spectacular views.

the master bedroom is surprisingly cozy and simple, dominated by the wonderful character of the antique chest filling one wall. i especially love the pharmacy wall sconces by restoration hardware.

marble and steel sinks provide a sleek contrast to the natural materials elsewhere in the house. concrete floors camouflage the sonoma dust until cleaning day.

as newlyweds living in the bay area, ryan and i enjoyed spending time in sonoma, and outdoor dining is a way of life there. good wine, delicious eats, waning sun and gentle breezes join your friends as regular dinner guests.   

an outdoor shower blends with the home and the landscape, and stands at the ready to banish vineyard dirt from your feet.

i hope you enjoyed seeing this home as much as i did! there were several more beautiful moments i'm excited to bring you from the magazines this month, so stay tuned.

before i do, i'll be taking some time off from posting (hopefully not more than a week or two) to work on a much-needed site redesign. i have been collaborating with a great friend and photographer, have found a web design company i'm excited to work with, and have about a billion (ok, slight exaggerration, but still) posts half written and ideas scribbled down that i can't wait to share with you.

here's to good things ahead!

{all images via house beautiful magazine, where you can see more and read the complete designer interview}