Overview
This newly built home and boathouse are set in 80 acres of rolling hills and vineyards with a private lake—ideal for boating, and an island for picnics and camping.
Exterior
The two-lane country road that winds through Bennett Valley, one of the last undiscovered areas of the Sonoma wine country, curves by a 150-year-old windmill, fully restored and turning lazily in the breeze. The windmill is part of Dragonsleaf , a remarkable vineyard estate newly constructed utilizing sustainable techniques and materials, with grapes tended by one of the regions leading winemakers and the look, feel and appeal of a quintessential summer camp.
Turn into the estate and its 80 acres of open land and rolling hills, draped with neat rows of premium vines, and turn back the clock to a time when homes were created from hand-wrought materials and reverence for the environment. The silhouette of the main house follows the contours of the land and was built around an elm tree whose graceful limbs spread above the roof. As you step up to the deep, wraparound porch, pause to take in the uninterrupted panorama. Dragonsleaf is set in the low hills of this historic wine appellation, offering broad vistas amid a sheltered valley rimmed by forested hills.
A short distance from the home is a private lake, complete with gravel beach, picnic deck and a small lawn area where kids can camp out overnight. Accessible by a wooden “wiggle bridge,” the lake is lush with reeds and secluded by stands of trees. A fully equipped boathouse with changing area and bathroom offers guests the freedom to kayak or take a rowboat to view the waterfowl. A wooden float in the middle of the lake lets swimmers loll in the warm rays of the sun and appreciate the views from a different perspective.
Each side of the main residence enjoys its own distinct vista: greet the morning with coffee on the porch, relax with a cool drink under the deep overhang midday, dine al fresco on the terrace or soak in the outdoor hot tub—clad with wood slats to look like a wine vat—as you watch the sun set over the vine-covered hills.
Fruit trees along the crushed granite paths bear delicious persimmons, apples and figs, yours for the picking, and the landscape is sprinkled with colorful flowering plants and native grasses. Round a corner on your stroll, lit by soft outdoor lamps, and you encounter an outdoor “room,” a rock-walled setting with a fire pit and a poured concrete seating area with cushions. This sheltered space has a magnificent outlook to the east where you can watch the moonrise that inspired novelist Jack London to name this magical region “the Valley of the Moon.”
Interior
Dragonsleaf is a artfully designed home; constructed with fine detail using century old barn woods on the exterior, and some interior walls, vintage-inspired hardware and fixtures, and accents like authentic wainscoting and reclaimed doors, for a turn-of-the-century effect. The country charm is woven in along with sleek poured stone kitchen counters and bathrooms, polished wide plank eucalyptus floors and high ceilings in the great room—blending these elements into a rustic elegance that has a sense of connectedness to the land and its history.
An open design unites the kitchen and living room: a breakfast bar counter defines the kitchen space, with a 4-burner range on one side and bar stool seating on the other for easy conversation or a quick snack. Tall, natural wood cabinets, and stainless appliances put supplies at your fingertips. The kitchen shares the vaulted ceilings of the living area, with skylights that bring in a diffuse golden light and view windows that start you daydreaming about the outdoors even as you prepare a meal.
A breakfast nook just off the kitchen can be used for casual meals or menu preparation. It has a wall cupboard with storage, shelving and under-counter wine refrigerator and a pass-through window to the main dining room.
Entered by a “Dutch door” from the living area, the dining area embraces the indoor-outdoor lifestyle of wine country. A long, carved wood table invites guests to gather and dine together, sharing good times and the fresh bounty of this extraordinary valley. Two walls of floor-to-ceiling folding glass door panels open fully and transform the room into a covered dining terrace. The interior walls are done in reclaimed barn wood and blue-grey slate floor tiles provide an unbroken level pattern from inside the room to the outside terrace.
With an outlook toward the windmill that rotates with a quiet swish, there is an open-air grill with custom concrete counters, barbeque and built-in cabinets. Add in the exterior lighting and a sound system and you have an ideal setup for celebrations of all kinds that can flow in and around the home and it’s terraces and decks.
The living area is a multi-purpose space with a large-screen TV concealed in a built-in cabinet over the fireplace, comfortable couches for delving into a good book and tables for board or card games, puzzles and WiFi for online gaming.
Throughout the home, the color palette is a cream tone accented by cornflower blue doors and trim. Furnishings, art and area rugs have been chosen in relationship to the colors and the historic underpinnings of the home.
The master bedroom and the two guest bedrooms radiate from the public areas of the home. Each bedroom reflects the stylish country theme of the home with wrought iron or painted wood bed frames and antique pieces coupled with fine bedding and appointments. All bedrooms have private entrance/exit doors to the deck and grounds, making a midnight dip in the hot tub only a few steps away.
The master bedroom and en suite bathroom are done in soft cream tones, complemented by antique pieces and period-inspired accents. The tranquility is enhanced by windows that welcome the eastern sun and face the spectacular moonrise over the distant hills. A door leads out to the deck and the hot tub with an uninterrupted view of the moon and stars. Later, a queen bed is ready to envelop you in fresh linens. Even in the bathroom, a window perfectly frames the moon on its upward journey. The custom vanity and the ceramic tile shower are trimmed in limestone and are accented by wainscoting on the lower walls.
A second bedroom is finished in walls of weathered wood with light cream ceilings and slate tile floors. Paned windows on three sides add a brushstroke of natural color and light and a door offers private access to the rear terrace. With its secluded outlook, this rustic room has an atmosphere that invites you to luxuriate in its queen bed and snuggle under the covers a little longer. The washer and dryer is located in a closet in this room.
A third bedroom features two twin beds and is at the eastern corner of the home. A door leads out to the broad wooden deck and the nearby hot tub. Take your morning coffee or tea here and breathe in the sweet-smelling air of this special region for an invigorating start to your day.
The two bedrooms share a separate bathroom. Brightened by off-white walls and a skylight, the bath has textured tile floors, toilet, ceramic shower and custom sink with a dark wood cabinet.
A fourth bedroom is found in the boathouse, just a short walk down the path. This charming structure, constructed to match the home’s appearance wood, has a cupola and weathervane, reminiscent of an east coast barn. Suitable for mild weather, the cozy cedar wood room has wooden bunk beds, a tile shower with a changing area and a dressing room/closet. Swimmers and sunbathers can also use this boathouse space for changing and showering, as it is steps from the lake.
Outside the boathouse and across the wiggle bridge are lawns and weeping willow trees where you can relax at the wood table and chairs with the placid blue lake as your view. From picnics to boating in the refreshing waters or observing the antics of the waterfowl, the lake has a captivating effect, bringing you to its shores and waters again and again. This special setting is at the heart of the values that gave rise to Dragonsleaf—a respect for nature, a commitment to quality and a passion for the land and its treasures.
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