Exterior

This dramatic contemporary home with its sweeping lines is poised as if in mid-flight on the crest of a hill amid undulating meadows and white-fenced equestrian farms.

In counterpoint to the soft lines of the landscape, Edmonds + Lee Architects employed a simplicity, clarity and openness of design that allows the surroundings to take on a textural quality which accentuates the uniqueness of the home.

Summerhill's unexpected silhouette comes into view as you travel up the private drive past venerable orchards draped with filmy moss and open meadows where birds wheel in lazy circles. Clad with horizontal red western cedar timber siding, stucco and sleek diagonal walls of glass, the avant-garde home and separate guest house are a riveting sight. Landscaped with the same motif of intelligent simplicity and a muted palette, the grounds are formal patterns of grassy rectangles, bordered with decomposed granite paths and ornamental grasses.

The 25 x 50-foot pool and spa is a smooth, watery mirror of the brilliant blue skies that stretch away on all sides. Faraway mountains, green with forests, allow just a hint of the ocean breezes from the distant Pacific and shelter the eastern side of the ridge. Nearby ancestral orchard groves march over the hills and the gently rolling valleys are covered with natural grasses and plant life.

Oriented to capture every view and aspect from its commanding site with a 360-degree panorama, Summerhill provides privacy and unbounded freedom to savor the natural pleasures of Sonoma's wine country.

Interior

Sharply defined lines, harmonious proportions, an open plan and abundant natural light are the central elements that express the character of Summerhill, envisioned as a rural retreat for friends and family.

The desire of the architects (Edmonds + Lee) to create a space that seamlessly melds ultra-modern design with the fertile lands of the Northern California wine country drove the fluid layout and the smooth planes of the interior surfaces of the main home and the guest house. Diagonal lines of glass reaching over 20 feet create visually arresting views of the countryside from the living areas in the main house, emulating the contours of the land. A two-story custom, punched-metal gas fireplace anchors the space.

A subdued shade of white establishes a coherent theme throughout the home that allows colors and textures to achieve a richness of their own, bringing in the greens, blues and golds of the outdoors and highlighting the hues of the iconic modernist furnishings. This sensibility for the different tonal qualities of light, and the conscious use of light as an important space-defining element, is a hallmark of the design.

There are two bedrooms upstairs and one on the main level. Each room has its own individual outlook to the land, capturing a particular portion of the home's 360-degree views. On the main floor, the bedroom's tranquilly is enhanced by the orchard-filled hills and equestrian farms in the distance. An en suite bath with shower is tiled in rich, deep green Italian porcelain and finished to look like natural stone.

Also on the main floor is an entertainment room with electronic gaming, a flat panel TV and a comfortable conversation area, just down the hall from the open kitchen. A long white marble counter for preparation and casual dining separates the kitchen from the dining area, which blends into the living space. High double glass doors open to the raised deck on all three sides, blurring the distinction between indoors and outdoors and allowing guests to experience the ever-changing light and mood of the day and the balmy breezes of evening.

At the top of the metal-railed staircase is a small, meditative sitting space whose windows overlook the pool and grounds, and the enclosed three-car garage, built in the style of the house. Down the hall is the master suite; an expansive space where the king-size bed encloses you in buttery soft leather and luxurious linens. You can gaze out the windows at the western hills from this indulgent spot or from your cozy Eames chair. Grey-green porcelain tiles in the master bath and shower offset the white marble vanity and its double sinks and there is a freestanding Duravit tub where you can soak cares away and get lost in the clear blue skies just outside your window.

A second bedroom is set up with twin beds, perfect for youngsters, and a window that extends to the floor with views of the picturesque rolling white fences and green-covered hillocks. The en suite bathroom and shower share the porcelain tile color scheme and has a white marble vanity.

Across the grassy courtyard is a smaller-scale version of the main home with the same striking design. Its living area, which has a mini kitchen, faces the pool and lawns and the guest bedroom has perhaps the most serene panorama of all. Diagonal glass walls ascend to join an entire wall of glass and wide double glass doors that open out to the wraparound wood deck. Eastward-facing, the bedroom and deck offer the first glimpse of the pink-tinged morning skies and an unobstructed observation of the star-spattered night sky. With no other lights nearby, the heavens are as filled with stars as the beach is with sparkling grains of sand.

Outdoor entertaining is a natural part of the lifestyle at Summerhill. From an early morning swim in the refreshing waters of the pool, to an afternoon hike through meadows filled with wildflowers, or just contemplating the magnificent lands of the Sonoma Valley from your chaise lounge by the pool, there is an easy rhythm to the days. The wide decks and level lawns are laid out so as to be sheltered by the three structures and to create a variety of settings for different interactions and pursuits. From small cocktail parties to casual barbeques, intimate sophisticated events and gourmet meals to a couple's private getaway, Summerhill combines modernist architecture with the celebrated natural beauty of the Sonoma wine country.

Property Highlights

• 4 Bedroom
• 4.5 Bathrooms
• Striking contemporary design
• High performance glass doors and windows
• Ultra-modern interior and furnishings
• First floor en suite bedroom
• Master and second bedroom upstairs
• Two-story gas fireplace
• Guest house with bedroom, bath and mini-kitchen
• Beautiful large pool and hot tub
• Outdoor decks, lawns and entertainment areas
• Private setting with unobstructed 360 degree views
• Designed by Edmonds + Lee
• Extraordinary views
• Close to Glen Ellen