Villa Toscano - Calistoga, Napa County

  

Exterior

The road from the floor of the Napa Valley winds leisurely up the Mayacamas Mountains offering spectacular snapshots of the vineyards and virgin forests of the towering Mount St. Helena. Upon reaching Villa Toscana, you are retracing the footsteps of renowned landscape artist Virgil Williams and famed author Robert Lewis Stevenson who recorded their explorations of this awe-inspiring scenery both in art and verse.

This setting was the home of Virgil Willams, whose paintings of the vistas hang in museums and galleries. A small, handmade stone cottage from the 1880’s remains intact as a reminder of those days. Villa Toscana stands on the site of the original main house, and is oriented to allow guests to experience the same enchanting views.

The 40-acre property is crisscrossed by natural springs and streams that burble down the hillside and feed a lovely pond surrounded with reeds and grasses. There are clearings with benches where you can stop and absorb the quiet beauty and even a rowboat for a leisurely paddle.

A rustic wooden horseshoe court offers a friendly game, and an outdoor firepit provides a gathering place to roast marshmallows or share a good story. A grill and barbeque gives a special flavor to fresh, local foods, which can be served alfresco on the home’s open stone decks.

The rolling meadow below the home falls away to stands of oak, mountain pine and cypress. Across the canyons are the craggy ridges of Mount St. Helena, which rises nearly 4,500 feet.

Trails once used by miners digging for cinnabar wind up the hillside where you can take a picnic lunch and hike to old ruins of a shack. The wind in the trees and the bright blue skies have changed little since the miners left their digs in pursuit of gold or other adventures.

California history runs deep in the Napa Valley and the mountains that rise above it. As you enjoy the delightful pleasures of Villa Toscana, you’ll make your own discoveries of the wonders that continue to draw people to one of the most fascinating regions in California.

Interior

The hand-quarried stone exterior and red tile roof of Villa Toscana are reminiscent of an Italian country farmhouse, yet the design is completely in harmony with its California surroundings. Built to welcome friends, the 3+ bedroom home invites celebration and offers plentiful space for camaraderie.

Pull into the circular drive that takes you under the stone arches and step up to the lustrous wooden door that swings open into a two story entryway. The slate floors lead to a central curved stairway with smooth carved banisters, and above, an artisan-designed iron chandelier sheds its light from the second floor ceiling. Care has been taken to use reclaimed and sustainable materials and woods throughout the home and each area has a temperature control zone and the floors have radiant heating.

Through a set of archways is a sitting room with comfortable furnishings and tall French doors opening out to a raised stone patio. The entire living area with its wide-plank wood floors and beamed ceilings is connected through framed doorways that encourage interaction. The living room has double doors to the decks and both east and west-facing windows that light up the generously proportioned space. A floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace with raised hearth provides a focal point and above it is a large-screen flat panel TV.

The formal dining room seats 12 at a polished wood table with views to the decks and grounds of the house. French doors open on each side of the room, allowing guests to relax with a glass of wine and mingle on the broad decks—even dance to music on the outdoor sound system or just sit and enjoy the late rays of the sun.

The airy gourmet kitchen will bring out the urge to whip up fresh and delicious meals together. There’s plenty of room to chop, stir and prep on the long granite counters and the center island with four leather seats allows friends and family to share in the fun. All the appliances are professional Viking stainless and there’s ample storage in the custom-designed, freestanding wood cabinets. On sunny mornings or warm afternoons, you can take the party outdoors, with an easy flow to the patio and its eastern views where there is a grill and barbeque.

The second floor of the home has an expansive entertainment area/family room with marshmallow-soft leather furniture and an office space for Internet use. Windows look over the red tiled roof to the historic stone cottage and a converted barn near the pond.

A hallway takes you to the master suite where a carved four-poster king bed faces views of the meadow and ridgeline. Open the French doors to a private balcony with a scene that was immortalized by landscape artist Virgil Williams in the 1800’s. Imagine Robert Lewis Stevenson hiking these rocky outcroppings to the top of Mount St. Helena, now part of the state park named for him.

The master has a gas fireplace to add to the mood when the sun goes down, and the bath has a contemporary clawfoot tub with arched windows above it. Mocha colored marble floors and walls are carved in a bas-relief style and the motif is carried into the shower. The two-sink vanity is of darker granite and rich wood and there is a separate water closet. A large, walk-in closet is located between the bath and bedroom.

The second bedroom is done in cream tones and has a queen bed, a seating area and overhead fan. Opulent bedding and a tranquil view to the east-facing balcony can exert an irresistible pull to linger in its comforts. The bath is done in the same mocha tile as the master and has a shower over tub and a pedestal sink.

At the end of the hall, the third bedroom with a king-size wood sleigh bed looks to the forested hillside and French doors open out to a balcony. The bath has a shower over tub with a window for natural light and a pedestal sink. The floor and walls continue the bas-relief mocha marble theme.

A short walk from the house is a wonderful old “batten board” barn. Half the barn has been converted to a combination of guest quarters, a workout room and a section that can be used for entertaining. The guest suite is a large, open room with a queen bed, sitting and dining area, TV, and a kitchenette with sink, refrigerator and microwave. The bath is done in slate tile and the shower has a “rain” shower fixture. Around the barn are flowering plants and herbs, and paths meander up to a small seating pavilion with a stone fountain and beyond that, to the pond.

Villa Toscana allows you to dip into a bit of California history while enjoying the undemanding lifestyle of wine country in this special setting.

Property Highlights

• Tuscan stone farmhouse-style architecture
• Spectacular views of Mount St. Helena
• 3+ Bedrooms/3+ Bathrooms
• Sleeps 6-8
• Multiple decks and individual balconies
• Large gourmet kitchen with all Viking professional appliances
• Fireplace in master suite
• All new construction and appliances
• Use of reclaimed and sustainable materials
• Radiant heating in floors
• Large converted barn with guest quarters and gym
• Stream-fed pond
• Original historic stone cottage
• Dish/satellite TV and Internet
• On 40 acres with hiking trails