SONOMA RIDGE HOUSE
SONOMA, CA

Contemporary Architecture with an Easy Elegance

This weekend getaway retreat is set high on a ridgetop above the Sonoma Valley. The project follows the sloping form of the ridge and stretches out to culminate in a vanishing-edge pool that points toward San Francisco.

The house is composed of a series of wings that flank the main corridor running down the center of the home. This corridor gently steps down, leading to the Great Room at the heart of the house. A massive 18-foot-wide door in the Great Room opens to a large outdoor living space featuring a pool, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, and a lounge with a fire pit.

Design Specifics

Board-formed concrete walls at the garage and entry provide both fire resistance and texture, contrasting with the metal siding on the front wall.

Dark-stained cedar walls and ceiling treatments blend seamlessly with the surrounding oak trees.

The master bedroom wing extends eastward into a grove of oaks. Sixteen-foot windows with a central fireplace frame a majestic view from the master bed. The 16-foot-high ceiling continues into the master bath, which is flooded with natural light from skylights positioned above the shower. The 35-foot-long south wall of the master suite is entirely glass, overlooking a private garden with mature olive trees.

Sustainable Architecture for Sonoma

Sustainable Architecture occupies a piece of every home we design. During the design process, a part of our focus is always on enhancing comfort, improving air quality, and making every home we design harmoniously functional. We achieve this many ways and often with less obvious opportunities, such as optimizing passive design strategies to reduce the need for additional mechanical systems and using locally sourced materials that reduce transportation costs.

Ultimately, adhering to green building standards as they relate to Sonoma results in a better home and we make a positive contribution to environmental stewardship.

Materials:

• Large 15 KW Photovoltaic Panel System

• Operable Skylights

• Dense insulation with high thermal rating

• Shade Structures

• Deep Overhangs

• Insulated Underground Utility

• Solar-heated spa

• Infinity Edge Pool

SEE WHAT MAKES OUR DESIGN SUSTAINABLE

WUI Compliance in Sonoma

Designed for resilience in a fire-prone landscape, the Sonoma Ridge House uses a palette of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) compatible materials that don’t compromise its contemporary design. The home utilizes a combination of board-formed concrete walls, non-combustible metal siding and roofing, and natural wood siding paired with a high-performance fire-resistant backer board.

Built over decades, Holder Parlette’s collaborative relationships within the Sonoma Planning and Building divisions are rooted in a shared commitment to resilient building. Our familiarity with their regulatory constraints, combined with our technical WUI expertise, allows us to shorten approval cycles and efficiently deliver elegant, fire-safe homes tailored to the Sonoma landscape.

ARCHITECTURE
Principal: Chris Parlette

INTERIOR DESIGN
Holder Parlette - Kate Marby

LANDSCAPE
Holder Parlette

Builder
Summit Builders

PHOTOGRAPHY
Adam Potts

PRESS
California Homes