There’s a house in the Corazon neighborhood you may have passed by and dreamed of seeing inside – and now you have that chance.
The homeowners of this gorgeous Mediterranean-Tuscan-style home built it themselves with the help of architects and Pam Yost from Grand Design Group. While the house itself spans over 10,000 square feet, the homeowner’s ideas and plans were arguably the biggest part of the process.
“It took a long time to express our style to the architects and designers,” the homeowner, who prefers to remain unnamed, says. “We wanted it to first and foremost be open and have a good flow.”
The design process took about a year and the building took two.
“It was stressful sometimes,” the homeowner admits. “We were trying to squeeze in a million meetings and had to do a lot on the weekends.”
The family was prepared though, having built a house previous to this one. That experience educated them about the process, what was going to be difficult and what was the best way to go about building.
“It takes time,” the homeowner laughs, “and definitely a vision.”
Approaching the house, you won’t miss the breathtaking driveway. According to the homeowner, that wasn’t really a design choice. While the family really wanted a circular entryway, it didn’t fit. So instead, the architect decided to cut a few corners and create the house’s unique driveway.
“We had to take a different approach, it definitely wasn’t originally meant to be like that,” the homeowner says.
The outdoor space, a clear family favorite, boasts a pool, patio area, covered living space and a kitchen. The house was practically built to entertain, obvious from the ideal seating and cocktail hour spaces. With two kids in the home, it’s also a great space for sleepovers.
Another notable space is the wine cellar, a reflection of the homeowner’s passion and personality.
“We’re big wine drinkers – we go out to Napa a lot,” the homeowner says. “So, of course, the wine cellar was important. I love how it looks like an old-fashioned area but it’s modern. It was definitely fun to design.”
Moving into the heart of the home, the homeowner says the kitchen was important to her since everyone tends to gather in there, especially for gatherings and events. The most important part of her dream space?
“A massive fridge,” she laughs. “You’re always trying to find more room – with guests always over we needed as much space as possible.”
The kitchen leads into the living room seamlessly, blending the two together as if they are one space. However, the living room has a much warmer tone to it – on purpose, according to the homeowner. The exposed brick gives the room a Tuscan and warm feeling, while the wood burning fire place gives off a comforting feeling. What was most important for these design selections, was that each decision screamed cozy.
And these homeowners aren’t done yet. They’re actually in the process of building a new house which will be completely different in style and design. While it may seem exhausting, building doesn’t scare this homeowner, as she only exudes excitement when talking about the big project.
“We wanted a pool house so when we’re outside, we don’t have to constantly track inside,” she says. “Our inspiration was Napa and the open vineyard pool houses there. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Mallory Arnold is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
