A Mountaintop Retreat
A Mountaintop Retreat
When O.J. and Gary Shansby decided to build their own home in the heart of Sonoma, amongst the coastal mountains north of San Francisco, they wanted a house that would appear to have stood on the site for years. The solution was to use natural and reclaimed materials and to plant numerous large trees in the grounds to achieve an instantly mature effect. The result is a unique, Italian-inspired dream home, designed and built specifically to suit its beautiful, peaceful and elevated location.
O.J. and Gary, a private equity investor, chose a mountaintop site for their secluded 362 acre estate, which they named Shanel after a tribe of indigenous Pomo Indians. Much of the land here is forested, an untamed wilderness with miles of private hillside trails. The ridges and valleys to the north play host to red foxes, coyotes, wild boar, deer and bobcat. With so many locations to choose from the challenge was to select the perfect setting which would create a timeless backdrop for the Shansbys’ new home.
‘I’ve lived in California for around thirty years and have remodelled many houses in that time,’ Gary, 69, explains, ‘but I’ve never built a house from scratch, and creating this ranch was a significant commitment and a labour of love which took around four years to plan and a further five to build. The land had once been used for grazing cattle and was totally undeveloped, so that everything from access roads to services needed to be brought in. It was like being pioneers and we soon realised that the best way to lay the new road was to follow the deer trails, because deer are smart and know the easiest route up and down hills.’
The area is well-known for summer breezes in the afternoon, and the site that was eventually selected is relatively sheltered. It required considerable grading to make it possible to build the hillside mansion, which is encircled by oak trees. The property enjoys 360 degree vistas down past Italian poplars to both the Sonoma Valley and the waters of San Francisco Bay. At the base of Sonoma Mountain the Shansbys grow around seven acres of Syrah grape vines, which produce fragrant blackberry-scented wine. Their lake is stocked with bass and trout and served by a dock and boathouse.
‘We wanted to position the main house to enjoy the views without being obtrusive or invading the land too much,’ says O.J. ‘It’s a steep site and the building has been designed to work with the contours of the slope, which means that the rooms are set on different levels and there are a number of steps connecting the spaces. The idea was to create a home which would look as if it had been there for a long time and had been added to over many years. We worked with architect Sandy Walker, who is well known for his Mediterranean style projects. Nothing in the house is straight or square. Walls are of different thicknesses, windows are not all the same and the door openings are of various sizes, which makes it look like a rambling old country property.’
The taupe coloured stucco building has soft contours, and has been built using a collection of genuinely aged materials to create an authentic weathered feel. Eight hundred year old roof tiles imported from Italy are already covered in lichen and moss. A fact which delighted the Shansbys and their builders, Chris Cello and Bill Maudru, and the old beams lining the ceilings originated from an 1860s log cabin in Nevada. ‘The Sonoma Valley looks very much like Tuscany,’ says Gary, ‘and a relaxed, Tuscan-style house seemed appropriate for the area.’
The interiors of this impressive property have been designed by San Francisco interior designer Suzanne Tucker, who worked on the plans with architect Sandy Walker. She chose a colour palette of pale creams, parchment tones and apricot to play off the warm light. The interior walls have been finished in light ochre hand-smoothed plaster, whilst oak and cross-cut honed travertine marble were selected for the floors. ‘We used chains to scrape and beat the oak to create a distressed finish,’ explains Gary. ‘The idea was that the house should feel homely and comfortable, so that when people visit they instantly relax. It’s not the kind of place that you need to wear a tie.’
In fact the Shansbys rarely use their magnificent formal living room, which opens onto a terrace with views to the gardens and the valley beyond. The room features an impressive carved stone 17th century French fireplace and cream chenille chairs, designed by Suzanne Tucker. Instead, they prefer the cosy family room beside the kitchen, where they also hold their Thanksgiving parties each November. ‘Actually, the place that we tend to spend most of our time is outdoors,’ explains Gary, ‘and we have an outdoor living room off the deck with its own fireplace, which we use between March and October. In the winter, when it gets too cold to be outside, we like to sit by the fire in the library and read.’
The house may look old and traditional but the Shansbys have incorporated every possible modern luxury into the building. It is air conditioned, has radiant and forced air heating, centralised lighting, music and a telephone system with intercoms to all the outbuildings. These include a six car garage, the separate guest house, a pool area with spa, an equestrian centre with a covered riding arena and a five stall stable, where the Shansbys have been known to host hoedown style parties complete with a spit-roasted pig. The temperature-controlled wine cellar in the main house is particularly notable, with its travertine marble floor and a holding capacity of around 140 cases.
Impressive as these buildings undoubtedly are they are made even more remarkable by the breathtaking landscape. Mai Arbegast, one of California’s most prominent landscape architects, designed the natural-looking gardens and began planting literally hundreds of tall trees, large shrubs and bulbs even before the house was built. There is an organic fruit orchard, a tropical glasshouse and raised vegetable beds with a gourd patch creating an eye-catching centrepiece. Mature Italian cypresses have been planted in the lower garden. An avenue lined with tall poplar trees leads down to a lawned area complete with a swimming pool and cabana, and the garden lighting creates a magical effect at night. Ideal for country lovers and wine lovers alike, Shanel may be a relatively new property but it already appears to have stood on its elevated site for many years. If the house were a wine it would be a truly exceptional vintage.
