This project is something I could do a lot more of.
It's a remodel of a rather ordinary woodframe house (except for
some stone facades) built in the 70's on a beautiful site between apple orchards
and a wooded preserve. The house didn't do justice to the location.

The idea was to turn it into a timeless country home that makes sense
in its Northern California setting, using recycled redwood, river rock,
stained glass and generous use of local craftsmen.

The style was achieved with a consistent effort to have the visible details
have a hand-crafted look and never allowing manufactured or mass produced
components to reveal themselves. Recycled redwood was custom milled on site,
and never to the common lumber-yard dimensions of today.

The roof lines kick up at the eaves with an Oriental character and the ornate
copper finial above the meditation room is in the style of a Buddhist stupa,
touches that add a Bohemian flavor also appropriate to this area.

Beneath these surfaces is state of the art construction: Radiant heating, wiring
for electricity, phone, cable, computer, alarm, central audio...And state of the art
eco-friendly materials: Cotton insulation, plywood made with non-toxic glue,
wood finishes made from citrus oil and beeswax.

This style was the inspired vision of Cheryl McConnell, the client; and
Gus Acosta, designer/builder. It has some elements of craftsman style or
Greene and Greene influence. I was one of the many artisans who had the pleasure
of being a part of it. Most of us refer to this as "Vine Hill Style".

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© 2000 John Oliver, General Contractor
California Contractor's License Number 380756
707 766 8829