This family vineyard is perched more than 1,000 feet above the Napa Valley floor on the slopes of Mount Saint Helena. The project included an extensive home renovation, including a new addition to the original cottage and a full re-envisioning of the landscape.
This soon-to-be primary residence had very limited usable exterior space due to the constraints of the steeply sloping land. Arterra were tasked with providing a new context for the house, grounding it to the land and extending the interior spaces out into the landscape.
Working with the large upper deck on the home’s main level, the designers integrated a series of terraces to connect the house to the land. A large lap pool anchors these entertainment spaces and provides an infinity edge for uninterrupted views to the canyon beyond. On the pool terrace, a composition of concrete paving, wood decks and stone walls creates a series of outdoor spaces for a range of activities. A terrace for taking in the warm California sun, a deck for gracious dining and a firepit for starlight lounging, all tucked up against the skirt of the deck above.
The deck stairs continue from the pool terrace to the house’s lower level. An underused vineyard road was transformed into a destination outdoor room for dining and cooking. A new pizza oven, originally planned for the upper deck, was fitted into a chunky boulder wall retaining the slope below the house. Surrounded by raised beds and herb gardens, the locally sourced redwood dining table takes advantage of the shady canopy of existing oak trees.
The site’s design addressed serious drainage issues through a combination of functional improvements. Always seeking to highlight a property’s unique characteristics, we embraced the seasonal drainage patterns as a site feature. By converting the existing piped drainage system into open, rock-lined swales, a new habitat was created. A series of vegetated swales redirects runoff from the hillside and vineyard, diverting it away from the house. Previously eroded slopes were regraded and planted with fast-growing plants to stabilise the soil. This mix of native and drought-tolerant plantings complements the sweeping 360-degree views of this site and attracts beneficial pollinators and a range of bird species.
Sustainable practices were utilized throughout the project. Site stone reclaimed from the vineyards was repurposed into boulder retaining walls and reused in rock-lined swales. The stone veneer for the house façade and landscape walls was sourced from a local quarry, reducing the project’s carbon footprint. Low-water plantings, along with a weather-sensor-operated irrigation system, reduce water consumption. Low-voltage landscape lighting draws less power and promotes dark sky compliance.
The transformation of this wine country home is a fine example of how site-sensitive design can create a comfortable, welcoming and highly functioning home and landscape.
Family Winery
Location: Calistoga, CA, USA
Landscape Architect: Arterra Landscape Architects
Photography Credit: Adam Potts
Shortlisted in the 2025 WLA Awards in the Built Private Residential Landscape Design category