Oak Knoll

Napa, California

On a 13.5-acre vineyard estate in the heart of Napa Valley, the owner commissioned the subdivision of 6.5 acres to develop a contemporary 8,600-square-foot compound surrounded by a 4-acre working vineyard. The architectural design, by Holder Parlette, and landscape design, by Roche+Roche, together establish a refined dialogue between modern architecture and the agrarian landscape of the valley floor.  Positioned to capture panoramic up-valley and down-valley views, the site also allows views to the Mayacamas and Vaca ranges, grounding the project within the larger Napa landscape.

The approach sequence begins at stone entry walls framing a custom steel gate, whose mullion pattern references the fenestration of the main structures. The threshold marks the transition from the shared private lane into the private domain of the compound. Beyond, a chipseal auto court defined by stone retaining walls provides guest parking and features a custom stone-and-steel water element precisely aligned with the front door, reinforcing the project’s axial organization.

A restrained material palette unifies the architecture and landscape. Azul Monica grey limestone, sourced in Portugal, is used throughout as exterior paving. The stone is composed in alternating bands of varying widths, introducing subtle rhythm and movement across terraces and pathways. To achieve perfectly level surfaces across the pool, dining, and fire terraces, large-format, 2-inch-thick stone pavers were gravel-set with concealed subsurface drainage—resulting in a seamless surface uninterrupted by visible drains.

Cream Halquist Middleton stone veneer is employed on select building façades and landscape walls in a stacked random rectilinear pattern, providing warmth and texture. These site walls organize the auto court, define the entry garden, create the backdrop for the spa and fire terrace, and clad the exterior fireplaces, creating continuity between built and planted elements. Custom stone elements include a carved fire bowl overlooking the vineyards, a firewall adjacent to the media room, and the outdoor fireplace hearth.

A series of steel pergolas, fabricated and imported from Italy, define outdoor rooms for lounging, dining, cooking, and poolside seating. Each integrates automated louvers, heating, and lighting systems, supporting flexible year-round use.

The pool house features a furnished breezeway that mediates between the pool terrace and a large play lawn and meadow beyond. The lawn and meadow’s total 60’ x 120’ footprint accommodates potential future development of a tennis court while maintaining the landscape’s open character.

Adjacent to the garage, a chef’s garden with raised beds, a greenhouse, and a compact fruit orchard extends the property’s agrarian sensibility and supports culinary use.  Strategically positioned Elms, Olives and Oaks provide screening and privacy for upper-level windows while anchoring the architecture within the site’s visual field. Plantings of native shrubs, perennials, and grassy meadows blur the edges between formal outdoor spaces and the surrounding vineyard, reinforcing a seamless transition between cultivated and natural conditions.

 

Architecture:  Holder Parlette Architecture

Interiors:  Holder Parlette Architecture

Construction: ABBAE | Construction Management

Pool installation:  Paradise Pools, Inc.

Landscape Installation: Eternal Landscape Solutions

Photography: Courtesy of Sotheby’s | Ginger Martin