Winemakers Tim and Debbie Darrin are intriguing in their own right. They developed the Daviana Wine label after Debbie bid and won an auction lot for a “backyard vineyard.” They thought it would be the perfect finish to their side yard after a three-year renovation and total transformation of their 6,200-square-foot home on Mount George in eastern Napa into a four bedroom, six bath Tuscan-style villa. Prior to starting Darrin Family Vineyard, Tim and Debbie along with twenty building trade artisans turned a 1984 basic Beatty-and-Mac-designed track home into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that appears to be 300 years old. “When we started the transformation in 1994, the house was a blank slate with only the original shell,” said Tim, who got his original inspiration for the house while attending school EXTREME home REMODEL From boxy home to Tuscan-style masterpiece in Switzerland. “I loved the old village houses in Switzerland and Italy. Deb and I traveled to Europe and took pictures of what we loved and incorporated those ideas.” After many pictures and going though books finding treasurers they wanted to replicate, the Darrins, who have been married for twenty-seven years, began sketching out how they thought their new dream home would look. Of course, their ideas went through many revisions. “We took a simple house and made it complicated,” said Tim. “We used natural items that were around and imported pavers and bricks from an old Pony Express Train Station in St. Paul.” The finished home is an eclectic blend of what an old European farmer might have built with modern artists hand-making all the hardware, installing hand-hewn woodwork and Italian herringbone tile. Exterior stucco was used for interior walls to bring the outside countryside indoors. Tim jokes that he had the construction crew leave their straight edges and rulers at the front gate. “We encouraged decorating mistakes, not structural mistakes,” said Tim. “Having windows askew or walls not perfectly lined up added to the charm of our home.” “We wanted to give the sense that the house was built a long time ago, but we added modern technology,” said Tim. “The house comes with smart house system for lighting, and each light fixture was designed for the space. We also have heated floors as well as an intercom system.” Each room has a story and its own unique attributes, whether in the actual construction or the décor. The Darrins’ daughter’s room has a massive hand-painted dresser and desk that adorns one wall. In the master suite an old trunk hides a television that rises with a remote control. Old paintings, oriental rugs and other decoration were brought in from Italy as well as a collection of local prized finds that were utilized in the design. Walking through the house, one can find many “wow” features. When asked what their favorite part of the house is, they both agree on the garden courtyard by the front door, but each has their own favorites in the rest of the house. For Debbie, it’s the kitchen. A fireplace was built around the kitchen stove with fresco-painted tiles above showcasing local Model Bakery’s bread. As for Tim, he cherishes the double vaulted ceilings in the carport because of their creative design; and the couple enjoy the exterior walls that were made to look old with active climbing vines. “The house is inviting and warm because of all the textures we used,” said Tim. “This is our dream home. The entire project was a collaboration of many talented people and that is what made it fun.” The outdoor landscape surrounding the house is a masterpiece in itself, equipped with an outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, bocce court, pool and formal English garden. A gate made with reusable materials opens into their vineyard. That little backyard vineyard has since turned into nine acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Grenache grapes. Most of these grapes have been sold to premium wineries and winemakers since 2002. The Darrins have additionally dedicated themselves to perfecting their artisan approach to winemaking. Their 24-acre property now has a dedicated winery down the path from the house. photo by KARI RUEL JANUARY / F E B R UARY 2 0 1 4 19
NVLife_Feb_2014
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