The 2014 Kitchens in the Vineyards tour April 26 will open five distinctive Napa Valley homes to visitors to gather home décor, landscaping and architectural ideas.
“There is a wonderful variety of homes this year, from large and lavish to small budget conscious houses. All are united by very fine design,” said Julia Jervis, chairwoman of the tour.
The home and garden tour of kitchens, dining rooms and entertainment areas as well as gardens benefits the annual local chamber music festival, Music in the Vineyards. The self-guided tour takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This year, for the first time, tour goers can purchase a VIP Insiders Pass to gain exclusive access to two of the homes for a meet-and-greet with the professionals who turned “home owners’ dreams into reality.”
Pass holders will go on the public tour, then return to two of the homes from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for a glass of wine, full access to all rooms and a question and answer time with the creative team.
“This VIP option is a must for anyone planning to build or remodel and wanting tips and specifics on how to make it happen,” Jervis said.
This year, the tour includes:
• A contemporary prefabricated, highly efficient smart home that is surrounded by “magically” landscaped grounds filled with entertaining spaces, plus a bocce court and a garden.
• A light and airy farmhouse, built in 2012 on the site of an old lodge, is a Scandinavian sanctuary. The interior uses repurposed cabinets and doors, and the exterior offers a pool and valley views.
• An Arts Crafts Revival, originally built in the 1920s, was remodeled in 2008 adding a great room and vast windows to highlight the gardens. The space includes lime-washed redwood, exposed beams, a tennis court, pool and antique finishes.
• A Poolhouse Redux renovation with a modest “footprint.” Its clever touches include a reclaimed wood wall, blackened oyster shell fireplace and portrait collection.
• A Tuscan Farmhouse that is the product four years of work by 15 artisans working with stucco, stone, brick and distressed wood. The exterior offers a kitchen, pool, fountain, bocce court and formal gardens.
The annual Kitchens in the Vineyards tour was born 17 years ago to raise money for Music in the Vineyards. Over the years, 85 homes have been shown without ever repeating a home, according to Jervis.
“Everyone on the committee — ‘the Kitchen Cabinet’ — as we call ourselves, works hard on this event. We start looking for the next year’s houses the day after the tour ends,” Jervis said. “This is truly a community effort. We are so grateful for the help of the generous homeowners who open their homes, the raffle donors, sponsors, authors, chefs and volunteers.”
Enhanced with springtime table settings, each home is styled by local designers and florists. At the homes, visitors will also find tastings of dishes prepared by Napa Valley chefs, and local authors will be on hand to autograph copies of their books.
London author, Josephine Ryan, who wrote “French Home”, will be at one of homes.
In addition to Saturday’s home tour, an exclusive Preview Party will take place on the eve of the tour sponsored by First Republic Bank, and Anne and Matthew Golden. Guests will board luxury mini-coaches at 3:45 p.m. from the Robert Mondavi Winery to embark on a private champagne tour of all five homes. Guests will return for a glass of wine from the terrace overlooking the To Kalon Vineyard. Dinner by winery chef Jeff Mosher follows in the Vineyard Room, accompanied by Mondavi wines.
Tickets for Saturday’s self-guided tour cost $65 for general admission, $100 for the VIP Insiders Pass (includes public tour) and are on sale now. Preview Party tickets are limited and cost $225. Proceeds for both events benefit Music in the Vineyards, the chamber music festival celebrating its 20th anniversary Aug. 1-24 at various Napa Valley wineries. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 707 253-5559 or visit MusicInTheVineyards.org.
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