Designers Transform Old Mondavi Cottage Into Spectacular Showhouse

PHOTOS BY AL FRANCIS

After weeks of work, a slew of mostly local designers swept away the faded wallpaper, run-down pink stone and dated furniture and ambiance of a large Mondavi-family cottage and unveiled a stylish, stunning post-card-worthy residence.

The end result, unveiled Wednesday at the opening night gala of the 2013 Napa Valley Showhouse at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, had some surprises for the prior residents but was mostly seen as brilliant and creative.

"Overall, we're very pleased," said Katie Mondavi, who, with husband Peter Mondavi Jr., previously lived in the home and raised their two children there. "It's beautiful to see how each designer decided to approach the room."

She said it was a "very personal" feeling to give away control of a long-time home to others, but it worked out fine.

"Some of the things were not things we would have expected," Mondavi said. "Not saying good or bad -- just surprising."

The couple, who now live further north near Calistoga, said they will continue to use the renovated home for pre-wedding party preparations, smaller events and private parties at the sprawling Krug estate that they own and manage as part of the Peter Mondavi Sr. Family Estates.

 In addition to the residence Showhouse, the Mondavis also unveiled a wine tasting bar in the historic Redwood Cellar portion of the carriage house across from the residence.

"It's fun to see the creativity, the changes, pushing the boundaries," said Peter Mondavi Jr.

The Showhouse, sponsored by Traditional Home Magazine and benefitting the Napa Valley Film Festival, will be open for tours 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Mondays) most days from now until Nov. 17, when the film festival is here.

For details on visiting, see traditionalhome.com/napashowhouse.

Designers at a press preview said they had certain creative and logistical challenges that proved, in the end, to work out.

Chicago-based designer Julia Buckingham Edelmann, who had the dining room, had never seen the space until two weeks ago.

"It had to be done from afar," she said.

Also challenging was getting the massive dining room table -- a glass-topped wooden gear from a water mill 84 inches in diameter -- through the door.

"It made it by three inches," said Edelmann, of Buckingham Interiors studio. Whimsically, she turned the dining room's wall plate rack into a tribute to the Napa Valley Film Festival by mounting vintage movie reels instead of plates.

Napa designer Richard Von Saal's "man cave" family room has similar finds, such as oak slabs from Calistoga that he used to make the coffee table and the back of the sofa.

He also fashioned end tables from old telephone poles that had been downtown Napa.

"I made all the furniture from recycled material," said Von Saal, who has a 7,000-square-foot manufacturing studio, metal shop and wood shop, Vonsaal  Design Build, on Coombs Street. "It took a month."

Kitchen designers Lauren Tapper and Christine Teicheira of Napa Valley Design Studio in Napa also took some risks with a new sparkly, geometric modern wall tile donated by Akdo of Hayward. Since the kitchen is one of the rooms that will stay intact after the Showhouse is over, the designers worked with Katie and Peter Mondavi Jr. to make sure the applicances and decor met with their approval.

"The kitchen was all white when we got here," said Tapper. They painted the walls and cabinets a warm woodsy gray that compliments the silver highlights of the appliances.

A "leathered" brownish finish on the granite counter tops adds to the color scheme.

"It all came together very well," Tapper said.

San Anselmo designer Ann Lowengart, who did the master bedroom, bath and sitting room, took a bold yet comforting grass-colored "Garden Court" green for the walls to evoke the feeling of nature indoors. With windows that look out on the lawns of the estate, the bedroom almost feels like it's outside too.

Lowengart, of Ann Lowengart Interiors, added a massive seashell lamp shade on the ceiling light -- further enhancing the natural feel.

"The participating designers have done a brilliant job merging the natural ease of 'wine country' with the elegant designs that bring a fresh perspective to the former residence of Peter Mondavi Jr. and his family," said Ann Omvig Maine, editor in chief of Traditional Home.

The Showhouse is at the Charles Krug Winery, 2800 Main St., St. Helena. Showhouse tour and wine tasting tickets are $40. Visit traditionalhome.com/napashowhouse for more information.