As a homeowner, you probably look to various sources for new ideas to bring to your home. You scour websites and blogs, scroll through social media feeds, tear pages from magazines—and read newsletters like this one word for word—for inspiration. But don’t fret if you feel like you’re always looking; the pros are always at it too. Sharon Sherman of Wyckoff’s Thyme and Place Design went West, Napa Valley specifically, in search of new ideas. Here’s what she brought back to the East Coast:
If you have never been to Napa Valley, California, my advice is go as soon as possible. I was very fortunate to join 30 fellow designer members of DesignHounds founded by Modenus on a weeklong tour of Napa courtesy of Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS), the luxury home appliance division of LG Electronics.
Our first stop was the Experience and Design Center, where we learned how SKS appliances are designed for cooks who are “true to food.” Here, local wineries and farms combine to create a food culture bringing what SKS describes as a “Technicurean” lifestyle to their world of award-winning appliance technology. I like to think that I am a “Technicurean” as well, and I know my clients are too.
Wine and design
There are several virtual experiences for those who cannot travel to Napa, but nothing beats seeing the beautiful breathtaking vineyards in person and enjoying the great wine. Our tour continued with an education and tasting of the “fruit of the valley” wine. If you are someone who likes wine (that would be me) and one who purchased some while in Napa (me again!), proper preservation of that wine is very important.
You do not need an elaborate wine cellar to store your bottles. There are several options available, from small, under-counter coolers to tall columns. Whichever you choose, there are three important considerations when it comes to wine preservation:
- Temperature and humidity. White and red wines require different ideal temperatures from your kitchen refrigerator, generally between 49° and 60°F. Basically, the lighter the wine the cooler it should be.
- Light. Light is not a wine’s friend. Wine coolers have protection against UV light, which is damaging to wine.
- Vibration. Movement interferes with the delicate aging process of wine. The air compressor must be 100 percent vibration free otherwise the sediment vibrates and can prematurely age your wine.
Designers are always looking for inspiration. We visited the lovely tasting room at Hope & Grace Wines in Yountville, which is adorned with amazing art and offers unique gifts. Here we were treated to a class in wine blending by their winemaker.
So what do wine blending and design have to do with each other? As a designer, I am always blending different ingredients when planning a home for my clients. If I am incorporating a cherished heirloom or blending two different design styles into a space, there is a perfect balance I want to achieve. That is what luxury design is all about: Blending materials, colors and styles to craft a personalized home made just for you.
Dine and design
As a kitchen designer, I am always interested in the décor of the restaurants I visit. From the moment I step through the front door, I want to be immersed in an experience. That first impression has the power to impact the entire meal, and we were treated to a memorable time from start to finish at Bottega. Here, chef and owner Michael Chiarello offers a rustic yet refined interior serving bold Italian flavors in his outstanding dishes.
And then there was chocolate. I highly recommend a visit to Kollar Chocolates. This award-winning artisan chocolatier and chef has elevated chocolate into a sensory experience. Chris Kollar is the artist, innovator and owner of the shop as well as Food Network’s Chopped Champion in 2020. I have sampled chocolates across Europe, but none can compare to the artistic sensory experience of his chocolate flavors and innovations. They are truly “edible works of art.”
A need for sous vide
One of the appliances I recommend to clients who are remodeling their kitchen is the 48-inch SKS range with built-in sous vide, among other features. During the tour, I learned all about sous vide cooking in the kitchen with SKS’s Chef Nick. Many restaurant chefs cook using this precise temperature-controlled technique. Pronounced “sue-veed,” meaning “under vacuum” in French, it uses a water bath to cook food that has been vacuum-sealed, ultimately preserving flavor while eliminating the worry about over cooking.
Nature and design
Cornerstone Sonoma, a marketplace featuring a changing series of gardens inspired by the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-Sur-Loir, was the natural inspiration stop on our weeklong journey. The landscape is stunning with lovely flowers in bloom and vineyards lining the hills in the distance. I love to look to nature for perfectly curated color palette—Mother Nature has an impeccable eye for always choosing just the right combination of colors and textures. If you ever are having a difficult time deciding on a color scheme for your home, take a walk outside and marvel at the choices in front of you.
Photos courtesy of Sharon Sherman