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| Renting Paradise: Sonoma County |
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| Kenwood House |
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| Stylish wine-country bungalow with the warmth and romance of a Renoir painting • 2 bedrooms/1 full- and 1 half-bathroom (sleeps up to 7) Upsides:
Potential downsides:
Best for:
‘A lovely little world all its own’ I stepped out of a chilly, gray March afternoon into a living room that was both elegant and embracing. Light jazz was playing, lights were lit and freshly cut flowers bloomed on tables and counter tops. A bottle of vintage red from Kenwood Vineyards waited on a silver tray in the kitchen, along with a pair of wine glasses and a corkscrew. I fought the urge to call out “Thank you!” Warmly welcoming guests with personal touches like these is the joy of Kenwood House owners Don and Amy MacNair. Together they refurbished the house, built at the turn of the last century and where Don lived as a boy, creating a wine country retreat one guest described as “a lovely little world all its own.” The living room’s muted tones—taupe, plum, sage and cream—have the sense- softening effect the Impressionists strove, making the Renoir centered on a wall of massive flagstones surrounded the wood stove fireplace-insert an appropriate choice. The rest of the room is wrapped in creamy wood paneling and white curtained windows overlooking the landscaped yard that is Don’s pride and joy. No matter what the season, Kenwood House invites cocooning. There’s plenty of room here for a family or small group to hang out chatting or watching movies (a pine armoire hides all the necessities: a TV, DVD player, stereo and CD player). Curled up under a comforter on the plump sofa (which folds into a queen-sized bed for additional sleeping space), I read the guest book like a book of short stories—some with sequels, because when guests who promised to return more often than not did! Thanks to Don’s acumen, there’s something blooming in every season—from spring tulips to the fall flame of the Japanese maple. The day I arrived the rain- battered magnolia blossoms were just beginning to drop in the front yard and the side of the house was carpeted with pink camellias and primroses peeking up along the flagstone path. In the back of the house, rose-colored cyclamen tumbled out of window boxes. Scenes from a Giverny garden But in the kitchen it’s perpetually sunny. One guest compared the vibrant yellow walls to irises she remembered from a garden in Giverny garden. The room blooms with color—chili pepper-red, periwinkle and cobalt. There were vases of fresh daisies and mums on the counter and table. Light floods through a greenhouse window over the sink. Crisp white cabinets and honey-colored hardwood floors reflect it. Many guests reminisced about hours spent catching up over coffee in the airy breakfast nook overlooking a wooded seasonal creek. Or, sipping local wines they purchased during tasting treks out in the deck. Or the joy of cooking together—in spite of the fact they were just a few miles from award-winning restaurants. The kitchen cupboards are well stocked, although you might have to hunt for what you need. I finally discovered the microwave lurking in the cabinet above the dual oven. Spices were laid end to end in a drawer under the stove (?). Some drawers and shelves were near-empty … others jumbled with pots and pans. It’s all there—from champagne flutes to cheese cutting boards—so just keep looking. The multilevel deck spanning the entire back of the house has a gas barbecue grill and table for six. The backyard is beautiful, fragrant and blessedly quiet. One arm of the deck leads through a stand of redwood trees to a hot tub where six can soak under a starry night sky. Aside from a little traffic on Warm Springs Road, you’ ll hear little more than children playing in the park across from the house and Sunday morning church bells. You may glimpse Don ducking into his detached studio off the kitchen corner of the deck. In respect for your privacy, he comes and goes using the plank bridge over the creek (a nice shady place to park yourself on a hot afternoon, by the way). Cozy luxury This house works best for one or two couples or members of a close family who don’t mind sharing the one full bathroom. (There is a half-bathroom in the master bedroom.) Two stylish bedrooms—one with an adjoining sun porch with a daybed—have rich pimento accent walls paired with multiple shades of tan and trimmed in crisp white. The elegant master bedroom, facing the backyard, has a king-sized bed and small half-bathroom (just a toilet and pedestal sink). Silky crinkled sheers drape the windows. A rich gold-striped comforter covers the bed. Gilt frames showcase splashes of cranberry, brilliant yellow and lime. A queen-sized bed makes the second bedroom seem larger. Here, the pimento- tan-white color scheme is accented with olive and cranberry. French doors lead to a small sun porch—a cozy retreat with a three-panel stained glass window with gem-like shades of gold and mauve, a view of the park and a reading chair. The sun porch has a daybed, so it can be used as a separate bedroom for a single or child. There are shades on the French doors and a separate entrance (via the front porch) for privacy. Each bedroom has two terry-lined spa robes hanging in the closet. The master bedroom also hides a washing machine, dryer, iron and ironing board in the wall closet and portable and standard-sized umbrellas in the freestanding cabinet. Slow-dimming lights and black accents give the full bathroom a sophisticated drama. A large vase of seasonal fresh flowers—yellow mums, carnations and sprigs of purple eucalyptus—was beautifully framed by a stack of glass blocks in the slim partition separating the sink from the toilet and tub. Dip into the drawer across from the sink in the full bathroom for travel-sized shampoos, conditioners, lotions, nail polish remover, mouthwash and dental floss. A magnifying mirror swings out above the sink. I found two blow driers in drawer under sink. Okay, I’ll admit I felt a bit exposed getting out of the shower with no curtains on the windows. But I guess nobody could (or would?) spy on me from the stained glass windows of the church next door. To quote one more former guest: “Too often the reality of a rental is a disappointment. But the Kenwood House has exceeded our expectations.” CONTACT: • Phone: 707-833-5256 • Web: www.kenwoodhouse.com • E-mail: donmac@kenwoodhouse.com PRICE: Minimum stay: 2 nights Price per night: $350 Friday-Sunday; $290 Monday-Thursday Price per week: $1,855 ($265 per night, 7 nights minimum) Note: Prices are for four people; $30 extra per additional guest, per night up to maximum of 7 DEPOSITS/FEES: Refundable $300 cleaning/security deposit KIDS: Yes. (However, please watch toddlers carefully around the creek.) PETS: Not allowed. NOTES: • No smoking • No additional charge for early check-in and/or late check-out • Spa facilities are available nearby at the Kenwood Inn. • There is a handicap railing in the bathtub. • You may glimpse MacNair ducking into his detached studio off the kitchen corner of the deck. He comes and goes using the plank bridge over the creek to preserve your privacy. If you ask, he’ll tell you all the best places to eat, shop and taste. CLOSE TO: Award-winning wineries and restaurants. Just a block from (Hwy. 12) one of the premier wine-tasting routes through the Sonoma Valley. An easy walk to Kenwood Vineyards, Kunde Estate Winery and The Wine Room. There are four excellent restaurants—including the renowned Kenwood Inn and Spa— within a short driveShort drive to award-winning restaurants including the Kenwood Inn. State parks: Three within a five-mile radius: Annadel State Park http://www. parks.sonoma.net/Annadel.html, Sugarloaf State Park http://www.parks.sonoma. net/sugarlf.html and Jack London State Historic Park http://www.parks.sonoma. net/JLPark.html. All offer biking, hiking, swimming and picnicking. |
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