Specifically, the house was designed around the large basement built to house Dale’s favorite hobby. The 5,800 square feet of underground garage is home to Dale’s collection of Mustangs, Shelby Cobras, and the latest additions, a Ford GT and Eleanor. Dale enjoys working on his cars with his son, Kyle, and also has a smaller garage, above ground, that includes a helpful car lift and plenty of tinkering space. This turned out to be an interesting challenge for the Schuellers and their designer, Connie Hines, but the end result is a product of creative collaboration and a classic take on style.
Although the Schuellers were living in a beautiful home in the Las Alturas area, the move to Sonoma Ranch was irresistible. Dale is a co-developer and co-owner of Sonoma Ranch and the couple wanted to live in the area he had worked so hard to develop; appealing as well were the stunning views and ascending property values. Having lived in their Las Alturas home for about twelve years, the couple also felt that it was time for a change.
For a year Dale and Diane planned their new home, and eventually worked out most of the kinks with interior designer Connie Hines. Their first priority was to make the home functional while fitting over the existing garage. Working with an initial design, the Schuellers and Connie recognized that the house was longer than wide, and working to balance the exterior and interior spaces was going to take some rethinking. Also, the original entryway and dining room weren’t large enough to mirror the scale of the house. The spaces weren’t equal to the scope of the structure, and their furniture barely fit into the dining room. Special consideration was also given to the Schueller’s young daughter’s room; they wanted a room big enough for her to grow into over time. As for the master wing, the master bedroom and bathroom designs needed to be grand enough to balance the fixed space.
Now, when the front door opens, everything leads to the alcove wall; the glass tile treatment in the niche and the polished marble inserts in the tiled floors reflect light and keep the eye interested, giving the area dimension. Once past the entryway’s formal grandeur, the rest of the house is a push towards casual elegance. Connie and Diane had already established a comfortable working relationship based on prior projects and after seeing Dale’s entry door selection Connie was also able to understand the style he envisioned for their home. For Diane, it was important to develop definite focal points in the home. The iron elements in the door helped create a theme carried throughout ironwork between the entryway and living room. The light fixtures and fireplace, and the numerous niches became very important in developing the design style. Layering each room with ceiling treatments, built-ins, and complimenting colors created an intimate feeling throughout the home. The palette of the home, metallic copper reds and burnished golds and bronzes, is used to soften the open areas. The open, flowing design of the home allows for every room to become multifunctional; the kitchen blends into the casual eating area and continues into the family room, and on into the recreation area, bar, and media room.
As in most houses, the master suite was very important to develop with a sensitivity to comfort, as well as overall ambiance. The oversized space allowed for the addition of a double-sided fireplace that can be seen from both the bedroom and the bathroom. The door-less passage between bedroom and bathroom composes a sense of unity. The walkway leading to the master suite is not filled with a lot of furniture, which would detract from the quiet beauty of the passage. The walkway is comforting to the eye, and previews what is waiting on the other side of the door. Considering the size of the home, the suite would not have “flowed” utilizing a standard hallway, as a maze-like effect would have resulted.
The front exterior mirrors the grandiose spaces of the interior. The porte-cochère was designed and adjusted to highlight the size of the home. The exterior of the home emulates what Connie refers to as “Mediterranean Hybrid” styling, with elements of an Italianate flavor. Its warm stucco blends beautifully with the natural desert landscape. The rear exterior of the home includes a pool, Jacuzzi, and cabana, and a large airy space for entertaining or simply lounging in the sun. A multifunctional outdoor kitchen overlooks the large patio and pool. The sheltered patio, with beautiful views of the Organ Mountains, is perfect for children to play without feeling confined. To the side of the pool, Dale set out to find the right playground for his daughter, and created a luscious, grassy area and sand pit for her enjoyment. Whether inside or outside, family and guests can enjoy the music system tied into the Sirius surround sound music system.
While the house utilizes plantation shutters on most of the windows, fabric treatments are being designed and fabricated for some of the windows in order to soften a few areas such as the master bedroom and dining room. And yet, as any homeowner knows, a home is always a work in progress. For the Schuellers, taking the extra time to plan for now and for the future has paid off in supplying them with a beautiful, functional home in which they can relax for decades to come.
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