WHY HERE McLaughin, a Ross native and present-day resident, has
owned second homes in both Aspen and Lake Tahoe, but concluded
that with her three children’s busy schedules and lives, “it’s very hard to
mobilize our family when a plane ride or longer car drive is involved.” She
adds, “I bought a place that I knew my three children could easily drive
to and bring their friends. The setting, warmer weather and agricultural
aspect of the valley are so different from Marin, yet so easily accessible
by car, which makes for an ideal second home location.”
DESIGN As a top real estate agent in Marin County, McLaughlin has seen
every style of house imaginable and knew immediately this was the place for
her and her children. “It’s the best layout I have seen for new construction in
this type of environment,” she says. “The site placement, scale, simple architecture, floor plan, and perfectly executed indoor/outdoor living are really
hard for most developers to get right.” The house was developed by Millie
Froeb of Tiburon, with Kari Cusack, also from Tiburon, designing the interiors. Landscaping was done by Michael Yandle. “I see so many houses in
all price ranges, and this house and property just spoke to me,” McLaughlin
adds. “It was designed for cooking and entertaining — basically for the celebration of family and friends. It’s the first home that I have owned where
the kitchen taps me on the shoulder and really inspires me to cook.”
DETAILS “The heart of the house is a grand scale, with 18-foot ceilings and tall walls of glass that recede into the walls, literally bringing
the outdoors in,” McLaughlin says. “When you walk inside, you look
straight out over the pool and into the vineyards and surrounding
mountain ranges. It’s just spectacular. Millie kept it very simple inside,
selecting classic, timeless materials with a modern application. Your
eyes are not pulled by the house interior but by this incredible setting.
Each bathroom is en suite, giving me the ability to have six couples stay
for a weekend with their own sense of space and privacy. It’s also a very
recreational space with a pool, spa, bocce court and the unique experi-
ence of walking out into your own vineyards with a glass of wine.”
FAVORITE ELEMENTS “There’s a very limited number of properties in
this area. I love the borrowed landscape that I get to enjoy. Duckhorn
Vineyards is just down the lane. And the charming Wine Country Inn
is right next door. There’s also a sense of authentic country ‘funk,’ as
you’ll find an old red cabin where someone has lived for 45 years next
to a beautiful vineyard estate. I like that there’s some diversity and like
the eclectic nature of the neighborhood. It’s an agricultural community
that truly blends the old with the new.”
ADDED BONUS “ We just planted chardonnay grapes. I know zero about
the wine business, but thought that it would be fun to learn something
new. I’ll leave it to the children to come up with a creative name.”
PERFECT DAY “Some of the finest restaurants and wineries are right
in St. Helena and we can walk into town for dinner. An ideal evening
starts with a glass of champagne at Auberge for sunset; then we head
over for dinner at Press, a local favorite.”
