Willamette Valley Residence

2018 Gold Nugget Awards
Grand Award, Custom Home Over 8,000 Square Feet

Borrowing cues from its namesake wine-making and agrarian heritage, the Willamette Valley Residence is sited on 83 acres of rolling green hills in Sheridan, Ore. Designed as an updated farmhouse by El Segundo, Calif.–based Rockefeller Kempel Architects, the home strikes a delicate balance between modern and traditional architecture, inviting contemporary design elements into an archetypal farmhouse vernacular.

Built by local firm Hammer & Hand, the house combines the three key elements of a farmhouse: a rural location; a functional porch; and a combination of formal and informal spaces. In its double-height, bi-level living room, a stone fireplace marks the central focus, serving as a favored gathering place for the family. The L-shaped plan’s two distinct wings are adjoined by a glass walkway that affords its residents a feeling of interacting with the lush landscape from the comfort of the indoors.

In the main wing, the family’s living areas include four bedrooms, a gym, a study, a family room, an open kitchen with a dining nook, and a library. The home’s second wing is dedicated to a three-car garage, laundry room, office, and two additional bedrooms for guests. Careful architectural details and an honest materials palette—including locally quarried natural stone, warm-toned walnut, oxidized maple, and cedar—line the home’s ceilings, floors, doors, and millwork.

Strategically placed windows and skylights are positioned to stream in sunlight even during winter months. Outside, a pool, sauna, spa, fireside seating, and eating area complete the indoor–outdoor living experience. A traditional wrap-around porch envelopes the Douglas fir-dotted site, and a secluded artist’s studio and retreat offers a respite from the main home. “Rigor and simplicity dictate the design of this home that’s both classic and contemporary, orthodox and original,” says architect Chris Kempel.

View the full list of winners here.