American studio Field Architecture has taken cues from the vernacular architecture of Napa Valley for this gabled residence, which is clad in western red cedar and surrounded by grape vines.

The Zinfandel house was envisioned for two high-profile tech executives who formerly lived in San Francisco. Once the couple started a family, they decided to relocate to a more spacious and bucolic setting.

They found a small vineyard in St Helena, a village in Napa Valley, with the help of Shawback Design ? a local interior design firm who worked with the couple on several past projects, including their Butterfly House in the city.
The clients then brought in Field Architecture, a Palo Alto-based studio that specialises in creating architecture for picturesque natural environments.
The clients desired a residence that was low-profile and unpretentious, yet also featured the "sleek modernism and luxurious detailing that had been a priority in their previous projects". In response, the architects conceived a single-storey dwelling that sits quietly within its pastoral setting. The home has a U-shaped plan, with the central axis marked by a majestic oak tree.

"The property sits on the valley floor, the only vertical monument a line of tall trees in the northeast corner," said the architects in a project description.

"Field planted the home within that windbreak, nestling what they designed as a family of structures between the trees, leaving a courtyard spa...