A Slice of Provence in Sonoma Valley

Designer Wendy Owen created this beautiful Sonoma Valley oasis with a heavy dose of inspiration from her love of Provence. Local fieldstone is generously used on the nine-acre property setting the stage for rustic elegance. The mass plantings of ivy and lavender, left to run wild, act as a soft counterpoint to all the stonework. Above, the entrance to the dining pavilion is framed with a wall of green ivy, while a French chair covered in lichen serves as garden sculpture.

The Sonoma valley landscape is very similar to the south of France making it an ideal spot to grow lavender, olive trees and shrub oak.

Owen is a master in reworking antique and salvaged pieces. Above, she cleverly transformed antique water channels creating a picturesque and water feature.

The color palette is defined by the variations of gray in the fieldstone and the range of greens in the landscape. Occasionally, a splash of color is introduced, like the chartreuse pillows above, that mimic the color of the Limelight hydrangea, against the wall, in summer.

To complement the rustic exposed stone walls, Owen used oversized, chunky wood tables – this one designed from antique beams – and natural fabrics. Dimly lit chandeliers hung in the dining pavilion create a truly magical space.

Always finding ways to add a bit of nature to the interiors, she accented a chandelier with moss and grapevines. A simple stone bowl sink sits on the oak slab countertop.

Owen designed a lounge pavilion based on her fascination with cabanons – stone sheds in Provence for lavender farmers to take a break from the summer heat. It’s made all the more inviting with oversized plump upholstery and soft lighting. The spaces often blur the line between indoors and out with the generous use of elements from nature, like the pendants, above, created from beehives.

Many of the items Owen designed for the home, including her own line of furniture and pillows are available at her shop in Sienna Antiques, in Petaluma.