Jasper House

A Cozy New Redesign for Tasting Room in Freestone, California

by Camille Dodson, Editorial Assistant

Black Kite Cellars, a small, family-owned and operated winery in Windsor, California, recently had some upgrades made to its Jasper House tasting room in Freestone, California.  While the tasting room had been very elegant and sophisticated for customers to enjoy, Black Kite Cellars wanted to update the look for a newer, cozier design.  With that in mind, they called upon Hawkins Interiors for help with the upgrade.

         Hawkins Interiors is a Napa Valley, California, based interior design firm known for residential and commercial projects across the country.  Julie Hawkins founded the firm in 2015, with her unique design perspective having been shaped by the beauty of the historic homes she visited with her father where she grew up in Connecticut.  Her designs are continuously inspired and informed by her travels and the buildings she encounters, particularly European churches whose enduring quiet and expansive scale drive her ambitions to travel more as she continues to design notable projects at home and abroad.

         Hawkins Interior’s team of designers pride themselves on their ability to elevate each client’s needs to create an inspiring space filled with layers of textures, comfort, and elegance.  The firm specializes in commercial spaces within the wine industry, primarily in the full design of tasting rooms.  With that in mind, it seemed like there was no one better to choose for the redesign for Jasper House.

         For the new design of the 1000 sq.ft. Jasper House, Hawkins Interiors sought to transform the existing tasting room into an elegant yet understated environment that maintained the warmth and character of the original space.  The region where Jasper House is located is known for its coastal fog, so the team’s goal was to further capture that romance through the use of organic materials, earthy paint colors, and rustic textures.  Additionally, they sought to create a space that felt like being welcomed into the private home of a world traveler, given the owners’ love for travel.

         The main room was intentionally designed to feel like a study, with the addition of built-in bookcases that display collections of books and curated pieces from the owners’ travels.  For the exterior, the team chose Bluestone pavers for their texture and organic quality as a way of connecting the indoor and outdoor spaces holistically.

         For the main interior spaces, the team selected end-grain white-oak wood flooring, which exposes the growth rings on every piece and is extremely durable, and soapstone for the countertops given their sense of timelessness.  The original wall treatment of rough sawn boards and battens was maintained but given a fresh new paint color, along with the exposed wood paneled ceilings.  The existing structural trusses were blasted and sealed with a clear-coat.  The only major upgrade throughout was the addition of new, modern-profile windows and doors.

         While there are many wonderful wineries to choose from in California, Black Kite Cellars is a great option for pinot-noir and chardonnay lovers who are in the Freestone area.  With a dignified yet relaxed updated design, the Jasper House is more ready than ever to serve as a must-see tasting room.