When Lynn and O’Neal Grady were looking for somewhere to retire, the Dallas-based couple settled on a 500-acre plot in California‘s Paso Robles wine region on the coast of Central California about half way betwen L.A. and San Francisco. There, they started their own vineyard and worked with the firm Overland Partners on a conservation-focused home that would leave as small a footprint as possible on the land. The result is an 8,577-square-foot contemporary abode completed just last year, marking Overland’s very first 100 percent off-grid project.
The energy to power MoonSprings Vineyard comes from an array of solar panels, while the water supply is courtesy of runoff rainfall and natural water wells. The regenerative farm, meanwhile, includes a 100-acre ecological sanctuary and wildlife preserve planted with drought-tolerant vegetation. With a focus on the human community as well as the natural community, the Gradys lease out the vineyards to small local winemaking partners.
The living room flows seamlessly back to the dining room and the kitchen.
Yoshihiro Makino
It’s a rather impressive project, one that the Gradys oversee from their sprawling hilltop perch, which cuts a stark, angular contrast against the rolling hills and ancient oak trees that surround it, yet at the same time, due to it’s large windows, feels as one with the landscape.
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During the design process, the Gradys opted to build completely with locally sourced materials, so the woods, stones, and color tones blend in with the environment, and to prioritize community engagement and connection. To that end, there’s a sense of flow among the communal rooms that makes for easy movement. The double-height living room, with a statement fireplace, spills into the chandelier-topped dining room. From there, you can access the kitchen, which has a large marble island primed for gathering and grain-matched white-oak cabinets.
Solar panels provide energy for both the home and the vineyard operations.
Yoshihiro Makino
The neutral-toned primary bedroom includes a small fireplace as well, with a chair nearby for cozy reading sessions. The bathroom wraps around an open yet private patio, with a dark-hued soaking tub on one side and a walk-in shower on the other. A snug wooden office with floor-to-ceiling shelving completes the interior.
Multiple outdoor areas are found in both the front and the back of the property. An elevated deck with vineyard views is set up for alfresco dining and lounging by the fire pit. The outdoor kitchen sits beside a serene pool, which has the sense of dropping off into the greenery. Here, several distinct sitting areas seem ideal for kicking back with some wine—the entire growing process visible from just beyond the rim of your glass.
Click here to see all the images of MoonSprings Vineyard.
Yoshihiro Makino
Authors
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Tori Latham