Vintage French Meets California Cool in a Design for a Sonoma Winery

How do you blend the opulence of a grand French Château with the more rustic and modern aesthetic of California’s wine country?

That was the challenge Maria Khouri – principal of Maria Khouri Interiors of San Francisco – accepted when Jordan Vineyard and Winery chose her to renovate the lobby of its French-inspired Château in Healdsburg, California.

When guests arrive at the winery and its 1,200 acres of vineyards, John Jordan, the company’s second-generation owner, wants them to be welcomed by an interior that reflects the vineyard’s origins. His parents founded Jordan—and built the Chateau in the 1970s—after falling in love with the Bordeaux region and its grand vineyards, particularly Château Lafitte. However, the design also needed to reflect the modern design sensibilities of Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley.

“You can’t have a completely French Château in Healdsburg,” says Khouri. “It doesn’t work. You want the California influence. The challenge was to update it – to make it more ‘wine country.'”

French Detail Meets California Simplicity

Khouri’s remarkable solution for the Jordan lobby elegantly blends the ornate French aesthetic with the simpler, cleaner lines and modern touches of California design.

The original lobby’s small, intimate confines and dark wood cabinetry were expanded and reconfigured to create a large, airy space full of light—the essence of California. Khouri balanced the simplicity of this new space with a collection of stunning French details.

Wall panels are painted in robin’s egg blue – a “very, very French” hue – and framed by distressed gold trim. A custom reception desk rendered in Ponte Vecchio-honed marble offers a stunning visual centerpiece as guests enter the space. A modern chandelier lights a 17th-century Aubusson tapestry. Armchairs from the Napoleon III era have been fashioned with modern fabric. Museum-quality antiques and art abound.

And tying it all together: a White Oak wide plank floor, installed in a Chevron pattern, handcrafted by Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.

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The Importance of Flooring in Interior Design

Having grown up in the chaos and destruction of war-torn Beirut, Khouri became passionate about creating beauty in the world through design at a young age. Her commitment is evident in her approach to choosing the right floor for a project.

“This is one area where I don’t negotiate with clients much because it’s the foundation of many other decisions. The floor is like the canvas before you start painting. It’s such an anchoring element in a room because there’s so much of it. You interact with the floor more than the walls in some ways because you’re walking on it. It’s such an important choice, and choosing the right material is a big decision.”

Khouri wanted a classic patterned wood floor in the French Château style but with a more contemporary finish and color. “That’s how I wanted to marry both aesthetics.” She just needed to convince the client.

Choosing the Right Wide Plank Floor in No Time At All

When she presented her ideas for the lobby floor, Khouri’s conviction won John Jordan over immediately.

“The floor is a perfect example of how you bring classic French Château to California,” says Khouri.” I showed him classic French parquet floors, then showed them what we could do today. And he was just sold. The decision was made in a split-second.”

It took a lot of time to hunt down all the extraordinary art and antiques from Parisian galleries and antique dealers for the space. But when it came to the flooring, Khouri knew exactly where to turn: Carlisle Wide Plank Floors’ showroom in San Francisco, where Terry McLaughlin is the Sales Manager. She had heard about Carlisle from other designers. “A friend of mine told me about Terry, specifically,” laughs Khouri.

After her initial visit to Carlisle, Khouri was so impressed with McLaughlin’s knowledge that she returned to the showroom with her client. “Terry does an amazing job explaining how the Carlisle process works – he’s a great resource.”

Carlisle’s wide plank Chevron flooring immediately won them over. “He just said, ‘Yeah, that’s it,’ because it fits the concept very well, and we wanted high-quality materials throughout.”

Khouri was extremely pleased with the Carlisle team throughout the design process, production, and installation. “The communication with the team was perfect. I’ve had zero problems with Carlisle. The logistical side of the order went very, very smoothly. It was uneventful—exactly what we need to deal with vendors and shipping issues!”

A Personalized Floor from Carlisle’s Collections

Working with Khouri was equally easy for Terry McLaughlin since she knew exactly what she wanted. “Maria had a vision of the Jordan space – she wanted an old world feel but updated,” said McLaughlin.

In searching for a parquet floor with a contemporary feel, Khouri was drawn to the color and feel of a floor from one of Carlisle’s several dozen Collections. “She knew she wanted to go with a Chevron floor, and she liked the 6″ x 30″ size we had on display in the showroom.”

Khouri chose the Eden floor from the Tranquil Collection – a White Oak wide plank floor in Signature Grade with a smooth texture. “Because the floor would be in a high-traffic area, we discussed the option of a brushed texture to minimize light scratches and an extra matte urethane for a low-sheen look.” Carlisle’s Custom Shop handcrafted custom samples so Maria could show the clients exactly what they’d receive.

Given the project’s specific environmental conditions, Khouri chose the engineered wood option for the floor rather than solid wood. The planks were prefinished at Carlisle’s facility rather than finished on-site, which allowed craftsmen to apply stronger finishes that added extra layers of protection.

Eden is one of several dozen Collection floors from Carlisle that feature our most popular finishes and can be personalized in multiple ways. Customers have the option of choosing between solid or engineered hardwood and from a variety of different grades that feature more or less grain and personality.

Select Collection floors like Eden can be fashioned with boards of different widths and lengths and treated with various finishes and textures. Depending on the product selected, clients can also choose a pattern installation like Chevron, Herringbone, Versailles, or a custom pattern. Through it all, specialists like Terry McLaughlin provide the kind of invaluable assistance that makes designing a one-of-a-kind Carlisle floor a true pleasure.

Raves and Accolades

Maria Khouri’s extraordinary design and renovation of the Jordan Winery lobby with Carlisle floors has been featured in numerous magazines and design journals. But for Khouri, the most important accolades are from the Jordan family.

“We loved how she embraced the Jordan style of blending vintage with modern chic in a timeless way,” says John Jordan. “The Jordan lobby is the first place that guests experience. We hope it will be as memorable as the food and wine pairings, the hospitality, and the views.”

Are you interested in transforming your space with the timeless elegance and unmatched durability of wide plank flooring? Explore our Collections and speak to a Carlisle Wide Plank Specialist to learn how Carlisle Wide Plank Floors can bring your vision to life.

Photography Credit:  Christopher Stark  │ Designer:  Maria Khouri Interiors