Whether by happy-accident or our design auras were parked in the same spot, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab’s Design Consultant, Erika, found herself seated at the tasting room of Stewart Cellars the same day that Interior’s piece with Ken Fulk landed on our doorstep explaining the space’s fictitious and fabulous history and design concept. As she sipped her wine, we delved into the story to learn more about the wonderful wheels that were turning in Interior Designer Ken Fulk’s brain as he consulted the family on bringing the Yountville winery to life.
Located in the heart of Yountville, Stewart Cellars embodies all-things Napa Valley: picturesque vineyards, a quest for consistently beautiful wine, a stealthily family-owned operation and a beautiful place to call home. When Ken Fulk stepped onto the project, the architecture had already been conceived and it was his design team’s job to wrap a narrative around the space.
To add a breath of excitement and visual interest, Fulk crafted a tale of the family’s fictitious Scottish uncle to base his designs on. This uncle travelled the world, gathering knowledge and inspiration from cultures far and wide, and brought it all home to Napa Valley. Based on the uncle’s eccentricity and openness to mixed-and-matched design concepts, Fulk adopted this story as his design narrative and executed a beautifully robust yet subtle scheme for the family winery.
The structure came to be filled with a combination of custom furnishings, antiques, local buys, and artisan-crafted finds all tracing back to the tale of the Stewart family’s fictitious uncle and his kooky yet cool ideas. For instance, in the Nomad Heritage Library, a collection of artifacts, old books, wine-themed décor, and other knick-knacks sit stylishly on designer case goods and upholstered seating decked out in plush velvets and dimensional tartan. This lounge offers guests a chance to sit back and sip their wine while feeling in the comfort of their own home with midcentury arm chairs, an array of textures and colors, and anything but commercial-like décor.
The other spaces at the winery, including the 1,025-square-foot tasting hall, all feature Fulk’s eagle eye for design and eccentric flair. Whether you’re in the mood to taste a few pours of the Stewart family’s latest harvest, or you’re there to grab a peek at the estate’s unique design concept, the entire space is a feast for the eyes.
