The Napa Valley ranch of celebrated San Francisco designer Ken Fulk and his husband Kurt Wootton is currently listed for sale. Just 15 minutes from downtown St. Helena, the Durham Ranch spans 76 rolling acres. Once a horse ranch, the property now includes an entertainment barn, a two-bedroom and two-bathroom cottage, two tent-bungalows, a “Cowboy Shack” and a pool. The asking price is $4.5 million.
Oaks draped in lace lichen, a natural spring and rocky streams grace the property. Unique to the Napa ranch is Fulk’s inspired design — rooted in the setting’s history, yet modern and beautiful with witty details.
“The one thing we were certain of when we began was that we did not want to lose the initial feeling that had drawn us to the place,” said Fulk, whose design ethos has been described as cinematic, theatrical and maximalist. “Nothing fancy, no faux Tuscan retreat or Provençal villa. The inspiration in restoring the property was to pay tribute to the classic California ranch with everything white and stark against the ever-changing backdrop.”
With a modern approach, Fulk created cohesion between several distinctly styled buildings: the entertainment barn, with plans by George Bevan (of Sonoma’s Bevan & Associates) to one day become the main home; the year-round tents, which have become a guest favorite; the Cowboy Shack, originally built as an art installation and now serving as an entertainment space; and the 1940s cottage, which had to be completely rebuilt.
The ranch character starts on the cottage’s board-and-batten interior walls and blue limestone floors. 1920s Parisian lighting fixtures offer a bit of time travel, and there’s a pleasing mix of textiles, from ticking to buffalo check to zebra print. Reclaimed materials lend an authentic rustic-ness — the property’s original fence was repurposed into hyper-distressed cabinetry — and also a stylish absurdity — tractor springs are born again as corkscrew-looking barstool bases.
A bright and barn-y red is dragged throughout the property in small but inspired touches, from the door that shouts against the barn’s all-white exterior to the metal chairs, vintage ice cooler and puppy-forward artwork. In fact, each room in the cottage appears to have at least one picture featuring a dog.
Canine companions inspired the property’s beginnings. Fulk and Wootton named the ranch after their late golden retriever, Durham, who Fulk described as “the noblest creature I have ever known, man or beast.” The bluestone flooring was chosen for durability and to keep the dogs cool. The 45-foot pool was built for the dogs to play in. Thankfully, it’s good for humans, too, with a 2-foot bench that runs its length.
While the dwellings have a rich, collected look on the inside, the exteriors are striking for their clean lines and simple geometry.
The 3,200-square-foot entertainment barn has a simple longhouse structure with a steeply pitched roof. Outside, a repeat of loungers, umbrellas and branded life preservers line one side of the pool. A fleet of white planters, with groomed spherical plants, stand at attention around the patio. In the middle of the grass is a simple row of Adirondacks. The disciplined layout on the land, enclosed by a swirling line of farm fence, creates a crisp, quiet and energized scene — not unlike a modern art painting.
Fulk — who has designed homes for fashion designers, tech executives and even Kamala Harris — veers away from Wine Country design trends while maintaining a strong sense of the setting.
“For me, there has been no more enduring love of place than Durham Ranch,” Fulk said, “one of the few places where we can truly escape.”
For more information on this home at 4533 Chiles Pope Valley Road in St. Helena, contact listing agent, Hillary Ryan, 707-312-2105, Hillary Ryan Group; Sotheby’s International Realty – St. Helena Brokerage, 1229 Adams St., St. Helena. durham-ranch.com