Michael Volpatt, owner of Big Bottom Market, is perhaps best known for his biscuits, which were one of Oprah’s “Favorite Things” a few years ago. But Volpatt, a longtime fixture in Guernville, has had his hands in the mix in many ways beyond making biscuits. Among other projects, he co-owns the Equality Vines tasting room across the street from the market and, during the pandemic, he became the host of a self-produced cooking show, making livestreams of his homemade meals.
Considering Volpatt’s deep roots in Guerneville, it’s no wonder that his home emanates a love for this tiny Russian River community. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium, just steps from the river, is now listed for $625,000.
Volpatt worked with interior designer Christian Damerow to bring more light into the home and create space for hosting overnight guests. The pony walls that framed the staircase were replaced with wood-framed cable railings, connecting the first and second floors in a way that allows more light to flow through the space. The look was capped off with nature-centric touches, including plenty of stained woods and a layout that yields focus to the towering redwoods outside.
Volpatt, an avid cook and frequent visitor to New York’s Fire Island Pines, wanted a kitchen that referenced his “happy place.” Damerow achieved this by using white oak floor material on the ceiling and the backsplash, with a black stone countertop as a contrasting design element. To make more room for food prep, the refrigerator was moved to a downstairs storage unit and replaced with Sub Zero under-the-counter refrigerator and freezer units.
To maximize seating in the living room, Damerow designed a built-in couch, which was then made by the late Howard Green of Evergreen Flooring. The cushions were also made locally, by seamstress Bonnie Plevney of Bonnie Sew Good.
In the main bedroom, the focal point is a redwood slab headboard. Volpatt fashioned this “redwood chic” piece of decor from wood from Sturgeon’s in Sebastopol, a steam-powered lumber mill that has been around since the early 1900s and now serves as a museum. The main bathroom features vibrant green Moroccan tiles that pick up the color of the redwood canopy outside.
Design details like angular sink fixtures, patterned textiles and mid-century modern furniture pieces are mixed with local art, vintage finds and gifts from friends, including a Cher collage Volpatt received on his 50th birthday. Another highlight is a vintage painting that used to hang in Pat’s International, a Guerneville diner since the 1940s. Click through the above gallery to take a look inside the home.
This condominium at 14058 Sosna Way in Guerneville is listed with Mary Mount with Russian River Realty Co., 707-869-0608, 707-695-3980, RussianRiverRealty.com