Jeff Zimmerman — Architect
“Once I started my own firm in San Francisco, I found that I deeply enjoyed connecting to the clients we are so lucky to have, along with the skilled builders and consultants who bring it all to life. It’s a team sport.
— Jeff Zimmerman, architect
Zimmerman always tries to amplify light, air, and privacy in the design process, making spaces feel personal and unique. He continues that approach today, but with luxury custom homes and at a much more extensive, detailed level.
“We are able to use a broad array of wonderful materials and finishes, emphasize the art of our designs, and capture the personality of each client, which can mean adding some whimsical and unique elements,” he says.
You can see this approach in ZMM’s many breathtaking homes in Northern California, including a stunning 5,500-square-foot home in Healdsburg. Situated atop a hill, the five-bedroom home boasts expansive views of the surrounding vineyards and countryside.
“This client wanted the home to be part of the land and gave us great latitude in the design process,” Zimmerman says. “Russian River Valley to the east, rolling vineyard views to the south, and the Pacific Coast Range to the west – this is Northern California at its best.”
Zimmerman says the clients discovered the property while cycling in the area on vacation. Coming from Manhattan, they wanted a spacious home designed for an indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
“The site provided the perfect setting,” Zimmerman says. “The flat knoll allows for rooms with large glazing and pocket sliders, opening to the pool deck and its amazing views. A wine cave and study sit below the cantilevered bedroom, which soars over the Russian River valley.”
The home’s plan shapes itself around an outdoor courtyard with all the social spaces like the family room, kitchen, and living room designed with large openings leading to the patio and a terraced pool and landscape that steps down to a deck off the wine cellar at the lower level. The material palette is made up of stone, vertical cedar siding, and boardform concrete. The design also features vertical cedar fins that help with solar shading and filter the light as it passes into the interior spaces.
“The real challenge to this site was not to screw it up,” Zimmerman says. “In the end, grab all its beauty and amenities and make it look as if it belonged there.
Photography by Adam Potts
Photography by Adam Potts
Photography by Adam Potts