The Old Barn at Theorem Winery by Richard Beard Architects - Calistoga, California

Elevated Magazines
2 days ago
2 min read

One of many new builds and renovations completed for Theorem wine estate in Napa Valley, the structure Richard Beard Architects designed to serve as the vineyard’s private tasting room and special event venue—known as The Old Barn—is a faithful reinvention of the namesake, 19th-century livery shed that once stood in its place before falling into disrepair and eventually collapsing in a storm.

Photo documentation of the original barn’s shape and materials palette—it was a classic Shaker-style form clad in red-painted oak—guided the architects, who collaborated with interior designer Nicolas Proietti. Their straightforward take on the existing plans resulted in an entirely new barn that feels, in essence, exactly like the old one.

Sited at a far corner of the estate on the edge of a steep cliff, the barn is removed from the rest of the hospitality program. Outsized windows face away from the property’s central public spaces, amplifying a sense of seclusion and creating a completely different experience for guests on the estate.

Oak-lined floors and ceilings reference the structure’s historical context, as do barn-style pocket doors and the exterior treatment of burnished-red paint. A masculine, clean-lined look and darker hues prevail in the interior scheme, where highlights include a sleek loft with a pool table overlooking the main event space and the extravagant tasting bar with scalable proportions and push-in, pocket chairs.

A full-service, professional catering kitchen ensures five-star operations behind the scenes while the dramatic, two-story fireplace holds pride of place in the public spaces. The rustic, inviting back deck opens to distant views of rolling grapevines and surrounding pastureland, reinforcing the estate’s heart of operation as well as its local context.

Richard Beard Architects team

Richard Beard

Katherine Schwertner

Nicholas Vincent Design team

Nicholas Vincent

Project team

Architect: Richard Beard Architects

Interior Design: Nicholas Vincent Design

Contractor: Ken Finley Construction

Structural Engineer:

ZFA Structural Engineers

Lighting Designer: Tucci Lighting Design