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My Houzz: California Ranch and Farm Look to Nature
Complete with yurts, an organic farm and an 'unintentional community,' this home in Ojai, California, shows its love of the land
Contributing home tour photographer/writer for Houzz, design enthusiast, blogger and photographer.
Contributing home tour photographer/writer for Houzz, design enthusiast,... More »
Landscape designer Kim Ainsworth of Green Goddess Gardens wasn't in the market for a new home, until she saw the property now called Red Tail Ranch. "My realtor literally flagged me down on Ojai Avenue, boasting of a piece of land new to the market," she says.
When Ainsworth purchased the former citrus farm in 2000, ideas for her new home started to brew. Before acting on any design ideas, she spent several months living in one of the yurts on the 8-acre piece of land. "Spending time on the land before building makes a big difference," Ainsworth says. By learning details like which way the sun sets and where the wind blows, she gained clarity for what exactly she wanted to build.
This was the first time Ainsworth had designed something from scratch, and she felt a burden of responsibility to build something appropriate to the value of the land, without being overly grandiose or high maintenance. With this in mind, she designed an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient home with a ranch-inspired aesthetic. "My home is my laboratory," says Ainsworth. "It's my education; it's my school. It teaches me so much."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kim Ainsworth, a couple with 3 children, and various friends and farmers in yurts on the property
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 2,900-square-foot house divided in two; each half has 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom
That's interesting: Part of the property is a registered archaeological site.
When Ainsworth purchased the former citrus farm in 2000, ideas for her new home started to brew. Before acting on any design ideas, she spent several months living in one of the yurts on the 8-acre piece of land. "Spending time on the land before building makes a big difference," Ainsworth says. By learning details like which way the sun sets and where the wind blows, she gained clarity for what exactly she wanted to build.
This was the first time Ainsworth had designed something from scratch, and she felt a burden of responsibility to build something appropriate to the value of the land, without being overly grandiose or high maintenance. With this in mind, she designed an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient home with a ranch-inspired aesthetic. "My home is my laboratory," says Ainsworth. "It's my education; it's my school. It teaches me so much."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kim Ainsworth, a couple with 3 children, and various friends and farmers in yurts on the property
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 2,900-square-foot house divided in two; each half has 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom
That's interesting: Part of the property is a registered archaeological site.
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by Shannon Malone
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| Contractor Andrew Stasse, a newcomer to green design, was initially skeptical about the idea of creating a cost-efficient green home. But after much research and dedication, the team made Ainsworth's vision materialize. The awnings built over the kitchen windows shown here are designed to let winter sun in and keep summer sun out. In the winter, the awnings create radiant heat in the home by directing sunlight to the interior's concrete floors. |
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by Shannon Malone
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| With the current economy in mind, Ainsworth designed the house for extended family use. The property can function as a single-family home or as two identical single-family units. Both are financially viable options depending on the needs of Ainsworth and her family. She currently rents the other side of the property to a couple and their three children. |
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Ainsworth wanted to build a classic California home that steered away from typical white. She says, "White is too formal, and this isn't a formal home. It is a ranch, after all." She chose a sandy tone for the home's exterior.
The hallway separating the two units gives an enchanting view of one of the property's yurts.
The hallway separating the two units gives an enchanting view of one of the property's yurts.
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by Shannon Malone
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| By law, a single-family home is permitted to have only one main kitchen. Finding it easier to rent out the unit with a real kitchen, Ainsworth moved into the side with what she calls a "here today, gone tomorrow" kitchen, containing only the absolutely necessary elements. Stove: The Antique Stove Shop, Ventura, California; sink: antique found on roadside |
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by Shannon Malone
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| Functionality is key when it comes to Ainsworth's design philosophy. She says, "I like decorations to be functional, such as picture frames, flower vases and candleholders. I don't like tchotchkes." The home was designed with a high-use yet low-maintenance mentality and has beautiful, user-friendly elements. The concrete floors found throughout the home are a perfect example: They are exceptionally low maintenance without compromising beauty. Kitchen table and chairs: Down Home Furnishings, Ojai |
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One of Ainsworth's favorite furniture pieces is this cabinet given to her by her sister. The cabinet is painted with a BioShield stain to give it a rustic, ranch-inspired feel.
Kitchen cabinet: Santa Fe Imports (now closed)
Kitchen cabinet: Santa Fe Imports (now closed)
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by Shannon Malone
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| Ainsworth says her favorite place in her home is the outside. "That's honestly where I spend most of my time. However, a close second would be the great room," she says. "This room has everything. It's where I cook; it has music; it has television and it's where I entertain." |
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| Ainsworth wanted to stay as ecofriendly as possible, so instead of using potentially toxic paints, she mixed color directly into the plaster of the walls. Her inspiration for the rear accent wall in her living room came from her love of terra-cotta pots. She says, "You can put any kind of plant in a terra-cotta pot, and it looks beautiful. It's a very neutral color that goes with everything." For the adjacent living room and kitchen walls, she used the original plaster mixed with coffee grounds for a hint of color and texture. The living room palette ties in beautifully with her antique wool rug and sofa from Homemakers Furniture (now closed). Sofa pillows and leather ottoman: Pottery Barn |
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Not only does this wall serve as a vibrant and unique decorative accent, but it also holds a highly functional purpose. Made up of solid concrete blocks, the wall is designed to retain heat by capturing the sun's rays coming in through surrounding windows and skylights.
Chair: Homemakers Furniture (now closed)
Chair: Homemakers Furniture (now closed)
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Recycled wood from old bleachers at Matilija Junior High School in Oja lines the hall's doorways and ceilings. "My former husband had to scrape all the old gum off of them," Ainsworth says, laughing.
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Short on time, Ainsworth was forced to rush the experimentation process with plaster colors, resulting in a slightly darker turquoise than she had hoped for in the bathroom. In the future, she plans to tone it down to a more subtle mint hue.
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The bathroom feels wide open, with grand doorways and a double-sided mirror door connecting the two sections of the room.
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| Ainsworth's bedroom has a charming country feel. Sunlight brightens the room, softened by lace window treatments. The cotton and wool bedding is environmentally friendly; the natural latex mattresses are from Savvy Rest in Charlottesville, Virginia. The bed frame itself is a recycled family treasure, repainted using a white nontoxic BioShield stain. |
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The mint color mixed with the white plaster gives the bedroom an airy feel.
Nightstand: Pottery Barn; chair: gift from a friend
Nightstand: Pottery Barn; chair: gift from a friend
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An armoire in the bedroom brings brilliant yet rustic color into the room.
Armoire: Santa Fe Imports (now closed); blue stain on armoire: BioShield Paints
Armoire: Santa Fe Imports (now closed); blue stain on armoire: BioShield Paints
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| Outside, Ainsworth's original yurt, currently occupied by a family friend, is a perfect mixture of ranch-style living and whimsy. Sofas: Gloria Jean Design, Ojai; bed frame and nightstands: Pottery Barn; chest: antique from Alexandria, Virginia |
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| Knowing that this land is special, Ainsworth designed it to be shared with others — an "unintentional community," as she calls it. The ranch includes a certified organic farm as well as Grounded By Nature, a life and nature skills program for children. |
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This wooden outhouse was built for the children participating in Grounded By Nature.
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Comments
linbar Interesting home. Had to laugh at the statement that her "former husband had to scrape off the gum.....". Perhaps an insight as to why he is the "former".
14 months ago · Like
CAROLE MEYER Very interesting and beautiful.
14 months ago · Like
Bette I want that yurt!!!
14 months ago · Like
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rebkot Cement floors - what an interesting idea for a low-maintenance surface.
14 months ago · Like
Mark Sr This is a very beautiful home. I would like your readers to understand the eco-friendly/green movement just a litttle better. Not only is being good to the envirnoment part of the eco-friendly and green movement, but reducing your carbon footprint is part of that as well. When under taking a eco-friendly or green project all resources should come from which 500 miles of the project location. I hear all the time how green bamboo or cork is, as a flooring option. I say where does it come from? Mosy likely it comes from somewhere other than the lower 48, therby increasing your carbon footprint significantly. Purchasing your mattress and such from the other side of the country is not that eco-friendly. Simply, a part of the eco-friendly/green movement that is looked. Again, a very beautiful house and mostly eco-friendly.
14 months ago · Like
hamid So beautiful
14 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on March 21, 2012.
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