Built around 1900, this two-bedroom farmhouse in Healdsburg, California boasts picturesque views of the surrounding vineyards and a wraparound porch woven with mature grapevines. It was a perfect match for interior designer Deniece Duscheone, who has a background in preservation architecture.
Operating out of San Francisco, California and Portland, Maine, Duscheone’s eponymous design firm expertly melds historical and high-end. Duscheone worked closely with the owners of this wine-country home to honor its roots while adding a little polish.
The traditional colors and nickel-gap siding of the exterior give way to more whimsy and color inside. Custom drapery and rugs cushion guests in a luxury that feels both rich and cozy. Duscheone took much of her inspiration from the charming parlor, which was a specific request from one of the homeowners.
Dubbed “Grandma’s room” by the designer, the space pays homage to the client’s mother and grandmother and his upbringing on a similar farm in Healdsburg. With its William Morris wallpaper and vintage, cherry fireplace—salvaged from Facebook Marketplace—the intimate parlor invokes a simpler time, inviting the slow savor of a quiet morning or an evening lingering by the fire.
Duscheone worked a little architectural magic to make the space feel authentically original. She vaulted the ceiling, replaced the tiled fireplace, and redesigned the windows to a size better suited to the home’s origins. Many of the windows and doors—including the expansive French doors overlooking the vineyards—were custom designed by Duscheone. Wherever possible, she retained the original oak floorboards, carefully matching when necessary.
Although Duscheone focuses mostly on interior design these days, she had an opportunity to flex her architectural muscles on the homeowners’ guesthouse. Designed to look like an old grape house or stables, the garage turned guesthouse features redwood siding left to weather naturally and is full of personal touches—and visitors!
Duscheone describes her clients as frequent entertainers with a full, welcoming home. The couple showcased their playful side in whimsical additions like the Pierre Frey wallpaper in the guest bathroom and cherub statues repurposed into lamps for the guesthouse.
Family heirlooms like the needlepoint chair in the primary bedroom (a great-great-grandmother’s) and steamer trunk turned coffee table in the guesthouse add character; these pieces reflect the history of the property and the couple who inhabit it today.
“I’m drawn to older buildings,” says Duscheone. “What were their stories? When we strip them back, I really try to sit in the project for a minute and think about the history and I do my research on each house. I think: How do I start to layer back in modern amenities while also giving sort of a nod to history, and maybe even a nod to the people who once lived there?”
Sirens Roost Home
“Starting Sirens Roost Home was sort of a dream as a designer,” says Deniece Duscheone of her flagship store. With an online catalog in addition to the brick-and-mortar store in Portland, Maine, Duscheone’s one-of-a-kind pieces bring the bespoke into homes from coast to coast.
The designer describes everything in her store as “hand touched,” from the Uruguayan throws to chocolates confected by a botanist in the Hudson Valley. The entire catalog has been curated with care and Duscheone enjoys showcasing little-known makers and artisans she’s encountered throughout her career and travels.
“[The store] feeds my shopping addiction,” the designer laughs, “but it also feeds a passion of wanting to invite people to slow it down a little bit. And yes, this is more expensive, but this is something to pass along through your family. And it feels better, it feels good, and it’s going to last longer.” www.sirensroosthome.com
