Following a three-year restoration, Cabernet Sauvignon vintner Faust Wines has unveiled its new winery and tasting room, Faust Haus, in St. Helena, California. A refreshing, modern departure from the traditional Napa Valley luxury experience, Faust Haus provides an environment more akin to a living room than a tasting room.
San Francisco-based Aidlin Darling Design was enlisted to revive the historic Victorian structure, a former farmhouse and Prohibition-era cellar that was originally constructed in 1878. “We connected with thee notion of moving up from darkness to light as one ascends through the house—from a place of rich opulence to one of bright simplicity, as analogous to pursuing a state of enlightenment,” explains David Darling, principal of Aidlin Darling Design. “We hoped to build a new kind of wine tasting experience while honoring and amplifying the historic beauty of the home.”
The interior design was further elevated by fellow San Francisco studio Maca Huneeus Design, which conceived an atmosphere characterized by a bright color palette and unique vintage furnishings. Statement pieces—like a midcentury tapestry and custom photography by Lindsey Ross—instill a sense of character, while a freehand wall mural by Italian artist Roberto Ruspoli anchors the second floor. (In accordance with social distancing protocols, Faust Haus is currently hosting visitors on the site’s restored veranda and outdoor gardens, both of which frame sweeping Napa Valley vistas.)
