Boquete Entryway, designed by Kim Betzina (Kim Betzina Interiors) & Mughannam (Fletcher Rhodes Interior Design)
Rusti Porter and Martin Geraghty were prepared to be disappointed when they made the 50-mile trek from Alameda to Sonoma, California, to tour a midcentury ranch as a second home. “The house had been on the market for six months,” says Porter, whose first impression of the online photos was that the brick-veneer home possessed the characteristics of a prison. “We almost didn’t go look at it.”
Once inside the 4,600-square-foot U- shaped home, the two split off to take the tour. By the time they met in the middle, they shared their surprising feedback. “We’d fallen in love with the house and knew we had to buy it,” says Porter. For all that drew them to the 5 1/2-acre property, the couple’s relentless careers in sales and marketing kept them from tackling a list of improvement projects. “It became frustrating to know what I wanted this house to be, yet unable to make any progress,” she says.
Then a visit to a Napa design showcase inspired Porter to pursue a similar idea for their home—that is, to assemble a whole group of designers to work on the rooms. Within months, a team of 10 descended upon the ranch, bringing to life the narrative-rich spaces the couple envisioned based on their travels.