High Achiever

Inspired by the charming details of the historic villas of Tuscany, architect Matin Taraz developed this magnificent 22,000-square-foot estate home in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. The $32 million home celebrates past and present, using reclaimed materials, rustic finishes and authentic Italian architecture - coupled with literally every conceivable modern amenity. Located on an 8-acre site that boasts ocean, mountain and valley views, the home features seven bedrooms and 13 baths, as well as a separate guest house.

Taraz admits to being "meticulous to the point of pickiness" in his adherence to whatever style he is emulating. "I really do a lot of research at the outset," he says. In this instance, his dedication to Tuscan detail was matched by that of his client. "He really wanted an awesome house, as well as one with enough quality to protect his investment."

The special challenge was to stay true to the Tuscan style his client had chosen, while creating a comfortable and modern living environment the client wanted for the family. "Of course, they wanted things in their home that did not exist 400 years ago," Taraz says, "so I had to work it out so that everything blended together. The client had the patience to wait for things to be done correctly." The home, whose construction spanned more than six years from start to finish, was completed in March.

Built in the style of a compound, the home appears to consist of a variety of structures, says Taraz. This necessitated the use of numerous long hallways to connect the various living spaces. "The sprawl of the house itself created numerous disparate rooms, so I needed to develop a theme tying everything together without being repetitive."

One of Taraz's methods for creating continuity was the use of dramatic ceilings, featuring exposed trusses made from 100-year-old beams salvaged from barns in the Pacific Northwest. "This extensive use of wood really complements the style," Taraz says.

Although exact ceiling treatments are not duplicated in any space, the variation in the use of materials is kept to a minimum, says Taraz. "I wanted things to match, so I was not looking for a variety of wood types for the beams. Four hundred years ago, craftsmen would have been working with wood that came from the same general region."

Procuring the large number of beams - more than 300 in all - wasn't a simple task. "Sometimes we had to wait for months for the right type of wood to become available," says Taraz, "but the results were well worth the effort - spaces that look similar but are not quite the same."

Style of Home | Tuscan Villa
Location | Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Total Square Footage | 22,000 under roof, including 17,000 air-conditioned
Estimated Market Value | $32 million
Architect | Taraz Architecture, Rancho Santa Fe
Custom Luxury Residence

Photography by Roberto Zaballos