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Destination Design: Harmon Guest House

Designed as a mixture of posh and pastoral, organic and minimalist, a thread of sustainable and eco-conscious forethought weaves into every detail of the Harmon Guest House in Sonoma County’s Wine Country, a picturesque long weekend getaway that invites guests to indulge in the natural beauty of the northern end of the Golden State.

Earthy tones and textures play prominent throughout the Harmon Guest House’s public and private spaces, accented with commissioned artwork from local artists, including Sabine Reckewell’s three-dimensional geometric sculptures hanging in the lobby.

Its name may communicate otherwise, but the Harmon Guest House in Healdsburg, California can comfortably accommodate numerous guests at once – thirty-nine rooms of lodgers, to be exact.

Three levels of rooms are available to choose from, starting with the better than standard, Harmon King – 395-square-foot studio-style rooms, each with its own window seat and outdoor balcony overlooking the property’s Creekside Deck, mountains, or interior courtyard. Original art photography by Leigh Merrill, a quilted headboard, Peace Industry felt rugs, and a Treko hand-loomed bed throws adorn rooms with warm detailing, complemented by graphical and geometric patterns.

Those in need of a little more room can foot for a Double Queen room, bumping up to 450 sq. ft. of space, while the Founder’s Suite (shown below) extends accommodations to a generous 750 sq. ft., ample enough for its own master bedroom with en suite bathroom with a Sonoma Stoneworks cast tub and vanity, along with a queen-size pull-out sofa to host friends or family.

Respectful of the natural beauty, the architectural efforts of David Baker Architects bear the award of LEED Gold Certification, with the entire property representing design intended to integrate, rather than intrude, with the surrounding landscape. A blessing, considering Healdsburg’s bucolic landscape is visible from every room, with the surrounding bevy of oenophile and culinary destinations the primary draws of this postcard perfect town.

Furthering their green bona fides, the Harmon Guest House relies upon solar energy to heat water. A fleet of 26 bicycles are available for guests to use to explore town, with six electric vehicle-charging stations catering to Bay Area tech vacationers who’ve arrived by way of Tesla or other EV.

While the property’s indoor meeting and special events facilities can capably accommodate up to 100 guests when needed, it’s the outdoor pool and rooftop areas that no doubt offer the bigger draw for informal socializing.

A canopy of mature oak trees provide shade, privacy, and a sense of nature’s proximity around a solar heated pool.

Inspired by and in honor of the town’s founder, Harmon Heald, the Harmon Guest House recently hosted Elevated Talks, inviting internationally-acclaimed professionals ranging from designers, architects, and musicians to discuss their work from the perspective of both the personal and professional (with this last 2019 event hosted and sponsored by Design Milk and Clever podcast).

The rooftop bar and restaurant’s elevated perspective affords guests views of the Sonoma mountains in the distance and Downtown Healdsburg below.

What: Harmon Guest House
Where: 227 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, California, 95448
How much: Rooms starting at $279
Highlights: An eco-friendly LEED Gold certified design hotel in the heart of Sonoma County’s wine country sitting adjacent to a peaceful creek with views of nearby Fitch Mountain – fitting natural accoutrements to the contemporary Japanese-Scandinavian aesthetics hosted within.
Design draw: The Harmon Guest House’s architecture itself is an impressive draw, further enhanced by the inclusion of locally-sourced art, fixtures, and furnishings chosen to underline the property’s commitment to sustainability.
Book it: Harmon Guest House

Photos by Harmon Guest House.

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Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.