Interview with Win dellArio, Home Designer, Principal of Designs Dell Ario of Half Moon Bay, CA talks about her design concepts for Sorrento.

The Sorrento developers had an architectural firm what purpose would a designer serve?

Win: As a designer I made sure the house had all the foundations of spacious, efficient, elegant living. A designer complements the architect by reviewing the design and flow of rooms along with the coordination of beautiful materials. There are complaints that women have in new constructions - a workable kitchen, lots of storage, good laundry room, ease of maintenance.

It is unusual to have a designer review the kitchen to make sure it works well for a serious cook. Every single Sorrento kitchen was "tried on". I asked myself how a serious cook would use this kitchen. I approached the kitchen design knowing that every woman who entertains understands that everyone wants to hang out in the kitchen. That's why it is spacious with a big island with counter seating.
There is plenty of room for a laundry because many architects don't appreciate these things. Whenever we could include storage we added it from walk in closets to attic and garage storage spaces to linen closets. I am a fanatic about closets. Sorrento homes have hinged doors instead of sliders so that you can see everything in the closet at once.

What was your idea in the color and materials selection?

Win: We did a lot of color coordination with the counter tops, cabinet woods, carpets, paint colors, tiles and light fixtures. There is enough variety but everything works together no matter what you choose. Whatever style the buyers bring to their Sorrento house they will find there is a natural base pallet to add their own individual style.

What about the appliances and lighting selection?

Win: Even the standard appliance packages are luxury appliances, which in other developments would normally be considered upgrades. The light fixtures coordinate within the entire house. There is a design consistency and there is a nice flow from room to room even with the smallest details such as the hardware and the cabinet knobs. Integration was our mantra.

How would you describe the lighting in Sorrento homes?

Win: Sorrento homes are designed with a sense of openness and light.
People want a house to feel open and "light filled". This was absolutely one of our guiding core points. We wanted abundant lighting. You can always dim things but there is plenty of lighting wherever you need it. We put in task lights for bathrooms and kitchen. The lighting means that Sorrento homeowners will experience hominess that isn't the norm in new homes. One of the advantages of the windows is that there are "surprise" windows here and there. In many of the units there are solar tubes and high windows in the vaulted entries to add light to the core of the house and the bathrooms. We were generous with both windows and lighting.

When the developers started Sorrento oil was $30 a barrel - now who knows where it will go. What has been done for energy conservation?

Win: The largest single uses of energy in a home are hot water and heating. The tankless hot water system in Sorrento homes insures there is plenty of hot water without the expense of a hot water heater.

We never imagine ourselves with a broken leg or getting older or infirm but what design elements were included in the Sorrento homes that allow for ease in accessibility?

Win: We want comfortable places to live. You can have difficulties in moving around even at a very young age. Even if we get a broken leg from a skiing accident we want to negotiate our homes. We made sure that a friend, aging parent, or the homeowner would not to have to climb stairs to get in the house. Therefore, most of the homes are "zero clearance" which means you can roll a wheel chair or walker right inside. All the flooring materials are non-skid. Sorrento homes have a basic comfort and ease of operation such as faucets and doorknobs with levers. If you have arthritis or difficulty gripping you can open and close faucets and doors easily. All the toilets are comfort height toilets. We built in wider doors for bathrooms on the first floors and single story homes. Most of the models have single floor living with at least one bedroom downstairs. All of the bathrooms have blocking or reinforcement in the walls to add grab bars at a later date.

What were your guiding principals for the design?

Win: We wanted a lot of variety, no cookie cutter homes. We developed many individual options for owners to select. We used rich finishes, quality doors, heavy weight, solid-core doors. Even when opening or closing a door we wanted a sense of substance. You can tell the difference. Authentic materials were used - clay roof tiles, real hardwood floors and granite counters and tumbled marble backsplashes. We installed solid wood cabinetry doors.

We wanted ease of maintenance whenever possible. There is enough room for flowers and outdoor living but you don't have to spend your weekend tending the garden. Most homeowners don't use the back or front yards of a house because there is no privacy. In Sorrento homes with courtyards there is an expanded sense of light into the center core of the house and the result is a feeling of spaciousness that comes from indoor/outdoor living. The house wraps around the courtyard to provide outdoor living with privacy. There are no neighboring windows looking down into the private courtyards.

Sorrento homes have privacy within the intimacy of a small community that is within Chico. This allows the Sorrento homeowner to have the benefits of the park and the city and a new home that is designed to be comfortable from the moment they move in.