Villa Terrazza provides everything needed to furnish an escape to outdoor living

V illa Terrazza’s owners Theresa and Michael Robertori’s mission is to work with their customers – both residential and commercial – to create the perfect outdoor living space. They refer to this as: Furnishing the escape. With the store’s new outdoor sales space, which the Robertoris have christened The Pavilion, they can now showcase even more beautiful and functional merchandise since opening in 2005.
“The Pavilion was a gravel parking lot when we first opened, but we had a vision to turn it into a series of fully decorated outdoor room vignettes,” said Theresa, who was born and raised in a London suburb and studied design at Buckinghamshire College. “The Pavilion features a gorgeous mosaic of different hardscapes and a great selection of fire-pits, which are surrounded by cozy, plush furniture, patio dining sets, outdoor sofas, and lounge chairs.”
The Pavilion was designed by Regina Rollin, a landscape architect from Glen Ellen, and built by local landscape contractors Juan Baron, Pedro Cabrerra, Jose Garcia, Rey Robledo, and Above and Beyond Electric and Line Locators Plumbing. The outdoor sales floor, with its collection of furniture, umbrellas, fountains, sculptures, and accessories, is visible from Broadway and through distinctive iron fencing. Villa Terrazza also offers the very latest in outdoor kitchen appliances and cabinetry.
“The barbeque, which can be cart-mounted or a built-in, is usually the anchor of an outdoor kitchen,” said Michael. He first became interested in outdoor living as a child when his father taught him how to cook most anything on the family’s charcoal barbeque grill. “A great outdoor kitchen may include a sink, refrigeration, and even an ice maker. We partner with local contractors to build our client’s dream outdoor space.”
The Robertoris, who have been together eight years and were married in Kenya last October, are committed to excellent customer service. They have loaned furniture and other accessories to customers who have items on order. In order to assist clients in purchasing items, in the correct size, color, and design, Theresa and Michael will visit the client’s homes and access the space. They have hired interior designer Jerilynn Coward to offer free design advice every Thursday.
“We are passionate about the vital importance of shopping locally,” said Michael, who in 2001 decided to move from work as a consultant on streamlining business document flows to selling teak furniture. “For every dollar spent in a local, family-owned business, 63 cents stays right in the community as contrasted with the 42 cents at a big box chain. Worse yet, with purchases made on the Internet nothing comes back to the local community.”
Villa Terrazza now relies on commercial clients for the bulk of their business. Over the years, they have outfitted outdoor spaces at the Girl & the Fig, The Lodge at Sonoma, and most recently Jacuzzi Winery. The sales team also works with homeowner’s associations and apartment complex owners to furnish patio and pool areas. These clients have found that the furniture lines the shop carries, such as Lloyd Flanders Woven, Summer Classics, and Tropitone, provide serious durability and great styling.
“Whenever possible, we strive for domestically produced products, like our Alfresco and DCS barbeque lines and most of our cast aluminum and wicker furniture,” said Theresa. “We do love to travel and whenever we do we create relationships with vendors and craftsmen that allow us to continue in products we discover and bring them back to Villa Terrazza. We’ve found wonderful treasures for the store in Indonesia, Italy, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, and all over Africa.”
Theresa and Michael, along with the latest addition to the store’s small staff – Guinness, a chocolate lab puppy – have big plans for their already thriving business. They plan on growing their contract business, expanding into Napa Valley, and retooling their Web site, so clients can place orders for items they saw in the store at their convenience. For now, they will continue to serve their clients and welcome new shoppers into their shop.
“Our selection is amazing and we are a great resource for locals as well as tourists who want outdoor spaces that reflect their individuality,” said Michael. “Due to our contract commercial business we move large amounts of furniture, allowing us extremely competitive pricing and allowing us to offer a price guarantee – if you see it for less, we’ll beat that price.”
Villa Terrazza, 869 Broadway, Sonoma; 707.933.8286. Web site: villa-terrazza.com.