Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Contemporary, Natural Style in Idaho
Neutral colors and natural materials transform a large three-level home in Sun Valley into a comfy family retreat
There's a fine line between a house that's been designed to fit in with its locale and one that veers off into theme land. This can be particularly true for homes situated in resort towns like Sun Valley, Idaho.
Much to the relief of designers James Dolenc and Thomas Riker of jamesthomas, the couple who commisioned this 12,000-square-foot residence was dead set on not having a Western-theme house. "But that didn't mean we couldn't reference the West without being literal about it," says Riker. "We brought nature and a lot of natural elements into the design, but in a more contemporary way."
They also capitalized on the striking work of Ketchum, Idaho, architect Michael Blash of Michael Blash and Associates. "The architecture is so strong, and the views of Bald Mountain are stunning," says Riker. "Our goal with the interiors was to be quiet and neutral, which we accomplished with a lot of earth tones." But as these beautiful photographs illustrate, quiet and neutral does not translate into boring and impersonal.
Much to the relief of designers James Dolenc and Thomas Riker of jamesthomas, the couple who commisioned this 12,000-square-foot residence was dead set on not having a Western-theme house. "But that didn't mean we couldn't reference the West without being literal about it," says Riker. "We brought nature and a lot of natural elements into the design, but in a more contemporary way."
They also capitalized on the striking work of Ketchum, Idaho, architect Michael Blash of Michael Blash and Associates. "The architecture is so strong, and the views of Bald Mountain are stunning," says Riker. "Our goal with the interiors was to be quiet and neutral, which we accomplished with a lot of earth tones." But as these beautiful photographs illustrate, quiet and neutral does not translate into boring and impersonal.
The living room has a dramatic view of Bald Mountain, one of Sun Valley's prime ski destinations. Riker and Dolenc created a small seating group by the bay window with two Holly Hunt chairs and floor lamps from Boyd Lighting. "The chairs are upholstered in a light blue wool, and there's a very subtle effect where you're looking at them and the sky at the same time," says Riker. A Troscan Leigh Chaise links the two seating areas in the large 16-by-24-foot entertaining space and allows people to face in either direction, or toward the wood-burning fireplace designed by Blash.
Another view of the living room highlights the versatility of the furniture choices. The Troscan Weekend Bench in the foreground has a wood table that slides and can be positioned anywhere along the bench, or placed elsewhere in the room. The stools from Chista and coffee tables from Bradley Hughes can also be easily moved to accommodate guests.
"We kept the colors pretty neutral — beiges and browns — and made sure that the furniture would be comfortable for a family that includes three children and a dog," says Riker. The Donghia sofa sits on a rug from Tufenkian. The floors throughout the house are walnut.
"We kept the colors pretty neutral — beiges and browns — and made sure that the furniture would be comfortable for a family that includes three children and a dog," says Riker. The Donghia sofa sits on a rug from Tufenkian. The floors throughout the house are walnut.
"We felt it was important that when you walked into the house, you were presented with a mix of contemporary and Western elements," says Riker. "We wanted something that felt appropriate for Sun Valley and immediately conveyed what this house is all about." The designers had seen artist Ashley Collins' paintings at a gallery in Napa, California. Her work hangs above a console by John Houshmand. Each of his pieces is individually handcrafted — this one is composed of an elm tree trunk that sits on a steel base.
The lattice light fixture was designed by Blash to feel as if you're walking though natural light. He also chose the custom pivot glass door.
The lattice light fixture was designed by Blash to feel as if you're walking though natural light. He also chose the custom pivot glass door.
An imposing spiral staircase connects the three levels of the home's north wing. The lower level of this wing includes a wine room and a home theater, while the entry level (shown in the previous photo) has a guest bedroom and a workout room. On the third floor, there's access to the main living spaces as well as the children's bedrooms and a powder room.
The south wing is entered on its lower level, where there's a mudroom, the children's playroom and a bathroom. The second floor includes the wife’s office, a lanai and additional access to the main living spaces. The third level contains the master suite. This wing of the house is also serviced by an elevator.
The 20-foot hanging chandelier was designed by the Kirkland, Washington, company Charles Loomis. Riker notes that "it feels rustic but works in a contemporary environment." At the very bottom of the stairwell, the designers installed a water feature with a column of stone at its center. "It points up to the obelisk-shape light fixture so the shape of each one mimics the other."
The south wing is entered on its lower level, where there's a mudroom, the children's playroom and a bathroom. The second floor includes the wife’s office, a lanai and additional access to the main living spaces. The third level contains the master suite. This wing of the house is also serviced by an elevator.
The 20-foot hanging chandelier was designed by the Kirkland, Washington, company Charles Loomis. Riker notes that "it feels rustic but works in a contemporary environment." At the very bottom of the stairwell, the designers installed a water feature with a column of stone at its center. "It points up to the obelisk-shape light fixture so the shape of each one mimics the other."
The fireplace wall separates the living room from the family room (shown in the next photo), and both spaces are open to the kitchen and dining areas. The white sculpture is part of the owners' art collection.
The family room is a fairly compact 12-by-16-foot space where everyone hangs out and watches television. The custom-made sofa is covered in a wide-wool corduroy. Riker says that the Ellipse Chair from Modernica "adds a fun, poppy element. It's a statement piece that stands on its own." The glass piece on the large ottoman from Doma Home Furnishings slides so you can push it away to put your feet up or bring it close when it's holding food or drinks. The rug is a wall-to-wall carpet that was cut and bound. "We do this a lot since it saves money when you need a very specific size," says Riker.
"The kitchen is very open, so it was important that everything work together and that the colors and materials stayed in the same family as those in the adjoining rooms," says Riker. "We didn't want you to be jarred as you looked from room to room." The large L-shape bar, which is surrounded by bar stools from Berman Rosetti, has a raised countertop so you can't see directly into the kitchen. "We had the White Beauty granite waterfall down the front so that it feels like a monolithic piece of stone," notes Riker. "It's very architectural and plays off the sense of the home's surroundings and the mountains."
The center island and backsplash were done in quieter tones of mocha granite so that they would fade into the background a bit. The cabinets are the same mahogany that's in the living room, but to create a subtle distinction they were stained slightly darker. The stainless steel hood was custom designed for the oversize Wolf cooktop.
Beyond the kitchen, a step up and a turn to the right lead to an outdoor entertaining area. The floor is a Gaston beige limestone. Bamboo planters soften the stone wall.
The center island and backsplash were done in quieter tones of mocha granite so that they would fade into the background a bit. The cabinets are the same mahogany that's in the living room, but to create a subtle distinction they were stained slightly darker. The stainless steel hood was custom designed for the oversize Wolf cooktop.
Beyond the kitchen, a step up and a turn to the right lead to an outdoor entertaining area. The floor is a Gaston beige limestone. Bamboo planters soften the stone wall.
The owners wanted to have the ability to host small and large gatherings in the dining room. Riker and Dolenc designed two square tables that seat four or, when pushed together as shown here, eight. There's an additional leaf that expands the table, which was fabricated by the Chicago firm EuroCraft, so it can accommodate 12 people.
The chairs are from Holly Hunt, and the custom light fixture is by Pagani Studio. An Atelier Credenza by Morlen Sinoway and candlesticks from Baker sit below artwork chosen by the owners. Knoll fabric drapes open to reveal views of the nearby foothills.
The chairs are from Holly Hunt, and the custom light fixture is by Pagani Studio. An Atelier Credenza by Morlen Sinoway and candlesticks from Baker sit below artwork chosen by the owners. Knoll fabric drapes open to reveal views of the nearby foothills.
"We always look at powder rooms as an opportunity to do something more fun and push the envelope a little bit," says Riker. A custom-made concrete sink is surrounded by a floating walnut vanity and marble backsplash. The sconces from Fuse Lighting are composed of a metal skeleton with black crystal beads that wrap around the bulbs. "It's kind of sparkly and unexpected, and we liked how the rock and metal work with everything else that's going on in the house," Riker explains. A glass top protects the vanity from water damage.
The designers wanted the guest room to feel like an all-inclusive hotel room. The desk from Niba Home is the perfect spot to use a laptop, but it also serves as a dressing table (the mirror is from Arteriors) and a nightstand. "The adjoining bathroom has a limestone floor called Seagrass, so we went with a slight green and gold color scheme," says Riker. The Berman Rosetti bed is on a platform that incorporates a bench. Crate and Barrel lamps flank the bed.
The guest room's en suite features wall tile from Walker Zanger that "provides a contemporary take on a rustic element," says Riker. "We designed the floating vanities, the sconces and the walnut millwork to match the hotel-like environment of the bedroom. It feels much more custom than just slapping a mirror up on the wall." The sconces are from Boyd Lighting, the sink and faucets are Lacava, and the tub is by Kohler.
The hallway leading to the children's bedrooms is given architectural interest with small built-in benches and niches that highlight the owners' art collection. The rug is from Odegard. "I was going through the sample rugs that the showroom presents in a striped format," explains Riker, "and I loved the way they looked, so I had them make a rug that mimicked the sample. I also like that it has a more playful feel since it's outside the kids' bedrooms."
The entire back wall of the master bedroom is covered in a panelized Ultrasuede headboard that goes all the way to the ceiling. "The bed feels like it's floating up to it," says Riker. "The metal tables on each side of the bed are quite large, and we really wanted to center the Baker lamps in the window. They're really more decorative, while the sconces are for reading." The owners liked the look of the bare floors and just wanted something underneath their feet when they got in and out of bed, so the designers used runners. "We do this a lot in bedrooms where you don't need a big rug since most of the floor is covered by the bed," says Riker.
The Nankin Bench at the foot of the bed is by Christian Liaigre. The metal bedside tables and storage cubes are jamesthomas designs that were fabricated, respectively, by Gentner Fabrication and EuroCraft, both in Chicago. The seating area in the foreground features the Stop Club Chair and Ottoman by John Hutton for Holly Hunt.
The Nankin Bench at the foot of the bed is by Christian Liaigre. The metal bedside tables and storage cubes are jamesthomas designs that were fabricated, respectively, by Gentner Fabrication and EuroCraft, both in Chicago. The seating area in the foreground features the Stop Club Chair and Ottoman by John Hutton for Holly Hunt.
It's an overused term, but there's no getting around the fact that this bathroom is spalike. Architect Blash came up with the idea for the latticework ceiling, while Riker and Dolenc designed the vanity and chose the finishes. "We love the striation in the vintage vein-cut travertine floor," says Riker. They also used large pieces on the wall to keep the space feeling clean. "The sink is one huge concrete trough that has an earthy feel but is modern and contemporary, like many other elements throughout the house." Stones add a textural element and were placed around the perimeter of the entire bathroom. Glass transoms provide ventilation for the walk-in shower and the water closet.
A patio off the master bathroom wraps around to a corner where a Waterworks tub has a view of the nearby nature preserve. The light fixture is by jGoodDesign.
The 200-square-foot dressing room is located off the master bathroom. The cabinets' walnut finish is the same as the one that's used throughout the rest of the house. Large ottomans covered in Ultrasuede — a jamesthomas design that was fabricated by Eurocraft — provide a comfortable spot to contemplate the "What should I wear today?" dilemma. The drum light fixture is from Stonegate Designs.